Compleete Vms newcommer

Everything you want to talk about that doesn't fit to other categories.

Topic author
flipper8827
Visitor
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2022 8:17 pm
Reputation: 0
Status: Offline

Compleete Vms newcommer

Post by flipper8827 » Wed Aug 10, 2022 8:28 pm

I have never used Vms before however, I have been an avid user of the other Unix like operating systems such as Free, Open and NetBSD. In addition I have also virtualized quite a few of the different flavors of Linux but I have absolutely no experience with any operating system earlier than ms-dos or the Windows flavors of the 9x series and Xp/7 and 8/10 era of windows releases in addition to the windows and BSD experience I have tuns of experience with Debian Linux and a wide array of its offspring. This being said I am also quite proficient in most of the community driven linux and BSD distributions.

Moderator's comment: Thread moved to Offtopic as the OP does not imply any question.
Last edited by marty.stu on Thu Aug 11, 2022 4:25 am, edited 2 times in total.


sms
Master
Posts: 317
Joined: Fri Aug 21, 2020 5:18 pm
Reputation: 0
Status: Offline

Re: Compleete Vms newcommer

Post by sms » Wed Aug 10, 2022 11:44 pm

Code: Select all

> [...] I have been an avid user of the other Unix like operating
> systems [...]

   VMS is not very Unix-like.

   And you want what, exactly?

   Do you have any VMS-compatible hardware (Alpha, IA64, ...), or did
you expect to use some kind of emulator, or some publicly accessible
system, or what?

   Possibly interesting:

      https://vmssoftware.com/community/community-license/

   There's plenty of other documentation in that general neighborhood.

User avatar

arne_v
Master
Posts: 308
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2020 7:31 pm
Reputation: 0
Location: Rhode Island, USA
Status: Offline
Contact:

Re: Compleete Vms newcommer

Post by arne_v » Thu Aug 11, 2022 8:24 pm

flipper8827 wrote:
Wed Aug 10, 2022 8:28 pm
I have never used Vms before however, I have been an avid user of the other Unix like operating systems such as Free, Open and NetBSD. In addition I have also virtualized quite a few of the different flavors of Linux but I have absolutely no experience with any operating system earlier than ms-dos or the Windows flavors of the 9x series and Xp/7 and 8/10 era of windows releases in addition to the windows and BSD experience I have tuns of experience with Debian Linux and a wide array of its offspring. This being said I am also quite proficient in most of the community driven linux and BSD distributions.
I assume you post because you want to try VMS.

First you will need something to run on. My recommendation would be an Alpha emulator unless you just happen to be able to get your hands on a physical Alpha for little money. Then you can apply for a VMS Community License and when you get the license you will also get download access to the product.

Then you will need to get VMS installed and setup. That will require a little VMS system manager (traditional VMS term for sysadmin) knowledge and some VMS user knowledge.

DCL (the VMS "shell") is not difficult to learn but it is very different from *nix (and Windows). I recommend studying a few manuals to understand the basics about how to navigate the system and do simple stuff with files.

VMS system management is also very different from *nix (and Windows). The VMS install itself is not difficult, but when you need to get the network configured then you will need to read manuals. For people that have used VMS for 30-40 years then a lot of this stuff seems natural, but for someone without VMS experience it is weird.
Arne
arne@vajhoej.dk
VMS user since 1986

User avatar

volkerhalle
Master
Posts: 196
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2020 11:31 am
Reputation: 0
Status: Offline

Re: Complete VMS newcomer

Post by volkerhalle » Fri Aug 12, 2022 12:53 am

There is also the VSI OpenVMS 'Student License', which comes as a ready-to-run OpenVMS system on the FreeAXP Alpha emulator on Windows.

https://training.vmssoftware.com/student-license/

Volker.

User avatar

martin
Valued Contributor
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2022 6:47 pm
Reputation: 0
Location: England
Status: Offline

Re: Compleete Vms newcommer

Post by martin » Fri Aug 12, 2022 3:24 am

Anyone know if the Alpha emulator is available on Linux? Running a Windows VM just to run an emulator is a bit daft!
Martin
  • Retired System Manager: VMS/UNIX/UNICOS/Linux.
  • Started on a VAX 11/782 in 1984 with VMS 3.6.


marty.stu
Site Admin
Valued Contributor
Posts: 96
Joined: Tue May 21, 2019 6:56 am
Reputation: 0
Status: Offline

Re: Compleete Vms newcommer

Post by marty.stu » Fri Aug 12, 2022 4:09 am

Only AXPbox is still available for free on Linux. Other emulators are either commercial, or their free versions were removed from public access long ago.
Run to the bedroom, In the suitcase on the left You'll find my favorite axe.

User avatar

martin
Valued Contributor
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2022 6:47 pm
Reputation: 0
Location: England
Status: Offline

Re: Compleete Vms newcommer

Post by martin » Sat Sep 17, 2022 3:19 pm

I keep coming back to try and get the emulator working. I've got my license and have built the emulator on Linux, but I can't find the ISO, ALPHA0842L1.ZIPEXE, anywhere. Am I missing something here?
Martin
  • Retired System Manager: VMS/UNIX/UNICOS/Linux.
  • Started on a VAX 11/782 in 1984 with VMS 3.6.


sms
Master
Posts: 317
Joined: Fri Aug 21, 2020 5:18 pm
Reputation: 0
Status: Offline

Re: Compleete Vms newcommer

Post by sms » Sat Sep 17, 2022 11:55 pm

Code: Select all

> [...]  I've got my license, [...]

   Which kind of license is your (unspecified) "my license"?

> [...] and have built the emulator on Linux, but I
> can't find the ISO, ALPHA0842L1.ZIPEXE, anywhere. [...]

   With my weak psychic powers, I can't tell where you looked.

   When I signed up for the "Community" program, the e-mail message
which told me where to get the "license PAK" also said:

> If you need the installation files for the system and layered products,
> you can download them from our SFTP server. Here are the credentials:
> [...]

   Those instructions led to, for example:

-r--------   1 acommunity 4000     394646016 Jun  9 18:48 ALPHA0842L1.ZIP;2
-r--------   1 acommunity 4000     394766336 Jun  9 18:48 ALPHA0842L1.ZIPEXE;2

and a host of others.

> [...] Am I missing something here?

   Apparently, but I don't know what you have.  If you don't have the
download info for the software kits, then you probably should ask at 
"community@vmssoftware.com".  (Or, if that fails,
"training@vmssoftware.com".)

User avatar

martin
Valued Contributor
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2022 6:47 pm
Reputation: 0
Location: England
Status: Offline

Re: Compleete Vms newcommer

Post by martin » Sun Sep 18, 2022 4:15 am

> Which kind of license is your (unspecified) "my license"?
Community

> With my weak psychic powers, I can't tell where you looked.
Duckduckgo, inbuilt search engine on https://vmssoftware.com/, ...>Products, ...>Services, ...>Resources

> When I signed up for the "Community" program, the e-mail message
> which told me where to get the "license PAK" also said:

> If you need the installation files for the system and layered products,
> you can download them from our SFTP server. Here are the credentials:
> [...]
Well I signed up and just got the renewal email.

> Those instructions led to, for example:
> -r-------- 1 acommunity 4000 394646016 Jun 9 18:48 ALPHA0842L1.ZIP;2
> -r-------- 1 acommunity 4000 394766336 Jun 9 18:48 ALPHA0842L1.ZIPEXE;2
> and a host of others.
That's exactly what I'm trying to find.

> Apparently, but I don't know what you have. If you don't have the
> download info for the software kits, then you probably should ask at
> "community@vmssoftware.com". (Or, if that fails,
> "training@vmssoftware.com".)
Well as I mentioned, I have every thing except ALPHA0842L1

I've sent an email to community@vmssoftware.com and am awaiting a reply. I just hoped that the fora would be able to help.
Martin
  • Retired System Manager: VMS/UNIX/UNICOS/Linux.
  • Started on a VAX 11/782 in 1984 with VMS 3.6.


sms
Master
Posts: 317
Joined: Fri Aug 21, 2020 5:18 pm
Reputation: 0
Status: Offline

Re: Compleete Vms newcommer

Post by sms » Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:10 am

Code: Select all

> Well I signed up and just got the renewal email.

   As I said, my original "license PAK" e-maiI message gave the download
details; the recent PAK renewal message did not.

> Duckduckgo, inbuilt search engine [...]

   As it said, these kits are found on a VSI SFTP server, not on the VSI
web site.  They're trying to control the distribution of these kits, not
make them available to the whole world.

> [...] I just hoped that the fora would be able to help.

   I'd prefer not to make enemies of the folks at VSI by publishing
things which they don't want published.

Post Reply