Re: Ball-park figure for OpenVMS costing

From: DL Phillips (whohe_at_whoever.com)
Date: 11/02/04 

Date: 2 Nov 2004 08:00:47 -0800

David Froble <davef@tsoft-inc.com> wrote in message news:<4186A66B.8040505@tsoft-inc.com>...
> DL Phillips wrote:
>
> > Bundled would be the correct term. Unless someone can produce an
> > official document that says otherwise, TCP/IP and DECnet are still
> > _Separately__Licensed_Products_(SLP). The manufacturer can offer SLP's
> > as part of a system package, but just because you have a base license
> > for OpenVMS v7.3-2 it doesn't mean you are licensed for anything other
> > than the things officially listed as included therein. And, license or
> > not, if you don't have the *key* to the SLP it won't run.
> >
> > The OP asked if IslandCo's price of $500 for OpenVMS base license
> > included TCP/IP. IslandCo and HP must answer that question because the
> > answer is system specific.
> >
> > If I'm wrong and having a base OpenVMS license does entitle one to
> > TCP/IP, and the UCX PAK is now meaningless, then I'll just run off a
> > copy of any old UCX PAK and hand it out to all of the folks who
> > *didn't* get a UCX (or NAS) License PAK when they bought their systems
> > --- I suppose I'd limit it to those loyal followers who have kept up
> > on their update subscription and are running a supported version of
> > VMS.
>
>
> There's a difference between what's sold now, and how it's sold, and existing
> licenses sold in the past. A license sold in the past will forever be what it
> is/was when it's sold. Just because HP might sell a license today, which
> includes license rights to TCP/IP, DECnet, or anything else, in no way affects
> any license sold in the past.
>

    I agree, but I'd like to think that paying the money for the
update subscription and keeping the OS at the current level would
entitle you to consider your license as current as one just freshly
bought.

> Notice that I'm not saying that they do sell it in such a manner today. That
> was my question, to which I haven't yet seen a reply that I'd feel comfortable
> with if I was planning a purchase.
>

    As I said, licenses are system specific. When you ask the price,
ask what licenses are included. Other than from HP, there's usually
some negotiation allowed in price.

> Now, if HP were to publically announce that any VMS base license was now
> entitled the holder to also use another product along with that base license,
> (or however they wanted to word it), and that PAKs could be had for the asking,
> or some small fee, that would be different than what's being discussed above.
>
> Dave

    I doubt that more than a couple of people at HP actually
understand OpenVMS licensing and they're probably on vacation
(holiday) or out with the flu;-)

 -Doug

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