[HECnet] DECUS/freeware archive

[Mark Wickens]

On 24/08/11 18:28, hvlems at zonnet.nl wrote:
Mark,
If you still have access to the HP patch database then I'd suggest these OS versions:

VAX/VMS 7.3
Alpha/VMS. 7.3.
                                      7.3-2
                                      8.3
                                      8.4
IA64/VMS.   8.3
                                      8.4
TCP/IP : all versions -please-

The reasoning behind the VMS versions is simple. The AXP variants are the "stable" ones, though I have my doubts regarding 8.4. I guess that 7.3-2 and 8.3 cover a substantial fraction of all hobbyist sites.
Hobbyists with a VAX run everything for fun but if the VAX is still used for serious work it'll run 7.3.
I'm clueless about what is en vogue in Itanium land.
Personally I'd like to install the latest patches for the IP stack.
Hans

Hans,

I'll bear your comments in mind thanks...

When I spoke to Stephen Hoffman about which version of Alpha OpenVMS to install I was told to stick to 8.3 unless I wanted to get into a large amount of patching. I think the quality of 8.4 probably reflects the wholesale move of OpenVMS development from the USA to India. Please don't take that as xenophobia - merely a reflection on the loss of a good deal of long-time VMS talent. Hopefully future releases will benefit from the increasing knowledge of the new team.

IA64 VMS, AFAIK, is a similar scenario.

Regards, Mark