[Info-vax] Licenses on VAX/VMS 4.0/4.1 source code listing scans

[Simon Clubley]

On 2021-12-10, Dave Froble <davef at tsoft-inc.com> wrote:
> On 12/10/2021 1:25 PM, Simon Clubley wrote:
>> On 2021-12-10, Dave Froble <davef at tsoft-inc.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Case in point.  We at Consolidated Data insist that all our customers have
>>> support for their commercial use VMS systems.  That is our ethics.  However,
>>> should the time come when there is nobody to pay for such support, and the
>>> license terminates, and VMS stops working, then I will bypass the licensing to
>>> keep my customer in business.  That is my ethics.
>>>
>>
>> Even ignoring the legal issues with that (and you know my position in
>> this general area :-)), do you have the knowledge needed to actually
>> do this bypass ?
>>
>> If you don't, where do you intend on getting this knowledge from ?
>
> I'll defer answering that question, for now.
>

So are you saying you don't actually have the knowledge needed to create
the patch needed to bypass the LMF ?

> Instead, I'll ask these questions.
>
> What is the problem, if there is nobody to question such usage?
>

Ownership of assets doesn't cease just because a company fails.

You are setting yourself and your customers up for a future owner
of the VSI assets to come after you, especially if you reduce the
resale value of those assets by coming up with a way to bypass the
need for existing VMS customers to purchase more of those assets.

> What is your opinion of a vendor potentially destroying a customer's business?
>

You know what VSI have done by putting time limits on production
licences and you could port away today if the risk is unacceptable
to you.

That is your legal option to remove this risk.

Why do you think so many people are angry with VSI for introducing
time-limited production licences instead of just saying that they
will patch VMS to bypass the licences if VSI fails ?

They clearly understand the legal issues and risks involved with trying
to do what you suggest.

Simon.

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