[Info-vax] A new suggestion to handle the temporary production licences problem

[Phillip Helbig undress to reply]

In article <s94fba$4cj$1 at dont-email.me>, Dave Froble
<davef at tsoft-inc.com> writes: 

> >>>> My idea is the same as it's been for years.  Do away with license PAKs,
> >>>> allow anyone to run VMS, require support for any commercial use of VMS.
> >>>> This would avoid all the issues about drop dead dates.
> >>>
> >>> How would you actually check whether commercial users had support?  Big
> >>> commercial users?  Sure.  Commercial users with one VMS system left?
> >>> Probably not.
> >>
> >> When VSI would provide media, they would specify the requirements for
> >> support.  How does Red Hat do it?  Number of systems is irrelevant.  If
> >> they use VSI software, then support would be required for commercial use.
> >
> > So, in contrast to the old days, it would be illegal to borrow media for
> > installation?  A change of paradigm.  Also, how would you enforce it.
> 
> Ya know, I didn't write that.  I just suggested it as one way to inform 
> customers.  Never wrote that media could not be shared.

OK, but if there are no licenses (or everyone gets perpetual licenses
for free), media can be borrowed, patches are made available to
everyone, then it will be difficult to tell if a commercial customer is
running without support.  How, legally, would commercial customers be 
required to have support?  You can't make it part of the license 
agreement if there are no licenses.

> >>>  And what about other people offering support, openly or
> >>> not, in return for money?
> >>
> >> Who else has the VMS source code to modify and patch?
> >
> > That is not all there is to support.
> 
> That is new VMS versions and patches and such.

Yes, but if media can be borrowed, patches are available to all, etc., 
then that is not a motivation to pay for support.

> Because it would be part of the agreement with VSI, commercial use 
> requires support.  Or, don't you stick to your word?

I am not the topic.  I am not a commercial customer.  Presumably the 
idea is that if VSI goes bust, then the agreement that commercial use 
requires support is null and void.