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

[Dave Froble]

On 5/31/2021 3:54 PM, Phillip Helbig (undress to reply) wrote:
> In article <s92qfa$7o3$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.

>  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?

>  Could VSI prevent that?  Yes, someone who
> needs important patches will pay for support.  But if you are relying on
> that, then you will have unpatched VMS support in the wild at least
> among non-commercial users (or, rather, all who don't want to pay for
> support, whether commercial or not).

It would be good for VSI to make all patches available to anyone.  Not 
just support customers.  If you're going to make the OS free to use, 
then why would you not do the same with patches?  This ain't HP.

>  But old systems which haven't been
> touched for years or decades probably won't be patched anyway.
>

Nor would they be running VSI software,would they?

Phillip, think before typing ...

Now, if it is desired for non-commercial users to contribute, then have 
a special support plan for them.  Cheap.  No special help, just some 
money for "support".  (Support of VSI.)

-- 
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