[Info-vax] Which programming language would you like to see officially supported on VMS ?

[Phillip Helbig]

In article <36423c0e-97ce-4805-b5db-f0bc09a25f28 at googlegroups.com>, IanD
<iloveopenvms at gmail.com> writes:

> The utpoian dream of a cashless society is fine until interest rates are
> taken negative and you have no path of escape 

This argument is often used, but it is rather bogus.  Say we have now
-0.1% interest and 1% inflation; people are worried about negative
interest eating up their savings.  However, back when there was 4%
interest but 7% inflation, one heard this argument much less often.

> The right for citizens to hold wealth outside of the reach of
> governments is paramount for the freedom of individuals, unless of
> course you believe in the benev olence of government, in which case
> history is not your friend 

Ideas of freedom differ.  In some countries it is legal for most people
to carry guns, but illegal to be nude at the beach.  In others it is the
other way around.  However, when you are talking about cash, you are
talking about wealth which is essentially backed only by the government.
If you want something more robust, buy gold or whatever.  Also, it is
not the government which sets interest rates, at least not directly the
interest rates of banks where people have a positive balance.