[Info-vax] VMS on Raspberry Pi 5

[56d.1152]

On 11/13/23 1:26 AM, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
> On Sun, 12 Nov 2023 22:48:31 -0500
> "56d.1152" <56d.1152 at ztq9.net> wrote:
> 
>>     I always liked VMS - well ahead of its time.
>>     HOPING some basement-dwelling guru will create
>>     a Pi-runnable version with some more "modern"
>>     features added.
>>
>>     Hey, there's a Plan-9 for Pi ... there could be
>>     a VMS as well !
> 
> 	Plan 9 was designed to be portable and released as source code. VMS
> was designed for the VAX and while it has been ported to the PC the source
> code has not been released. Any port to the Pi would have to be done by VMS
> Software who make their money selling commercial VMS licenses.

   Alas yes ........

   Hmmmm - but WHO is buying such licenses, and for WHAT ???
   VMS is allegedly WELL obsolete, yet they're making money
   from ports.

   Admittedly it will be difficult to separate VMS from the
   hardware/peripherials it was written for. However if it
   can be ported, more or less, to i86 then it should be less
   of a prob to port THAT to ARM.

   Plan-9 was writ to be "more portable". It is kinda hard to
   deal with regardless of underlying hardware however. It was
   intended for "distributed systems", not use on a single
   box/processor, so you get that added complexity thrown in
   for free.

   There are some "ancient systems" that still see use. DOS
   is one of them - compact/efficient and still fair for
   embedded projects. CP/M derivs are also seen. OS9 is another -
   and yes it's still developed and for-sale. Most of the
   "big iron" systems from the 60s/70s went away however.
   "Simplicity" seems to play a role in "longevity". VMS ...
   well, it was REALLY GOOD ... so, somewhere, it's hanging
   on - enough so people will PAY for it.