----- Original Message ----- From: David Boyes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Partially Successful: OpenVMS on System z Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2008 10:24:01 -0400
> > I didn't know that OpenVMS could run on Intel Itaniums, > > but it sounds way cool. > > Yes. It's a relatively recent development (and about 20 > years too late -- we could have been spared Windows > entirely if DEC had bought a clue way back when...*sigh*), > but it's actually fueling a renaissance in VMS usage. VMS > is a nice, tight, secure, easy to manage system, with > decent batch and tape processing capabilities, and > excellent compilers and compatibility with the IBM > extensions for COBOL, a decent CICS replacement, etc, etc. > It's a terrific replacement for small VSE and z/OS shops > who can't get an affordable z system these days. HP > doesn't seem to have such a huge problem with hobbyist use > , either. > So this is a port of OpenVMS itself, and not some other VMS emulator, right? The oil/gas business went nuts over the DEC VAX boxes, running VMS, for number crunch seismic applications, and I've used it before....very nice interactive system. The editor would automatically create versions of files as you made revisions. so going back to a previous version was very simple. I never saw anything that could come close to that until I got to use Xedit with Update. The other thing about VMS was the quality of the DEC supplied compilers. Fortran was very common, of course, but DEC also put out an excellent, full featured PL/I one as well. And all compiled languages used the same calling conventions and common run time library, so writing apps using different languages was a snap. Somewhere around here I still have the complete set of DEC VMS PL/I documentation. > Now if someone would port REXX to VMS instead of DCL... > hmm. Now that's a useful thought. > That would certainly mark an improvement over DCL, which I though was a bit too difficult to use..... DJ > > What's next, Mac under z/VM? :-) > > TOPS-20, of course. If I say "fiat lux", then I expect the > OS to turn the lights on reliably, with a proper Emacs for > editing the universe's config files. Galaxy on Z -- it's > about time we got a decent batch system for Z. > *grin* 8-) > > Actually, if this emulation approach we're using for the > Alpha works out as it appears to be doing, PPC operating > systems like AIX and i5OS would be a logical next step. > Licensing for Mac OSX Server would probably just be a > RPITA to get, even if I could get proper emulation > working.
