[Info-vax] Final Oracle release on VMS.

[Simon Clubley]

On 2020-10-28, Jan-Erik Söderholm <jan-erik.soderholm at telia.com> wrote:
> Den 2020-10-29 kl. 00:09, skrev Dave Froble:
>> On 10/28/2020 2:23 PM, Simon Clubley wrote:
>>> On 2020-10-28, Phillip Helbig (undress to reply) 
>>> <helbig at asclothestro.multivax.de> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I wouldn't be surprised if Rdb is already running on x86.
>>>>
>>>
>>> If that had happened, I would have expected a major press release
>>> from VSI by now. It would be a major step towards showing that VMS
>>> is working on x86-64 VMS and would be excellent publicity for VSI.
>> 
>> Your expectations might not be the expectations of others.
>
> Or in touch with reality.
>

I am way in touch with reality. It's some others around here who are not.

It is now 6 years since VSI announced that VMS was being ported to x86-64
and we _still_ don't have a usable x86-64 VMS port.

It is at least 2-3 years past when we were originally told that VMS would
be fully available and working on x86-64.

It is now a couple of months until Itanium hardware support starts to be
dropped.

How long until those who really want to continue running VMS end up saying
"sod this" (or their bosses say "sod this") and start to move on (and away
from VMS) ?

> I'm not sure that VMS has all the bits needed to run Rdb yet.
> I'm confident that there is a close contact between VSI and
> the Rdb group at Oracle. No need to shout out about that.
> And I think that any customer that relies on this combo have
> made sure that they know very well what is happening.
>

You want to keep those customers committed to VSI for a little longer
while work continues on the port to x86-64 VMS ?

Then start making some major announcements that show things are finally
happening in the VMS world and that VMS (and VSI) will still be viable
in a few years.

So yes, there's a massive need for VSI to start shouting out about
things like this (assuming that the port of Rdb to x86-64 is actually
happening at the moment).

> If mr Clubley knows or doesn't know is irrelevant, if he isn't a major
> Rdb customer. But if he is, he would know.
>

VMS customers know that Rdb on x86-64 is apparently vital to the future
of VMS, even if they don't use Rdb themselves.

Those are _exactly_ the kind of customers that VSI should be letting know
about things like this in order to keep them as VSI customers.

(Assuming once again that Rdb is actually being ported to x86-64 VMS at
the moment.)

Talking only gets you so far. At some point, you have to start backing
up your talk with actions. After 6 years and still no completed port
of VMS to x86-64, that time has arrived for VSI.

Simon.

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