[Info-vax] An alternative history of computing

[Arne Vajhøj]

On 7/23/2021 2:15 PM, chris wrote:
> On 07/23/21 18:02, Robert A. Brooks wrote:
>> On 7/23/2021 12:36 PM, chris wrote:
>>> Full decnet was an expensive layered product, from memory, though
>>> a subset and run time libraries did come with vms.
>>
>> I'm not sure what you mean by "run time libraries"; there is
>> no run-time-only DECnet option for either Phase IV or Phase V.
>>
>> DECnet Phase IV was pretty simple -- you had either a routing license
>> or an end node license. The X.25 stuff (VAX PSI) was separate, but
>> that's not DECnet per se. The NAS morass was simply a license bundling
>> mechanism with
>> other stuff, but did not alter the DECnet functionality.
>>
>> DECnet Phase V (known first as DECnet/OSI and now known as DECnet-Plus)
>> has more moving parts (the optional OSAK, FTAM, VT -- none of which
>> require an extra license), and its licensing also essentially follows
>> the routing/end-node paradigm. The X.25 stuff is again separately 
>> licensed.
> 
> So you are just confirming what I said then, that full decnet was an
> expensive layered product ?. Thanks for the clarification though.
> 
> Most people expect networking to be part of the base os these days, as
> machines are generally useless without it...

I agree that network is necessary.

But DECnet with end-node license instead of routing license
was still network.

Arne