17 Jul
2019
17 Jul
'19
10:49 p.m.
Hi,
This crossed my radar earlier today. I figured that someone on the
CCTalk mailing list might be interested in it.
Link - Vintage 1995 Novell WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS TK50 Tape Digital
DEC VAX
- https://www.ebay.com/itm/133114102939
Buy It Now for $49.95 ($14.95 S&H) or Make an Offer.
--
Grant. . . .
unix || die
17 Jul
17 Jul
10:54 p.m.
On Wed, Jul 17, 2019, 21:50 Grant Taylor via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
wrote:
Hi,
This crossed my radar earlier today. I figured that someone on the
CCTalk mailing list might be interested in it.
Link - Vintage 1995 Novell WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS TK50 Tape Digital
DEC VAX
- https://www.ebay.com/itm/133114102939
I have a .tap image of WP 4.2 and 5.0 for VMS that I made from my own tape
years ago. The image has been successfully mounted but IIRC the software
looks for a license key that I've never found. I do not believe it is a PAK
as with other VMS packages. I can provide the image on request but I don't
want a post it publicly.
J
11:23 p.m.
On Wed, Jul 17, 2019 at 10:54 PM Jason T via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
I have a .tap image of WP 4.2 and 5.0 for VMS that I
made from my own tape
years ago. The image has been successfully mounted but IIRC the software
looks for a license key that I've never found. I do not believe it is a PAK
as with other VMS packages.
I worked for a guy in 1988 that was a WP for VMS reseller. I remember
one particular sale of 10-12 seat licenses for which the commission
made his entire year. Unfortunately I have no information on how the
licensing worked. There was, IIRC, a bit of paper in the box with the
key information on it but I have no idea how it worked.
-ethan
18 Jul
18 Jul
1:43 a.m.
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk <cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org> On Behalf Of Ethan Dicks via
cctalk
Sent: 18 July 2019 04:24
To: Jason T <silent700 at gmail.com>; General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-
Topic Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Subject: Re: WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS
On Wed, Jul 17, 2019 at 10:54 PM Jason T via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
wrote:
I think even if you have the key it fails today. There was a thread recently on
comp.os.vms
Saying it expires after 9999 days and theirs had just expired...
http://www.novabbs.com/index.php?t=msg&th=292017&start=0&
Dave
I have a .tap image of WP 4.2 and 5.0 for VMS
that I made from my own
tape years ago. The image has been successfully mounted but IIRC the
software looks for a license key that I've never found. I do not
believe it is a PAK as with other VMS packages.
I worked for a guy in 1988 that was a WP for VMS reseller. I remember one
particular sale of 10-12 seat licenses for which the commission made his
entire year. Unfortunately I have no information on how the licensing
worked. There was, IIRC, a bit of paper in the box with the key information
on it but I have no idea how it worked.
-ethan 
3:12 a.m.
On 18/07/2019 06:43, Dave Wade via cctalk wrote:
I think
even if you have the key it fails today. There was a thread recently on comp.os.vms
Saying it expires after 9999 days and theirs had just expired...
http://www.novabbs.com/index.php?t=msg&th=292017&start=0&
Dave
I've no idea where it came from but I do have a licence PAK for
WordPerfect: 7-NOV-1991 to 2011.
You could just run with a date in the past ... seems somehow apropriate :-)
Antonio
--
Antonio Carlini
antonio at acarlini.com
11:22 p.m.
On Jul 18, 2019, at 12:12 AM, Antonio Carlini via
cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
I've no idea where it came from but I do have a licence PAK for WordPerfect:
7-NOV-1991 to 2011.
You could just run with a date in the past ... seems somehow apropriate :-)
Oddly enough, mine ran from August 1991 to August 2011.
Zane
2:38 p.m.
On Jul 17, 2019, at 10:43 PM, Dave Wade via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
I think even if you have the key it fails today. There was a thread recently on
comp.os.vms
Saying it expires after 9999 days and theirs had just expired...
Oh, now that's just obnoxious. Requiring a license refresh every 27 years? It's
ransomware, I say!
--
Mark J. Blair, NF6X <nf6x at nf6x.net>
http://www.nf6x.net/
2:50 p.m.
I have never like the Wordperfect people. They killed my friend's
business. He had? vaxes that he rented time on, also charged a huge
amount of money per seat week for WPS training.
The boys from Utah released Wordperrect for the VAX and put him out of
business!
(OK the PCs helped too , but the training was his last source of income)
cheers,m
Nigel
On 18/07/2019 14:38, Mark J. Blair via cctalk wrote:
--
Nigel Johnson
MSc., MIEEE
VE3ID/G4AJQ/VA3MCU
Amateur Radio, the origin of the open-source concept!
You can reach me by voice on Skype: TILBURY2591
If time travel ever will be possible, it already is. Ask me again yesterday
This e-mail is not and cannot, by its nature, be confidential. En route from me to you, it
will pass across the public Internet, easily readable by any number of system
administrators along the way.
Nigel Johnson <nw.johnson at ieee.org>
Please consider the environment when deciding if you really need to print this message
On Jul 17, 2019, at 10:43 PM, Dave Wade via
cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
I think even if you have the key it fails today. There was a thread recently on
comp.os.vms
Saying it expires after 9999 days and theirs had just expired...
Oh, now
that's just obnoxious. Requiring a license refresh every 27 years? It's
ransomware, I say!
6:23 p.m.
On 7/18/19 11:38 AM, Mark J. Blair via cctalk wrote:
The least they could do is offer a version upgrade after 27 years...
--Chuck
On Jul 17, 2019, at 10:43 PM, Dave Wade via
cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
I think even if you have the key it fails today. There was a thread recently on
comp.os.vms
Saying it expires after 9999 days and theirs had just expired...
Oh, now that's just obnoxious. Requiring a license refresh every 27 years? It's
ransomware, I say!
6:53 p.m.
On 18/07/2019 23:23, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote:
On 7/18/19 11:38 AM, Mark J. Blair via cctalk wrote:
The least they could do is offer a version upgrade after 27
years...
--Chuck
That'll be LibreOffice Writer, I assume :-)
Antonio
--
Antonio Carlini
antonio at acarlini.com
On Jul 17, 2019, at 10:43 PM, Dave Wade via
cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
I think even if you have the key it fails today. There was a thread recently on
comp.os.vms
Saying it expires after 9999 days and theirs had just expired...
Oh, now
that's just obnoxious. Requiring a license refresh every 27 years? It's
ransomware, I say!
1:26 a.m.
On Jul 17, 2019, at 7:54 PM, Jason T via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
On Wed, Jul 17, 2019, 21:50 Grant Taylor via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
wrote:
Without a proper license key, I think the software is useless. It uses a XXXX-XXXX-XXXX
alpha-numeric Checksum. I think it?s tied in some way to the distribution ID. They use
their own licensing mechanism.
I just checked, I have a copy of the v5.0 ?WordPerfect Workbook for VAX/VMS Systems?, I?m
pretty sure I had more than just that book, but I?m not sure if I still do. The other
book(s) would likely give info on installation and licensing.
On a related note, was there ever a copy of dBase III or dBase IV for VAX/VMS? I know
there was a version of Lotus 1-2-3.
Zane
Hi,
This crossed my radar earlier today. I figured that someone on the
CCTalk mailing list might be interested in it.
Link - Vintage 1995 Novell WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS TK50 Tape Digital
DEC VAX
- https://www.ebay.com/itm/133114102939
I have a .tap image of WP 4.2 and 5.0 for VMS that I made from my own tape
years ago. The image has been successfully mounted but IIRC the software
looks for a license key that I've never found. I do not believe it is a PAK
as with other VMS packages. I can provide the image on request but I don't
want a post it publicly.
J 
11:58 p.m.
New subject: dBase IV for VAX/VMS (was WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS)
On 7/18/2019 12:26 AM, Zane Healy via cctalk wrote:
On a related note, was there ever a copy of dBase III
or dBase IV for VAX/VMS? I know there was a version of Lotus 1-2-3.
I don't know about the earlier versions but I have a copy of dBase IV
for VAX/VMS that's still in the shrink-wrap.
--
Eric Dittman
19 Jul
19 Jul
4:04 p.m.
New subject: dBase IV for VAX/VMS (was WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS)
On Jul 18, 2019, at 8:58 PM, Eric Dittman via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
On 7/18/2019 12:26 AM, Zane Healy via cctalk wrote:
Interesting, so my vague memory was correct. That means they had WordPerfect, Lotus
1-2-3, and dBase IV available. Was there All-IN-1 integration? I think both WordPerfect
and Lotus 1-2-3 offered that.
There seems to be almost no info online on it.
Zane
On a related note, was there ever a copy of dBase
III or dBase IV for VAX/VMS? I know there was a version of Lotus 1-2-3.
I don't know about the earlier versions but I have a copy of dBase IV
for VAX/VMS that's still in the shrink-wrap.
--
Eric Dittman 
7:15 p.m.
New subject: dBase IV for VAX/VMS (was WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS)
On 7/19/19 4:04 PM, Zane Healy via cctalk wrote:
I just looked and none of the three were included in the
VAX Software Source Book.
bill
On Jul 18, 2019, at 8:58 PM, Eric Dittman via
cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
On 7/18/2019 12:26 AM, Zane Healy via cctalk wrote:
Interesting, so my vague memory was correct. That means they had WordPerfect, Lotus
1-2-3, and dBase IV available. Was there All-IN-1 integration? I think both WordPerfect
and Lotus 1-2-3 offered that.
There seems to be almost no info online on it.
On a related note, was there ever a copy of dBase
III or dBase IV for VAX/VMS? I know there was a version of Lotus 1-2-3.
I don't know about the earlier versions but I have a copy of dBase IV
for VAX/VMS that's still in the shrink-wrap.
--
Eric Dittman
20 Jul
20 Jul
1:20 p.m.
New subject: dBase IV for VAX/VMS (was WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS)
On 20/07/2019 00:15, Bill Gunshannon via cctalk wrote:
On 7/19/19 4:04 PM, Zane Healy via cctalk wrote:
I just looked and none of the three were included in the
VAX Software Source Book.
Lotus 1-2-3 had AL-IN-1 integration (at least that's what the
announcement of it's retirement suggests. It sounds like Lotus developed
and sold it and Digital just advertised it. The retirement happened in 1995.
Back in 1991, all three were available on the VAXstation 4000 VLC:
"VAXstation 4000 VLC
The VAXstation 4000 VLC workstation is the first workstation in the
industry
to break the $3,500 price barrier.? Offering 6.2 SPECmarks (6 VUPs) of
processing power, this system is twice as powerful as the previous entry-
level VAXstation 3100 Model 30 system. This low price and DEC SoftPC V3.0
software (Digital's PC emulator) or native applications, such as Lotus
1-2-3, dBASE IV, or WordPerfect, make the VAXstation 4000 VLC system a
desirable alternative to PCs in the VMS environment. For more information
regarding DEC SoftPC software, see the related article in this issue of
Digital's Customer Update."
I don't see a price anywhere so I can't tell how "low" it really was
:-)
Antonio
--
Antonio Carlini
antonio at acarlini.com
On Jul
18, 2019, at 8:58 PM, Eric Dittman via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
On 7/18/2019 12:26 AM, Zane Healy via cctalk wrote:
Interesting, so my vague memory was correct. That means they had
WordPerfect, Lotus 1-2-3, and dBase IV available. Was there All-IN-1 integration? I
think both WordPerfect and Lotus 1-2-3 offered that.
There seems to be almost no info online on it.
On a related note, was there ever a copy of dBase
III or dBase IV for VAX/VMS? I know there was a version of Lotus 1-2-3.
I
don't know about the earlier versions but I have a copy of dBase IV
for VAX/VMS that's still in the shrink-wrap.
--
Eric Dittman
4:15 p.m.
New subject: dBase IV for VAX/VMS (was WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS)
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk <cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org> On Behalf Of Antonio Carlini
via cctalk
Sent: 20 July 2019 18:20
To: Bill Gunshannon via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Subject: Re: dBase IV for VAX/VMS (was WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS)
On 20/07/2019 00:15, Bill Gunshannon via cctalk wrote:
Lotus 1-2-3 had AL-IN-1 integration (at least that's what the announcement
of it's retirement suggests. It sounds like Lotus developed and sold it and
Digital just advertised it. The retirement happened in 1995.
Back in 1991, all three were available on the VAXstation 4000 VLC:
"VAXstation 4000 VLC
The VAXstation 4000 VLC workstation is the first workstation in the industry
to break the $3,500 price barrier. Offering 6.2 SPECmarks (6 VUPs) of
processing power, this system is twice as powerful as the previous entry-
level VAXstation 3100 Model 30 system. This low price and DEC SoftPC V3.0
software (Digital's PC emulator) or native applications, such as Lotus 1-2-3,
dBASE IV, or WordPerfect, make the VAXstation 4000 VLC system a desirable
alternative to PCs in the VMS environment. For more information regarding
DEC SoftPC software, see the related article in this issue of Digital's Customer
Update."
I don't see a price anywhere so I can't tell how "low" it really was
:-)
Antonio
Well given what you say above I would guess $3,499!
Does any one know if its possible to buy traded 123 , WP, DBASE or SoftPC for the VLC?
It would be real fun to see how slow they were on the VLC although it does seem to run the
software I have installed very smoothly
Dave
On 7/19/19 4:04 PM, Zane Healy via cctalk wrote:
>> On Jul 18, 2019, at 8:58 PM, Eric Dittman via cctalk
<cctalk at
classiccmp.org> wrote:
>>
>> On 7/18/2019 12:26 AM, Zane Healy via cctalk wrote:
>>> On a related note, was there ever a copy of dBase III or dBase IV for
VAX/VMS? I know there was a version of Lotus 1-2-3.
>> I don't know about the earlier
versions but I have a copy of dBase
>> IV for VAX/VMS that's still in the shrink-wrap.
>> --
>> Eric Dittman
> Interesting, so my vague memory was correct. That means they had
WordPerfect,
Lotus 1-2-3, and dBase IV available. Was there All-IN-1
integration? I think both WordPerfect and Lotus 1-2-3 offered that.
There seems to be almost no info online on it.
I just looked and none of the three were included in the VAX Software
Source Book.
--
Antonio Carlini
antonio at acarlini.com
4:37 p.m.
New subject: dBase IV for VAX/VMS (was WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS)
I never could figure out why would anybody need dbase IV when RMS was
built into the VAX file system?
I once did a media conversion from Vax to PC where the programmers said
the uVax II was as slow as molasses, then I found that they had the data
stored as a flat ASCII file !
On 20/07/2019 16:15, Dave Wade via cctalk wrote:
--
Nigel Johnson
MSc., MIEEE
VE3ID/G4AJQ/VA3MCU
Amateur Radio, the origin of the open-source concept!
You can reach me by voice on Skype: TILBURY2591
If time travel ever will be possible, it already is. Ask me again yesterday
This e-mail is not and cannot, by its nature, be confidential. En route from me to you, it
will pass across the public Internet, easily readable by any number of system
administrators along the way.
Nigel Johnson <nw.johnson at ieee.org>
Please consider the environment when deciding if you really need to print this message
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk <cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org> On Behalf Of Antonio Carlini
via cctalk
Sent: 20 July 2019 18:20
To: Bill Gunshannon via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Subject: Re: dBase IV for VAX/VMS (was WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS)
On 20/07/2019 00:15, Bill Gunshannon via cctalk wrote:
Lotus 1-2-3 had AL-IN-1 integration (at least that's what the announcement
of it's retirement suggests. It sounds like Lotus developed and sold it and
Digital just advertised it. The retirement happened in 1995.
Back in 1991, all three were available on the VAXstation 4000 VLC:
"VAXstation 4000 VLC
The VAXstation 4000 VLC workstation is the first workstation in the industry
to break the $3,500 price barrier. Offering 6.2 SPECmarks (6 VUPs) of
processing power, this system is twice as powerful as the previous entry-
level VAXstation 3100 Model 30 system. This low price and DEC SoftPC V3.0
software (Digital's PC emulator) or native applications, such as Lotus 1-2-3,
dBASE IV, or WordPerfect, make the VAXstation 4000 VLC system a desirable
alternative to PCs in the VMS environment. For more information regarding
DEC SoftPC software, see the related article in this issue of Digital's Customer
Update."
I don't see a price anywhere so I can't tell how "low" it really was
:-)
Antonio
Well given what you say above I would guess $3,499!
Does any one know if its possible to buy traded 123 , WP, DBASE or SoftPC for the VLC?
It would be real fun to see how slow they were on the VLC although it does seem to run
the software I have installed very smoothly
Dave
On 7/19/19 4:04 PM, Zane Healy via cctalk wrote:
>> On Jul 18, 2019, at 8:58 PM, Eric Dittman via cctalk
<cctalk at
classiccmp.org> wrote:
>> On 7/18/2019 12:26 AM, Zane Healy via
cctalk wrote:
>>> On a related note, was there ever a copy of dBase III or dBase IV for
VAX/VMS? I know there was a version of Lotus 1-2-3.
>> I don't know about the earlier
versions but I have a copy of dBase
>> IV for VAX/VMS that's still in the shrink-wrap.
>> --
>> Eric Dittman
> Interesting, so my vague memory was correct. That means they had
WordPerfect,
Lotus 1-2-3, and dBase IV available. Was there All-IN-1
integration? I think both WordPerfect and Lotus 1-2-3 offered that.
There
seems to be almost no info online on it.
I just looked and none of the three were included in the VAX Software
Source Book.
--
Antonio Carlini
antonio at acarlini.com
8:45 p.m.
New subject: dBase IV for VAX/VMS (was WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS)
On 7/20/19 2:37 PM, Nigel Johnson via cctalk wrote:
I never could figure out why would anybody need dbase
IV when RMS was
built into the VAX file system?
Compatibility with other dbase files from other platforms that didn't
have RMS?
--
Grant. . . .
unix || die
21 Jul
21 Jul
4:40 p.m.
New subject: dBase IV for VAX/VMS (was WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS)
On Jul 20, 2019, at 8:45 PM, Grant Taylor via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
On 7/20/19 2:37 PM, Nigel Johnson via cctalk wrote:
Or because RMS isn't a database? Even an ISAM file is a very different beast from a
database. Come to think of it, you might deduce this from the fact that DEC built
database products on VMS, DBMS (a CODASYL database, whatever that means) as well as RDMS
(a relational database, built I think when that concept had just appeared).
paul
I never could figure out why would anybody need
dbase IV when RMS was built into the VAX file system?
Compatibility with other dbase files from other platforms that didn't have RMS?
20 Jul
20 Jul
5:46 p.m.
New subject: dBase IV for VAX/VMS (was WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS)
On 20/07/2019 21:15, Dave Wade wrote:
I really meant for any of that software. Remember, the software was just
there to sell the hardware :-)
Antonio
--
Antonio Carlini
antonio at acarlini.com
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk <cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org> On Behalf Of Antonio Carlini
via cctalk
"VAXstation 4000 VLC
The VAXstation 4000 VLC workstation is the first workstation in the industry
to break the $3,500 price barrier. Offering 6.2 SPECmarks (6 VUPs) of
processing power, this system is twice as powerful as the previous entry-
level VAXstation 3100 Model 30 system. This low price and DEC SoftPC V3.0
software (Digital's PC emulator) or native applications, such as Lotus 1-2-3,
dBASE IV, or WordPerfect, make the VAXstation 4000 VLC system a desirable
alternative to PCs in the VMS environment. For more information regarding
DEC SoftPC software, see the related article in this issue of Digital's Customer
Update."
I don't see a price anywhere so I can't tell how "low" it really was
:-)
Antonio
Well given what you say above I would guess $3,499!
6:23 p.m.
New subject: dBase IV for VAX/VMS (was WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS)
On Jul 20, 2019, at 10:20 AM, Antonio Carlini via
cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Lotus 1-2-3 had AL-IN-1 integration (at least that's what the announcement of
it's retirement suggests. It sounds like Lotus developed and sold it and Digital just
advertised it. The retirement happened in 1995.
It definitely had ALL-IN-1 integration. The rest of that sounds right, I think it was
released around 1990. Does anyone remember when IBM bought Lotus? That likely had
something to do with the retirement, I know that by ?95 IBM had owned them for a while.
It also had Rdb integration.
Back in 1991, all three were available on the
VAXstation 4000 VLC:
"VAXstation 4000 VLC
The VAXstation 4000 VLC workstation is the first workstation in the industry
to break the $3,500 price barrier. Offering 6.2 SPECmarks (6 VUPs) of
processing power, this system is twice as powerful as the previous entry-
level VAXstation 3100 Model 30 system. This low price and DEC SoftPC V3.0
software (Digital's PC emulator) or native applications, such as Lotus
1-2-3, dBASE IV, or WordPerfect, make the VAXstation 4000 VLC system a
desirable alternative to PCs in the VMS environment. For more information
regarding DEC SoftPC software, see the related article in this issue of
Digital's Customer Update."
I don't see a price anywhere so I can't tell how "low" it really was
:-)
That would explain why the VLC I have, had both Wordperfect and Lotus 1-2-3. Both
reminded me of the DOS versions. Unfortunately I have no idea on what the original prices
were. It would definitely be interesting to know. I need to get organized. I?m honestly
not sure where a lot of the DEC documentation I still have is.
SoftPC sounds like it would be interesting to play with.
I?m not sure when WordPerfect ceased to be available. I?m pretty sure you could still buy
7.1 in 2000, as I considered finding out what it would cost at that time.
Here is some info on pricing of Lotus 1-2-3?
https://www.cbronline.com/news/lotus_launches_vms_1_2_3_/
"Prices for 1-2-3 for VAX/VMS range from $800 for single-user VAXstation 3100 systems
to $67,473 for VAX 9000 systems; 1-2-3 for All-In-1 prices range from $1,197 to $94,462 on
the same machines.?
Also pricing info for WordPerfect v4.2:
https://www.cbronline.com/news/wordperfect_to_give_wordperfect_42_its_europ…
"Wordperfect 4.2 for DEC VAX/VMS its European debut: the pack ? UKP850 on a
VAXstation to UKP23,570 for the VAX 8978"
It looks like dBase IV must have been released for VAX/VMS between July of 1990 and 1991,
since it looks like Borland acquired them in July of ?91, and announced continued support
for VAX/VMS.
For those that don?t remember that time period, Lotus 1-2-3 and WordPerfect for DOS both
cost several hundred dollars.
Zane
6:26 p.m.
New subject: dBase IV for VAX/VMS (was WordPerfect 5.1+ for VMS)
Wordperfect is still available for the PC at least:
https://www.wordperfect.com/en/product/office-suite/?_ga=2.94896540.1642000…
cheers,
Nigel
On 20/07/2019 18:23, Zane Healy via cctalk wrote:
--
Nigel Johnson
MSc., MIEEE
VE3ID/G4AJQ/VA3MCU
Amateur Radio, the origin of the open-source concept!
You can reach me by voice on Skype: TILBURY2591
If time travel ever will be possible, it already is. Ask me again yesterday
This e-mail is not and cannot, by its nature, be confidential. En route from me to you, it
will pass across the public Internet, easily readable by any number of system
administrators along the way.
Nigel Johnson <nw.johnson at ieee.org>
Please consider the environment when deciding if you really need to print this message
On Jul 20,
2019, at 10:20 AM, Antonio Carlini via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Lotus 1-2-3 had AL-IN-1 integration (at least that's what the announcement of
it's retirement suggests. It sounds like Lotus developed and sold it and Digital just
advertised it. The retirement happened in 1995.
It definitely had ALL-IN-1
integration. The rest of that sounds right, I think it was released around 1990. Does
anyone remember when IBM bought Lotus? That likely had something to do with the
retirement, I know that by ?95 IBM had owned them for a while. It also had Rdb
integration.
Back in 1991, all three were available on the
VAXstation 4000 VLC:
"VAXstation 4000 VLC
The VAXstation 4000 VLC workstation is the first workstation in the industry
to break the $3,500 price barrier. Offering 6.2 SPECmarks (6 VUPs) of
processing power, this system is twice as powerful as the previous entry-
level VAXstation 3100 Model 30 system. This low price and DEC SoftPC V3.0
software (Digital's PC emulator) or native applications, such as Lotus
1-2-3, dBASE IV, or WordPerfect, make the VAXstation 4000 VLC system a
desirable alternative to PCs in the VMS environment. For more information
regarding DEC SoftPC software, see the related article in this issue of
Digital's Customer Update."
I don't see a price anywhere so I can't tell how "low" it really was
:-)
That would explain why the VLC I have, had both Wordperfect and Lotus 1-2-3.
Both reminded me of the DOS versions. Unfortunately I have no idea on what the original
prices were. It would definitely be interesting to know. I need to get organized. I?m
honestly not sure where a lot of the DEC documentation I still have is.
SoftPC sounds like it would be interesting to play with.
I?m not sure when WordPerfect ceased to be available. I?m pretty sure you could still
buy 7.1 in 2000, as I considered finding out what it would cost at that time.
Here is some info on pricing of Lotus 1-2-3?
https://www.cbronline.com/news/lotus_launches_vms_1_2_3_/
"Prices for 1-2-3 for VAX/VMS range from $800 for single-user VAXstation 3100
systems to $67,473 for VAX 9000 systems; 1-2-3 for All-In-1 prices range from $1,197 to
$94,462 on the same machines.?
Also pricing info for WordPerfect v4.2:
https://www.cbronline.com/news/wordperfect_to_give_wordperfect_42_its_europ…
"Wordperfect 4.2 for DEC VAX/VMS its European debut: the pack ? UKP850 on a
VAXstation to UKP23,570 for the VAX 8978"
It looks like dBase IV must have been released for VAX/VMS between July of 1990 and 1991,
since it looks like Borland acquired them in July of ?91, and announced continued support
for VAX/VMS.
For those that don?t remember that time period, Lotus 1-2-3 and WordPerfect for DOS both
cost several hundred dollars.
Zane
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