OpenVMS ATOM Project

[ajbrehm]

By now, I think, everybody has seen this or heard of it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H6AJigJnNs

I think this is rather exciting. But the question is, how real will it be. Can one easily buy those devices, even in Europe? Where will one get OpenVMS for them? And what will the licensing be? If it is as complicated and temporary as OpenVMS for servers, I think it will be rather difficult to create a community around OpenVMS ATOM.

Any ideas?

[marty.stu]

Hello Andrew,

Below is the official answer from VSI.

But the question is, how real will it be.

it is real.

But the question is, how real will it be.

The company that sells them is based in The Netherlands and can be found at https://up-board.org/.

Where will one get OpenVMS for them?

Good question, essentially it is the OpenVMS you know and love, however the delivery method may need to be different.

And what will the licensing be?

We haven't decided that yet, but it seems obvious if the device is $300-500 then an OpenVMS license for these devices cannot be $1000s.

If it is as complicated and temporary as OpenVMS for servers, I think it will be rather difficult to create a community around OpenVMS ATOM.

Our plan is to build the community around an open-source project, we have already talked to several organizations about our plans and so far, everyone has been very supportive.

[ajbrehm]

It will be real once it is known how to get VMS for it and which model one needs.

I for one am really looking forward to it. I will get four or five of these things and see where I can run with them. I am thinking Python will do wonders on those.

[madsweeney]

The Atom project as shown in the YouTube video is not a VMS Software Inc. product. As Andrew pointed out using OpenVMS on Atom or similar devices is different from Linux which is obtained freely. VMS Software is not further promoting the Atom project now or into the future. VMS Software is concentrating on OpenVMS in virtual environments, not on hardware devices.

You may have heard in Tuesday's VMS Webinar VMS Software Inc. announced the community license program will be extended to include x86 OpenVMS in Quarter 1 of 2023. Community membership allows non-commercial use of OpenVMS like basic research, open source porting, hobbyist use, etc. If you apply and are accepted to the x86 community program, you can perform any research you wish like device driver development.