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

[Simon Clubley]

On 2021-12-10, Arne Vajhøj <arne at vajhoej.dk> wrote:
> 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.
>

It's not the hardware that's the problem in the minds of many people.

It's the fact that VMS is the road less travelled these days and it
comes with restrictions (time-limited production licences) that many
find unacceptable and which is not a problem in what these days are
more mainstream operating systems.

IOW, when asking people to choose VMS, you are asking them to go
down the road less travelled _and_ you are asking them to choose
a much more restrictive licence that they would not have to do if
they stayed with a mainstream operating system.

Now imagine how that looks in the eyes of a upper manager that has
no real emotional bond to VMS.

Simon.

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