[Info-vax] VSI OpenVMS Community License

[Arne Vajhøj]

On 3/26/2024 10:26 AM, Chris Townley wrote:
> Just received 2 mails from VSI
> 
> End of Alpha and I64 community licenses
> 
> Looks like a more restricted X86 - WE can download a pre-built and 
> licensed VMDK with a few LP, including compilers
> 
> Or there is an Ambassador program
> 
> Not sure what to think yet...

(warning: this is going to be a long rant)

First announcement link:
    https://vmssoftware.com/about/news/2024-03-25-community-license-update/

The changes seems to be:
* student license program is dropped
* community license program is changed
   - not available for Alpha and Itanium, only available for x86-64
   - not available as license+kit, only available as preinstalled disk image
* new VMS ambassador license
   - with obligations to contribute
   - license for all 3 platforms
   - license+kit model

Reasons given are to solve problems:
* too much work managing licenses
* too little contribution back

I don't think the changes will solve the problems.

It is obvious that VSI has been struggling with the community licenses,
but VSI will still have to do commercial licenses, ISV licenses and
the new VMS ambassador licenses. If that process is not automated, then
it will stille be hassle.

And I suspect that the change will reduce community contributions not
increase them.

In reality the changes could also be described differently:
* student license is being renamed to community license and
   platform upgraded from Alpha to x86-64
* community license is being renamed to VMS ambassador license
   and with a specific requirement for contributions

But the student license was never popular as far as I can tell
and the VMS ambassador requirements will scare people.

So my best guess is that if we look at 1000 communityt license users,
then we will see:

25 that has been contributing and will switch to VMS ambassador license
25 that has been contributing but will drop out because VMS ambassador 
license is not for them
400 that has been running VMS on Alpha and will drop out
100 that are oldtimers interested in VMS on x86-64 and will switch to 
the new community license
200 that are oldtimers interested in VMS on x86-64 and will drop out 
because they don't like images
250 that are newcomers interested in VMS x86-64 and will switch to the 
new community license

or:

25 VMS ambassador licenses
350 new community license
625 drop outs

with:

50% reduction in contributors
no change in number of newcomers needing a lot of handhelding with basics

But I could be wrong, but that is what I predict.

And that is pretty bad!!!!

Arne