4 ms·

Hobbyist license in the future when more compilers are available. Why in the world are they waiting to provide it? A symbol of a clueless corporate leadership.

icedchai 4y ago
The compilers aren’t done yet. They’re using cross compilers running on Itanium.
- ch_123 4y ago
  This, in turn, is because they are converting the compilers from a proprietary code generator to LLVM.
  - hulitu 4y ago
    Huh ? OpenVMS does not have a native compiler ?
    - icedchai 4y ago
      It does, on Itanium, Alpha, and VAX. My understanding from looking at VMS Software's web site is that the native compilers for x86-64, for more well known languages like C++, are still in testing: https://vmssoftware.com/about/news/2022-07-08-state-of-the-92-release-ready/ https://vmssoftware.com/about/news/2022-07-08-state-of-the-9...
- unixhero 4y ago
  My point is that why are they delaying a hobbyist license, just because the compilers aren't ready. It doesn't make sense.
  - icedchai 4y ago
    Previous hobbyist distributions (for Alpha and VAX, at least, not sure about Itanium) included compilers. Certainly, it will be much more useful to hobbyists if compilers are available.
    - unixhero 4y ago
      Compilers can be installed as software packages, these can be downloaded after the base install is completed. Or maybe VMS does not have s concept of installing software packages at all. What do I know. Their decision to delay still doesn't make sense.
      - icedchai 4y ago
        Of course, it has packages. Personally, I think an OS without compilers is less than useful for hobbyists. I mean, what are you going to run on it? It's a new architecture so there aren't many existing programs. I'd prefer they wait and provide a more complete distribution. In the meantime, we are all free to install older versions on Alpha or VAX emulators.
  - tinus_hn 4y ago
    You are complaining they don’t release a half baked product for free. And if they did other people would be complaining it’s half baked and doesn’t work with a free compiler. They are free to release nothing at all for free, be grateful for what you get.
    - unixhero 4y ago
      Yes I am complaining. Who are we? Who are hobbyists any way? We are the ones who do R&D for free, who deliver software testing for free, who take our skills into the workforce and recommend technologies as solutions. We should be treated as first class citizens. And yes _of course_ operating systems should be free to hackers and hobbyists, for the reasons outlined above.

icedchai 4y ago

The compilers aren’t done yet. They’re using cross compilers running on Itanium.

ch_123 4y ago
This, in turn, is because they are converting the compilers from a proprietary code generator to LLVM.
- hulitu 4y ago
  Huh ? OpenVMS does not have a native compiler ?
  - icedchai 4y ago
    It does, on Itanium, Alpha, and VAX. My understanding from looking at VMS Software's web site is that the native compilers for x86-64, for more well known languages like C++, are still in testing: https://vmssoftware.com/about/news/2022-07-08-state-of-the-92-release-ready/ https://vmssoftware.com/about/news/2022-07-08-state-of-the-9...
unixhero 4y ago
My point is that why are they delaying a hobbyist license, just because the compilers aren't ready. It doesn't make sense.
- icedchai 4y ago
  Previous hobbyist distributions (for Alpha and VAX, at least, not sure about Itanium) included compilers. Certainly, it will be much more useful to hobbyists if compilers are available.
  - unixhero 4y ago
    Compilers can be installed as software packages, these can be downloaded after the base install is completed. Or maybe VMS does not have s concept of installing software packages at all. What do I know. Their decision to delay still doesn't make sense.
    - icedchai 4y ago
      Of course, it has packages. Personally, I think an OS without compilers is less than useful for hobbyists. I mean, what are you going to run on it? It's a new architecture so there aren't many existing programs. I'd prefer they wait and provide a more complete distribution. In the meantime, we are all free to install older versions on Alpha or VAX emulators.
- tinus_hn 4y ago
  You are complaining they don’t release a half baked product for free. And if they did other people would be complaining it’s half baked and doesn’t work with a free compiler. They are free to release nothing at all for free, be grateful for what you get.
  - unixhero 4y ago
    Yes I am complaining. Who are we? Who are hobbyists any way? We are the ones who do R&D for free, who deliver software testing for free, who take our skills into the workforce and recommend technologies as solutions. We should be treated as first class citizens. And yes _of course_ operating systems should be free to hackers and hobbyists, for the reasons outlined above.