[HECnet] HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist license program is closing

Well I must say that the email from HPE at 07:09 this morning didn't initially phase me given that I almost brace myself when renewing the licences, wondering if the website still exists and someone there is still listening. An hour later however, and I appear to be dwelling on it and it has certain knocked the wind out of my sails, curbed my enthusiasm, etc.. What a downer. VSI do appear to have a hobbyist programme of sorts - they offer a packaged FreeAXP and OpenVMS installation for Windows with a very limited licence lifetime it seems. There's no mention of VAX. I'm not at all hopeful that there'll be any improvement..... and going down "other routes" is not the point. I had (note the tense) plans to buy a real Alpha of some description. Think I'll try for an authentic Altair 8080 or the Imsai clone. (That statement may or may not be truthful) I'm going to the gym. I may feel better later... or at least too tired to care for a while. Keith From: owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE [mailto:owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE] On Behalf Of Rob Jarratt Sent: 07 March 2020 07:31 To: hecnet at Update.UU.SE Subject: RE: [HECnet] HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist license program is closing Having said that, I suppose the hobbyist program might be revived by VSI. I seem to remember them once saying that they would have a hobbyist program, but I have not heard anything more about that since. From: Rob Jarratt <robert.jarratt at ntlworld.com<mailto:robert.jarratt at ntlworld.com>> Sent: 07 March 2020 07:15 To: 'hecnet at Update.UU.SE' <hecnet at Update.UU.SE<mailto:hecnet at Update.UU.SE>> Subject: RE: [HECnet] HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist license program is closing It would be nice if the final licenses they issued were non-expiring. From: owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE<mailto:owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE> <owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE<mailto:owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE>> On Behalf Of David Moylan Sent: 07 March 2020 05:26 To: hecnet at Update.UU.SE<mailto:hecnet at Update.UU.SE> Subject: RE: [HECnet] HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist license program is closing I've just received an update from the OpenVMS Customer lab: Here's the message from the OpenVMS team. The idea was that hobbyists would visit the site and renew their licenses, and in response, we would provide the final set of licenses, explaining the scenario: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As we approach the end of the HPE OpenVMS V8.4 standard support period, HPE plans to conclude the HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist license program. The HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist licenses we are issuing in 2020 will be the last set. Subsequently, HPE will not issue new HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist licenses. Attached is the final set of the HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist licenses. These final licenses are valid through December 31st, 2021. We hope that this additional validity period will enable users to plan for the future. Users who wish to avail of HPE OpenVMS long term licenses are encouraged to purchase permanent licenses at standard prices. You may contact [Fellman, Jon] <jon.fellman at hpe.com<mailto:jon.fellman at hpe.com>> for the same. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Cheers, Wiz!! From: owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE<mailto:owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE> [mailto:owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE] On Behalf Of David Moylan Sent: Saturday, 7 March 2020 4:14 PM To: hecnet at Update.UU.SE<mailto:hecnet at Update.UU.SE> Subject: [HECnet] HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist license program is closing Hi all, Just received the e-mail below. I've hunted around all the various Hobbyist locations and licensing pages and can't find any additional information. I've already replied back to ask what the impact of Hobbyist renewal licensing will be. I have no further information at this stage. Have others received this as well? Does anyone have any further knowledge on this? I can see a few people have forwarded/posted the same message on comp.os.vms. Cheers, Wiz!! From: OpenVMS Customer Lab [mailto:openvmscustomerlab at hpe.com] Sent: Saturday, 7 March 2020 3:13 PM Cc: OpenVMS Customer Lab Subject: OpenVMS Hobbyist Notification Dear HPE OpenVMS hobbyist, This is to inform you that HPE is concluding the HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist license program in alignment with the HPE OpenVMS support roadmap. If you wish to understand more details, please reach out to us at the earliest through the usual license renewal webpage. Thank you. HPE OpenVMS team