[Info-vax] OpenVMS Hobbyist Notification

[Dave Froble]

On 3/7/2020 8:17 AM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> On 3/7/20 12:29 AM, David Moylan wrote:
>> On Saturday, March 7, 2020 at 4:24:00 PM UTC+11, David Moylan wrote:
>>> i've been all over the hobbyist pages and license renewal sections. i
>>> can't see anything. i've also replied back to the original e-mail to
>>> see if they can provide additional information.
>>
>> ok - so i've just had a reply back from the OpenVMS Customer Lab:
>>
>> Here’s the message from the OpenVMS team.  The idea was that hobbyists
>> would visit the site and renew their licenses, and in response, we
>> would provide the final set of licenses,
>> explaining the scenario:
>>
>> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>>    As we approach the end of the HPE OpenVMS V8.4 standard support
>> period, HPE
>>    plans to conclude the HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist license program.
>>
>>    The HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist licenses we are issuing in 2020 will be
>> the last set.
>>    Subsequently, HPE will not issue new HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist licenses.
>> Attached
>>    is the final set of the HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist licenses. These final
>> licenses
>>    are valid through December 31st, 2021. We hope that this additional
>> validity
>>    period will enable users to plan for the future.
>>
>>    Users who wish to avail of HPE OpenVMS long term licenses are
>> encouraged to
>>    purchase permanent licenses at standard prices. You may contact
>> [Fellman, Jon]
>>    << >> for the same.
>>
>> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>>
>
> Which still doesn't solve the upcoming problem for VAX owners.
> And the previous word has always been that VSI will never be
> able to issue PAKs for a VAX.  Welcome to the PDP-11 Hobbyist
> world.
>
> bill
>

"Never" can mean "not now" or "not yet".

While VSI does not have the right to issue anything for DEC/Compaq/HP 
VAX VMS at this time, that could change.  Not saying it will.  But 
cannot say it won't.

I guess it will depend on whether anyone cares about the desires of 
hobbyists.

I also wonder about the state of anything, when the owner "abandons" it, 
and just what might be the legal definition of "abandon"?

-- 
David Froble                       Tel: 724-529-0450
Dave Froble Enterprises, Inc.      E-Mail: davef at tsoft-inc.com
DFE Ultralights, Inc.
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