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

[Arne Vajhøj]

On 12/10/2021 8:11 PM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> On 12/10/21 8:05 PM, Dave Froble wrote:
>> So, in your opinion, should customers continue to stick with VMS?
> 
> Not my call to make.  I no longer have a dog in the fight.
> If the p[people using VMS feel comfortable staying there that's fine.
> Obviously, many already have not.  I think the current owners are a
> better bet than the last. At least the current owners actually want
> to see it succeed. But only the current users can make the decision
> of whether or not to stay.  And assume all the risks that entails.

The risk seems pretty low to me.

The x86-64 port is almost complete that means new and cheap
hardware available for many years to come.

VSI seems to adjust ambition level to what they can pay for.
Which may be frustrating in the perspective of getting a lot
of new features very quickly, but is very good from a
financial risk perspective. Less revenue will not result
in bankruptcy but just result in slower pace of rollout of
new features.

There is practically zero risk that VSI will ditch VMS as
VMS is their only business.

Not bad.

Of course VSI could further reduce risk for users by
coming up with a license scheme that ensured that all
customers would always have N years left on their
licenses.

Arne