[HECnet] HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist license program is closing

[David Moylan]

> > From: owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE <owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE> On
Behalf Of Johnny Billquist
> > Sent: 07 March 2020 11:59
> > On 2020-03-07 08:12, Rob Jarratt wrote:
> > > Yes, I have received it too. I think this is just corporate speak
for
> > > saying that they are closing the hobbyist licensing program,
> > > presumably because they no longer support VMS. I think they should
> > > officially release the PAK tool, or allow hobbyists to request
> > > non-expiring licenses (although that wouldn't help new hobbyists).

I also thought that as well. "we are shutting down - here's the keys".
It would have been a nice gesture.
It's not impossible that this could change.

> > Well, it obviously also would not help VSI, who now "owns" VMS, if
they were to
> > release the PAK tool...

This will never happen. I too worry that VSI will see hobbyists as a
potential source of income. While in principal I don't have a problem
with this concept, if they start charging they need to start offering
something more. I first got into the DEC hobbyist scene back in 2009 -
when we had to physically order CD's from Montagar. 11 years later and
it's still the same code with yearly license keys being the only
difference. The whole concept of the hobbyist program was to provide
access to legacy code for legacy machines at no cost with no impact to
DEC/COMPAQ/HPE.

> > The one, potentially scary thing, is the question of licenses for
VAX.
> > VSI didn't, as far as I can remember, formally take over the VAX
side of things,
> > which could mean that VAX people might be left out in the cold no
matter what
> > VSI does.

As has already been mentioned on the list - don't be concerned about
this. If it comes to Christmas 2021 and neither the HPE or VSI people
have come up with something that appeals to hobbyists, I guarantee you
that Santa will leave you a nice PAK under the tree. 

Cheers, Wiz!!