[Info-vax] VMSSoftware Community License Program - Questions & Answers

[John H. Reinhardt]

> by madsweeney » Tue Aug 18, 2020 6:59 am 
> Hello OpenVMS Community,
> 
> VMS Software, Inc.’s launch of the OpenVMS Community License program is a great success. The applications for participation exceeded our expectations, which is great evidence of the strength of OpenVMS in the market. We thank the company employees who worked tirelessly to make the program a reality.
> 
> The initial launch is version 1.0 of the community program. The VMS Software Community program was not intended to be identical to the HPE Hobbyist program. We anticipated differences between the HPE hobbyist license and VSI community license would generate discussion. Your ideas and feedback are important and valuable. Please provide your feedback here in the VSI OpenVMS Forum, OpenVMS Community License Program - Q&A. We will consider changes to the program based on your feedback.
> 
> With the participation of community members, the program will evolve to meet the needs of the worldwide OpenVMS community.
> 
> Thank you,
> 
> VMS Software Management Team
> Dave Sweeney, Chief Customer Advocate


If you want to let VSI know about any problems or issues you have with the VSI Community License, whether it be the lack of Integrity clustering and HBVS or if an Alpha BLISS compiler is available, then the VSI OpenVMS Forum is the place to go.  Specifically the "Community License Program - Questions & Answers" thread.  Your rants and raving here on C.O.V will not help much as official VSI presence here is limited.

So sign up here: <https://training.vmssoftware.com/login/signup.php> "VSI Training Center - New Account:
And post it here: <https://forum.vmssoftware.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=130#p425> "Community License Program - Questions & Answers"
More info here but post to the above thread: <https://forum.vmssoftware.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=116> "OpenVMS Community License Program

VSI is balking at allowing clustering on Integrity <https://forum.vmssoftware.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=116#p430>

> The reasoning behind this is that Integrity is the most current platform that OpenVMS is offered on at the moment. VMS Software wants to protect
  its intellectual property from commercial use this way, as shadowing and clustering are aimed at the enterprise-class systems since they provide more redundancy and fail safety.

The same reasoning will follow once the x86 port is released.  If you want to see clustering and HBVS available to Hobbyists on a platform other than Alpha, then get over to the VSI Forum and make yourself heard.  So far only Willem Grooters and I have expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of Integrity clustering and HBVS. That's not going to change VSI's mind.  If you really care, then make yourself heard.

I also ask that if you do so, please be constructive and at least somewhat reasonable in your posts.  Making demands and threats is not the way to get something and will only paint a picture of the Hobbyist community as being more lunatic fringe than anything else.

-- 
John H. Reinhardt