[Info-vax] Attn VSI employees: Viable full system Itanium emulator for VMS ?

[Arne Vajhøj]

On 2/17/2022 2:43 PM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> On 2/17/22 14:32, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
>> On 2/17/2022 2:28 PM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>>> On 2/17/22 14:08, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
>>>> On 2/17/2022 2:04 PM, Dave Froble wrote:
>>>>> On 2/17/2022 9:00 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:
>>>>>> I've had some more thoughts about this and it _may_ end up being
>>>>>> a viable Itanium full system emulator for VSI to offer after all.
>>>>>
>>>>> My only questions are "why?" and "who would want such a thing?"
>>>>>
>>>>> The itanic was never a good idea.  Yeah, throw enough memory and 
>>>>> process shrinks at something and it will work.  Doesn't make it a 
>>>>> good idea.
>>>>
>>>> VMS users should go for x86-64.
>>>>
>>>> I can understand the interest from HP-UX userrs.
>>>
>>> I can't understand the interest in HP-UX at all.  It's just
>>> another proprietary Unix and not really one of the better ones.
>>> And, yes, I have had to work with it at higher than the user
>>> level.
>>
>> There are places where they run HP-UX.
> 
> The big question is still, Why?

They picked it 20-30 years ago for whatever reason.

>> They have a problem with HW.
>>
>> They can migrate from HP-UX to Linux or try to stay on HP-UX for
>> some more years.
>>
>> Staying means either IslandCo or an emulator when new system is needed.
>>
>> Most will probably start migration to Linux. But some may be
>> interested in emulation.
> 
> Linux is not the only available option.

It is not.

But the vast majority will pick Linux. That is the industry trend.

>> We know that VAX emulation is used by some VMS users.
> 
> VMS users have a reason to stay where they are.  As we have
> discussed here ad infinitum in some cases there is little or
> no option to migrate.  That is never the case with HP-UX
> which is just another flavor of Unix.

Migration is always work. Code may require changes, procedures
will need to change, people may need to learn new skills.

Arne