[Info-vax] VSI strategy for OpenVMS

[David Goodwin]

On Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at 12:24:18 PM UTC+12, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
> On 9/14/2021 7:52 PM, David Goodwin wrote: 
> > Because realistically what can VMS do that isn't cheaper and easier 
> > on Linux besides "run existing VMS applications"? Why pay for VMS to 
> > run ports of Linux software when you could just run Linux software on 
> > its native platform for free?
> There is no license cost for Linux, but companies 
> pay for support. Using RHEL is not free. 
> 
> So there is be room for charging. 
> 
> But long term RHEL can probably be seen as a cap for what 
> can be charged.

Any idea what RHEL actually costs compared to OpenVMS? I've really
got no idea. RedHat must make a fair bit of money though given what IBM 
spent buying them in 2019 ($34bn). Thats more than twice what Compaq 
spent buying all of DEC ($15bn in 2019 money).

> > Even Windows Server is struggling here for the same reason. Most stuff 
> > targets Linux now so Microsoft runs more Linux virtual machines in Azure 
> > than Windows and has for some years now.
> Yep.
> > We're at the point where 
> > Microsoft has added Linux binary compatibility to Windows because 
> > thats what most development tools are built for now.
> WSL 1 was a compatibility layer, but WSL 2 is a VM actually running 
> Linux. And it is for developing Linux software on Windows. 

Yeah, WSL is pretty much a case of better people use Windows to develop
Linux server apps then leave Windows altogether. Interestingly WSL2 is
getting proper support for graphical Linux apps in Windows 11 IIRC - some
sort of wayland-RDP bridge. I think I read that support for Android apps is
coming too thought that may not be relying on WSL. On the server Microsoft
 just expects people will run real Linux and ideally pay them to host it.

What surprised me though is in Azure Microsoft doesn't seem to try and push
you towards Windows at all. Linux is cheaper than Windows and in some cases
the only option (no hosting python apps on a windows app service).