[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 2:23 PM, Simon Clubley wrote:
>>
>> 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.
>
> If there is an entity that allows my customers to continue, then there isn't an 
> issue, is there?
>

What do you do if someone buys VSI's assets but will only sell you a
new licence for a 500% markup (for example) ?

When you bought your time-limited licences, did you also get a guarantee
that future price rises would be limited to a certain percentage and was
that guarantee written in such a way that is binds any successor organisation
which buys VSI's assets ?

>>
>> 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.
>
> Porting is not an option.
>

Really ? Are you sure ? Have you talked to the various porting outfits
that move VMS code to Linux ? Or do they not support DEC Basic ?

>> 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.
>
> Ok Simon, I'll turn things around.  If you had customers depending on VMS, or 
> any software, and the vendor went away, and your customers needed to continue to 
> use their applications, what would you do?  Would you do whatever was necessary 
> for your customers to continue, or, would you tell your customers "too bad, you 
> lose"?
>
> I'm talking right now, today, no time for your port, or anything else.
>

If you have let things get that far without any planning then you have
not done any of the standard business planning for what do you do if
a critical vendor goes bust.

Simon.

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