[Info-vax] Rdb/x86

[Arne Vajhøj]

On 11/24/2020 8:17 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:
> On 2020-11-23, IanD <iloveopenvms at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> I was making the point that if all these things were known then vsi
>> could have been promoting this sort of stuff, even if unofficially
>> 
>> For example, look at how many people here, who are vms advocates
>> and keep fairly well in the know about what's happening on vms,
>> didn't really know the state of play with rdb on x86...
>> 
>> It's all fine to say 'of course' but assumptions don't make for
>> sales or keep vms customers who are on fringe systems eyeing the
>> door and potentially leaving
>> 
>> Risk drives everything and if the marketing arm of vsi is not
>> getting the word out on every success and even potential success,
>> then businesses will keep shedding vms to mitigate the risk that
>> they are running on a dead platform
>> 
>> I've worked in at least 2 places now where vms has been marched out
>> the door. One place might have even kept vms but it was too late,
>> by the time I heard of their plans and created a simple web
>> interface to their existing rdb platform to show what could be
>> done, their decision to retire vms had already been concluded at
>> the board level and funding approved for the replacement system
>> 
>> By the time the technical people hear of platform decisions, other
>> marketing departments have already got in and sold the business
>> their solutions
>> 
>> Lead times of 12++ months is typical in large companies for
>> platform decisions, so throwing information into the public arena
>> late is potentially letting your competitors have a head start and
>> they are already out there pushing their glossy brochures and
>> vaporware to lock in future sales
>> 
>> I happen to think vsi could have said a lot more about rdb on x86
>> because from my perspective they actually didn't say anything at
>> all
> 
> I have included Ian's comment in full as it deserves a second read
> as Ian very clearly "gets it".
> 
> The above is a good example of exactly why VSI should be promoting, 
> in public, the fact that Rdb is now known to be actively being
> ported to x86-64 VMS.
> 
> I've just checked the VSI website again and there's _still_ nothing I
> can see in the news section about Rdb on x86-64 VMS.
> 
> Absolutely bloody pathetic. :-(

But what exactly do you want VSI to say?

"VSI promise that Rdb will be available on VMS x86-64"

then VSI would have a serious problem if Oracle changed their mind
and Oracle may get pretty pissed at VSI.

"Oracle promise that Rdb will be available on VMS x86-64"

Unless Oracle senior management has officially committed then
same issues as above.

"We hear that some smart guys over at Oracle is working on Rdb
  VMS x86-64"

And leave it to readers to make their own conclusions.

That could easily sound rather un-enthusiastic.

"We just has a meeting with Oracle and the future
looks bright - see link here ..."

Maybe that would work.

But finding a message that is both without legal/business risk
and enthusiastic is not trivial (unless Oracke has officially
announced).

Arne