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

[Dave Froble]

On 6/1/2021 2:19 AM, Phillip Helbig (undress to reply) wrote:
> 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.

"No license PAK" is not the same as "no license" ...

>>>>>  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.

The motivations to pay for support are:

1) honesty
2) support VSI
3) adhering to agreements you made
4) violating what you agreed to could incur penalties

>> 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.
>


-- 
David Froble                       Tel: 724-529-0450
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