[Simh] OpenVMS Hobbyist Program

[Hunter Goatley]

On 3/7/2020 5:37 PM, Gary Lee Phillips wrote:
> Yes, quite important seems to be an understatement. HPE is dropping 
> the program, apparently because the OpenVMS product line is now the 
> responsibility of VSI. But I can find no sign that VSI will continue 
> the hobbyist license program in any form. Those of us with actual 
> Alpha/Itanium/Vax hardware may be completely shut out?

That's the way it's looking. SIMH VAXen, too.

As far as I know, even if VSI starts a Hobbyist program, it will not 
include VAX, as they have never had anything to do with the VAX version 
of VMS. Presumably, they have no legal right to create VAX PAKs, even if 
they had the software to do it (which they do, since the Alpha PAKGEN 
can create VAX PAKs).

> I own two Alphas and also run Vax on Simh. This is not amusing. VSI 
> appears to be focused on OpenVMS for x86 processors, which is fine if 
> they can do that. But without a way to renew license keys our Alpha 
> and Vax systems will be dead silicon. I don't require support or even 
> patches. I just need to keep my systems running.

I had hoped that HPE would release non-expiring VAX PAKs, because why 
not? They're out of the game, and no one else has the code for VAX. But 
they apparently aren't going to do that, which effectively ends SIMH, 
VAX, and Alpha for all but commercial use with purchased commercial 
licenses.

Hunter