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

[Dave Froble]

On 6/3/2021 6:44 AM, Jan-Erik Söderholm wrote:
> Den 2021-06-03 kl. 12:24, skrev Andrew Brehm:
>> On 02/06/2021 15:56, Jan-Erik Söderholm wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Perhaps the easiest distinction between commercial and
>>>>>> non-commercial use is system specs.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Make OpenVMS freely available to everyone and let it use up to 4
>>>>>> cores and up to 8 GB of RAM for free, then demand payment for more.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> This will allow everyone to use VMS for development and testing
>>>>>> and will make serious customers pay. Likewise, if VSI goes away or
>>>>>> someone forgets to renew support, VMS would simply collapse to
>>>>>> using 4 cores and 8 GB only, keeping production system running but
>>>>>> very slowly...
>>>>>
>>>>> We have 1 core and 4 GB RAM, and the system is quite fast.
>>>>> And I do not consider a system supporting production in the main
>>>>> factory of a leading producer of forrest/garden equipment, as "small".
>>>>>
>>>>> So no, I do not beleive in that solution.
>>>>
>>>> I don't think there will be too many systems like that in the near
>>>> future. As cores and memory become cheaper and cheaper, systems with
>>>> 1 core and 4 GB of RAM will become a faint memory.
>>>
>>> You select the config that is "good enough". And why wouldn't you if
>>> you get it for free. Is it not that all 1 or 2 CPU Alphas suddenly
>>> need a 4+ CPU/core system that is also way faster per core.
>>
>> 1 or 2 CPU Alphas are probably not in scope for new OpenVMS versions.
>>
>
> The current roadmap has Alpha "Standard Support" into 2030 (as long
> as the current roadmap reaches). But it also depends on what you
> mean with a "new version". An Alpha 8.4-2L3? We don't know.
>
> Anyway, for those a 1-2 core x86 VM will probably be "enough".
> Should those production systems be free?
>

If they are, VSI will be missing out on much revenue, and that could 
break them.

An old friend that sold services once told me, "I don't want to make a 
killing on a single transaction, I just want a little nick.  But I want 
a LOT of nicks."

Not too many free WEENDOZE systems out there, right?  Lots of little 
"nicks" can add up nicely.

-- 
David Froble                       Tel: 724-529-0450
Dave Froble Enterprises, Inc.      E-Mail: davef at tsoft-inc.com
DFE Ultralights, Inc.
170 Grimplin Road
Vanderbilt, PA  15486