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Interesting that their FAQ doesn't mention that VMS source code is proprietary. The name 'OpenVMS' is ambiguous to say the least. https://vmssoftware.com/about

Interesting that their FAQ doesn't mention that VMS source code is proprietary. The name 'OpenVMS' is ambiguous to say the least. https://vmssoftware.com/about/faq/ https://vmssoftware.com/about/faq/ The Wikipedia article about OpenVMS clarifies this in the second paragraph. My point is that the OpenVMS FAQ should address this question because it keeps coming up.

paulsutter 6y ago
VMS was renamed OpenVMS in 1991[1] The term “Open Source” was coined in 1998 by a group of people in the free software movement[2] [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenVMS https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenVMS [2] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source-software_movement https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source-software_movemen...
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- chmaynard 6y ago
  Hence the ambiguity.
  - coldtea 6y ago
    Well, it's the Open Source that is ambiguous then, as it came later as a term... (which, co-incidentally, is one argument of the free/libre software guys too)
- chasil 6y ago
  Somewhat prior to then renaming, the "Open Software Foundation" was formed by a consortium including IBM, HP, and DEC. This was done because of an uncomfortably close embrace between Sun Solaris and AT&T System V Release 4. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Software_Foundation https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Software_Foundation UNIX on DEC Alpha was originally named OSF/1.
pjmlp 6y ago
Open in OpenVM has the same background as OpenSTEP, or OpenGroup, meaning open standards, not free beer.
- coldtea 6y ago
  Well, Open Source doesn't mean free beer for that matter, either, it means "copyleft".
  - pjmlp 6y ago
    Really? Recent events from Mozilla and others seem to prove otherwise.
    - coldtea 6y ago
      Really? Any concrete example?
      - pjmlp 6y ago
        The entitled attitude of open source users not to pay for software, examples abound on this site, specially when one does Show HN of a commercial product, only to be flooded by half working open source alternatives. But if you prefer something more concrete, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24159244 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24159244
        Fnoord 6y ago
        FTA: > Did you sign I Love MDN? Great! Are you willing to pay 50-100 euros/dollars per year to keep MDN afloat? If not, this is all about making you feel better, not the technical writers. You’re part of the problem, not the solution. Not everyone has that kind of money to spend on charity. I find the statement, quite frankly, condescending and ignorant. There are tons of countries in the world, consisting of web developers, who earn [far] less than an average SV wage. Sure, living expenses are also likely lower, but still.
rayiner 6y ago
At that time, “open” was applied to things that were based on published standards and portable, as distinguished from systems they were based in proprietary standards or tied to particular processor architectures. VAX/VMS was named to OpenVMS to signal that it supported POSIX and after the port to the Alpha.

paulsutter 6y ago

VMS was renamed OpenVMS in 1991[1] The term “Open Source” was coined in 1998 by a group of people in the free software movement[2] [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenVMS https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenVMS [2] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source-software_movement https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source-software_movemen...

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
chmaynard 6y ago
Hence the ambiguity.
- coldtea 6y ago
  Well, it's the Open Source that is ambiguous then, as it came later as a term... (which, co-incidentally, is one argument of the free/libre software guys too)
chasil 6y ago
Somewhat prior to then renaming, the "Open Software Foundation" was formed by a consortium including IBM, HP, and DEC. This was done because of an uncomfortably close embrace between Sun Solaris and AT&T System V Release 4. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Software_Foundation https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Software_Foundation UNIX on DEC Alpha was originally named OSF/1.

pjmlp 6y ago

Open in OpenVM has the same background as OpenSTEP, or OpenGroup, meaning open standards, not free beer.

coldtea 6y ago
Well, Open Source doesn't mean free beer for that matter, either, it means "copyleft".
- pjmlp 6y ago
  Really? Recent events from Mozilla and others seem to prove otherwise.
  - coldtea 6y ago
    Really? Any concrete example?
    - pjmlp 6y ago
      The entitled attitude of open source users not to pay for software, examples abound on this site, specially when one does Show HN of a commercial product, only to be flooded by half working open source alternatives. But if you prefer something more concrete, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24159244 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24159244
      - Fnoord 6y ago
        FTA: > Did you sign I Love MDN? Great! Are you willing to pay 50-100 euros/dollars per year to keep MDN afloat? If not, this is all about making you feel better, not the technical writers. You’re part of the problem, not the solution. Not everyone has that kind of money to spend on charity. I find the statement, quite frankly, condescending and ignorant. There are tons of countries in the world, consisting of web developers, who earn [far] less than an average SV wage. Sure, living expenses are also likely lower, but still.

rayiner 6y ago

At that time, “open” was applied to things that were based on published standards and portable, as distinguished from systems they were based in proprietary standards or tied to particular processor architectures. VAX/VMS was named to OpenVMS to signal that it supported POSIX and after the port to the Alpha.