[Info-vax] 64-bit (was Re: New CEO of VMS Software)

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2024-01-06 15:30:00 +0000, John Dallman said:

> First, complete the 64-bit API, after all these years. It's a fairly 
> well-defined task, but I don't know how big it is.

There's no way to do that without breaking source-level compatibility, 
and probably not without also doing a migration to a parallel set of 
64-bit APIs.

Basically, the image activator examines the image and decides which 
implementation to activate within; the existing 32- and 64-bit 
implementation, or 64-bit new.

This implementation and this migration would also provide an 
opportunity to toss out the most problematic parts of the existing 
APIs.  *stares at password hash APIs* *glances at thicket of C API 
definitions* *rolls eyes at itemlists* *sighs and drags BASIC forward 
to 64-bit and OO*

Some work in the linker and in the image activator here, and a whole 
lot of work in the various user and kernel APIs, and work in app code 
ranging from build procedures to an app overhaul.  And work in the docs 
too, of course.


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