[Info-vax] Creating an open source version of VMS, was: Re: OpenVMS Hobbyist Notification

[Simon Clubley]

On 2020-03-09, Phillip Helbig (undress to reply) <helbig at asclothestro.multivax.de> wrote:
> In article <r4606o$gjl$4 at dont-email.me>, Dave Froble
><davef at tsoft-inc.com> writes: 
>> 
>> Define "commercial" ....
>
> In this sense, "to make money; for profit".  But that isn't the only 
> restriction in the hobbyist license; it also has to be "personal use".
>

Something that did occur to me:

I wonder, if someone tried to create an open source version of VMS
from public documentation only, if VSI would somehow try to suppress
development of it.

There are a number of possibilities here, if you focus on application
level source code compatibility and break compatibility at a lower level
instead, in which you could produce something which runs a good number of
existing applications but which has a _much_ cleaner and more functional
operating system underneath.

Think about how Linux is much more functional and cleaner underneath
when compared to the original versions of Unix, yet can still compile and
run earlier Unix application level source code.

I wonder if VSI would actively try to suppress development of such an
alternative version of VMS.

Simon.

-- 
Simon Clubley, clubley at remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Walking destinations on a map are further away than they appear.