HPE OpenVMS Hobbyist license program is closing

[Michael Kerpan]

Well that's sad news. Since VMS Software may or may not ever launch a
proper hobbyist program and has stated that they don't have the ability to
issue licenses for VAX versions of VMS, that means we have until 2021 to
legally use VMS on the vintage hardware or emulations. After that, I guess
we will have to either sail the seven seas or learn to love 4.3BSD...

Mike

On Sat, Mar 7, 2020, 6:33 AM John H. Reinhardt via cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:

> For those interested, HPE has finally, formally announced the end of their
> participation in the OpenVMS Hobbyist Program.  A number of people have
> received the below message from HPE, probably everyone they have on record
> as having current Hobbyist licenses.
>
>
> If you have any current or future ( at least before the end of 2021 )
> interest in Hobbyist licenses for any version of OpenVMS from 5.0 through
> 8.4 for VAX ( only up to 7.3) or Alpha and Itanium, then register now.  HPE
> is looking to find out how many are interested in Hobbyist offerings and
> even though the new license will be good through 2021, I don't expect them
> to be generating them past the end of 2020 and maybe sooner.
>
> Register for Hobbyist PAKs at one of the following (I suggest the HPE
> address first):
>
> https://www.hpe.com/h41268/live/index_e.aspx?qid=24548
>
> http://plato.ccsscorp.com/hobbyist_registration.php
>     Note the underscore between hobbyist and registration in
> hobbyist_registration.
>
> One Hobbyist user reports this:
>
>
>     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!!
>
>
> John H. Reinhardt
>
>
> *From:*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
> *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
>
>