[Info-vax] State of the OpenVMS hobbyist program?

[Hans Bachner]

Hans Bachner schrieb am 23.11.2019 um 23:49:
> Robert A. Brooks schrieb am 23.11.2019 um 23:17:
>> On 11/23/2019 4:58 PM, Hans Bachner wrote:
>>> IanD schrieb am 23.11.2019 um 09:01:
>>>> Better that VSI offer a cheap upgrade path to come over to VSI 
>>>> branded VMS
>>>>
>>>> Don't they already offer a free path to x86-64 VMS?
>>>
>>> To be exact, they *did* offer.
>>>
>>> It did not take long after HPE announced that they would not sell or 
>>> renew support contracts for any version of OpenVMS, thus retratcting 
>>> as the only competitor of VSI, for VSI to remove the right to upgrade 
>>> to Major Versions from their (3+ year) support contracts.
>>>
>>> Customers who don't already have such a contract will need to buy new 
>>> licenses for OpenVMS V9.x :-(
>>>
>>> I'm curious how many licenses for V8.4-2L1 VSI will sell if the 
>>> customer needs new licenses only 12 to 18 months later to move on to 
>>> V9 ... I assume that most if not all HPE V8.4 customers will stay 
>>> there until V9.
>>
>> It's my understanding that the VSI ***Alpha*** offering came with the 
>> free
>> upgrade to X86_64.
>>
>> Since I'm an engineer, not a marketer, I might have that wrong.
> 
> I'm no going to dig through the paperwork at this time of day regarding 

this was close to midnight (our time), now I did.

> the x86 entitlement, but support contracts for VSI OpenVMS IA64 did 
> include the right to go to V9 i they were purchased from VSI (or their 
> resellers) and not from HPE.

The slides from the webinar on Apr 9 this year (pg. 9) contain this info:

----------
What are some of the benefits of working with VSI direct or through 
Channel Partners?
• The Rights to New Versions - Meaning that when customers purchase VSI 
upgraded licenses with VSI support from VSI or a VSI Partner, they have 
the right to automatic upgrades and future license upgrades at no cost.
This includes the upcoming V9.2 major releases on Alpha, Integrity and
x-86 products.
• [...]
----------

Of course, support contracts sold with this entitlement remain valid, 
but new support contracts will be sold without the right to new major 
versions, according to Terry Holmes. I don't know how switching to x86 
will be dealt with.

Hans.