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Re: Oracle on Alpha OpenVMS

From: Malcolm Dunnett <dunnett_at_mala.bc.ca>
Date: 2 Dec 98 09:39:42 -0700
Message-ID: <c7ZMeQhjrTko@malvm1.mala.bc.ca>


In article <ne092.294$rp2.684_at_nnrp2.ptd.net>,

   "Stephen Tenberg" <STenberg_at_fcs-usa.com> writes:
>
>
> The question is when. though. There is little doubt that NT and UNIX will
> be around at least the next 10 years - No one believes that for VMS/Oracle.

    I don't think it's true that "No one" believes that. There are of course concerns - but this is mostly around it becoming a self-fulfilling prophesy. If customers believe your statement they will leave and there will be no demand for Oracle on VMS - if instead they make it clear to Oracle that they want to stay on VMS then the product will probably still be there.

> This is the same logic people gave me when they still used 6 digits date in
> the 80's. Why worry about something thats going to happen 10 years from
> now?
>

   I think the logic is quite different. The Y2K problem was an unavoidable consequence of 6 digit dates - Oracle on VMS going away is only a problem if Oracle believes customers don't want it. There is no technical reason Oracle can't be available on VMS 10 years from now, if it is gone is will be entirely a marketing decision. To paraphrase a cliche "If you come they will build it".

>
> Not much argument there - OpenVMS is still the most reliable operating
> system ever built - but that is not the point. The point is, with so few
> VMS sites the product always lags and patches are behind.

    Granted. If you want to be on the bleeding edge with Oracle then VMS isn't the platform to use. Not being first often means the more serious bugs have been killed before your version gets released.

> Did they ever
> even release 8.0 on VMS?

   I believe they did so, about a year ago. I don't currently have any interest in 8.0 as 7.3 meets our needs just fine,so I haven't really followed 8.0 release dates.

>Hint - What is the release date of 8.i for VMS ?

   Don't know - tell me, what have you heard?

>
> Lets have this conversation in about 5 years, OK?

    OK.

>
> What killed Oracle on VMS was the fact the VMS sites have an almost plug
> and play replacement - You just drop in a UNIX or NT box, and leave the VMS
> client side Oracle intact for now.

    Works in reverse too - my Windows desktops can talk to a VMS Oracle server just as easily as they talk to NT or Unix. Given the stability problems we've experienced with NT here I can't think why anyone would want to put mission critical databases on an NT box right now.

--


Malcolm Dunnett    Malaspina University-College     Email: dunnett_at_mala.bc.ca
Computer Services  Nanaimo, B.C. CANADA V9R 5S5       Tel: (250)755-8738

        "OpenVMS is today what Microsoft wants Windows NT v8.0 to be!"
           posted on www.openvms.digital.com on or about Sep 22,1998
                           Quashed on Sep 23,1998
Received on Wed Dec 02 1998 - 10:39:42 CST

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