[Info-vax] The real problem that needs solving to grow VMS

[Arne Vajhøj]

On 10/31/2022 9:09 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:
> On 2022-10-30, Arne Vajhøj <arne at vajhoej.dk> wrote:
>> But still I think VMS future looks better now than in the past.
>>
>> * there is a company dedicated to VMS (VSI)
>> * VMS runs on on standard hardware (x86-64) with a future
>> * VMS can run in common enterprise environments like
>>     VMWare ESXI and AWS/Azure/GCP
>>
>> VMS now needs software!
> 
> What would it take for a manager in a new-to-VMS company to risk
> their pension and salary by buying a VMS solution instead of what
> is currently an industry-standard solution based on Linux or Windows ?
> 
> That's the _real_ problem you need to solve. Adding new software to
> VMS means nothing until you solve that problem.

I don't think so.

The decision process will either explicit or implicit be a
two phase thing:
1) short list good candidates for the task
2) pick one from that short list

No support or no hardware means not making the short list. That
is solved now.

Not having the software also means not making the short list.
And that is an outstanding problem in most cases.

Until VMS will get on the short list then it is not an option.

If VMS makes it to the short list then I am not so worried
about the picking phase.

Sure it would be a problem if the goal was to make it
VMS-Linux 50%-50%. Convincing 50% of the decision makes
to pick VMS would not be easy.

But if the goal is the more realistic VMS-Linux 1%-99%,
then it is a lot easier. Some decision makers will be
willing to look at less common alternatives. Some
decision makers will have had a recent bad experience
with Linux.

Arne