[HECnet] HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist license program is closing

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2020-03-07 22:35, David Moylan wrote:
>>> 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.

It would be kindof crazy to first sell VMS to VSI, and then essentially 
give it away to everyone. I'm sure VSI would not consider that to be ok.

HPE is shutting down, yes. VMS is not shutting down.

>>> 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.

So we agree that it's not realistic to think they will hand over the 
keys. Good. Now we can start talking about some meaningful.

>>> 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.

I do not condone suggestions of illegal activities. No matter how subtle 
they are put forward.
Let's see what happens, to start with.

But I hope they realize that VAX licenses are where most of the 
hobbyists are, and that there is likely not much money to be found 
there. And I hope HPE can be talked into allowing VSI to continue 
issuing hobbyist licenses for VAXen. But that is a worrying part. HPE 
have not always been the most helpful.

   Johnny

-- 
Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
                                   ||  on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt at softjar.se             ||  Reading murder books
pdp is alive!                     ||  tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol