[Info-vax] Questions and observations about OpenVMS

[Phillip Helbig undress to reply]

In article <s20t3p$ur4$1 at gioia.aioe.org>, Forrest Aldrich
<forrie at forrie.com> writes: 

> Consider this the perspective of an inexperienced user. I last touched 
> VMS back in the late 80's, but it was cursory at best.   I want to 
> understand OpenVMS today, it's role, application and possibly what 
> directions it could go in.

It has improved much since the late 1980s.

> 1. Current/modern applications for OpenVMS.  What companies are using it 
> and for what reason do they continue to remain on OpenVMS vs another OS 
> (apart from older proprietary code that simply works, as-is).

Banks.  Stock exchanges.  IKEA.  It used to run the production line for 
Intel chips; not sure if that is still the case.  Sadly, it has more or 
less vanished from academia.

> 2. Direction of OpenVMS.  Apart from older industries, I wonder about 
> the future direction of OpenVMS.  They will be completing the port to 
> x86_64, which I believe opens many opportunities for the platform. 

That is very difficult to forecast.

> Could we see OpenVMS become a desktop server, or in smaller roles where 
> clustering may also be applied.  

Desktop to data center!  Yes, I am in a minority here, but those who 
remember it know how good it was.

> 3.  Licensing, relative costs.  OpenVMS is an extremely expensive OS to 
> license, which may present challenges in its migrating into other 
> industries.  

I think that that will change, at least somewhat, with VSI.

> For example, their community-based licensing is nice, 
> but it's a one-off and you won't get upgrades.   As a systems admin, and 
> depending on #2, I'd prefer to have a full-on, non-commercial license 
> that receives all the updates -- there could be many benefits of getting 
> OpenVMS into the hands of smaller shops and sysadmins.

Even before VSI, I said that there should be something between the 
hobbyist license and a full commercial license, since otherwise the 
transition is difficult for new, small shops.

> 4.  Modern/general perception of VMS.  When I mention VMS to anyone, 
> I've seen eyes roll and mentions of "dinosaur" etc., 

Yes, and I hear that about the Beatles from those who listen to Taylor 
Swift.  But I often hear regret that they no longer are in a position to 
use it, envy that I have my own cluster at home, and contempt for the 
folks who booted VMS out.

> 5.  Bringing OpenVMS into the modern age.  From scanning different 
> articles, it seems there remains some work in bringing OpenVMS into the 
> modern world, for example updates to DCL and other relative quirks.

The main thing it needs is a modern web browser.