[Info-vax] OpenVMS Hobbyist Notification

[Bill Gunshannon]

On 3/7/20 12:59 PM, Dave Froble wrote:
> 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"?
> 

Where has HPE ever said anything about "abandoning" any part of
VMS?  The turned part of it over to VSI and announced the end of
support for the VAX version.  Choosing to not support something
does not even imply abandonment. It will continue to be the IP
of HPE and theirs to do with as they please including not licensing
it for use to anyone.  Exactly like the current status of the DEC
PDP-11 OSes and Primos and I am sure many others from our past.

bill