Today is the last day for VAX systems unless you have a permanent licence.

It was a good architecture for its time, but I doubt we will ever see
something like it again. The world has moved very much to a 2-mode KU
architecture approach (with operating systems designed to match) and
also very much away from the CISC approach with all the complex
instructions in hardware that VAX had.

Goodbye VAX and farewell.

Simon.

--
Simon Clubley, clubley@remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Walking destinations on a map are further away than they appear.

Simon Clubley wrote:

> Goodbye VAX and farewell.

My VAXserver 3300 is still sitting downstairs, I never did get VMS installed on
it, the console can see the disks, it'd boot from the TK70, but then vmsinstal
wouldn't see the disks ... In terms of hardware I only ever fiddled with SCSI
VAXen, all the bigger stuff belonged to customers.

On 12/31/21 5:58 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:
> Today is the last day for VAX systems unless you have a permanent licence.

Only if you run nothing but VMS. Now, where was that copy og CP/M?

>
> It was a good architecture for its time, but I doubt we will ever see
> something like it again. The world has moved very much to a 2-mode KU
> architecture approach (with operating systems designed to match) and
> also very much away from the CISC approach with all the complex
> instructions in hardware that VAX had.
>
> Goodbye VAX and farewell.

Sorry Simon, but I am not getting rid of mine yet.

bill

On Friday, December 31, 2021 at 7:36:48 AM UTC-5, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> On 12/31/21 5:58 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:
> > Today is the last day for VAX systems unless you have a permanent licence.
> Only if you run nothing but VMS. Now, where was that copy og CP/M?
> >
> > It was a good architecture for its time, but I doubt we will ever see
> > something like it again. The world has moved very much to a 2-mode KU
> > architecture approach (with operating systems designed to match) and
> > also very much away from the CISC approach with all the complex
> > instructions in hardware that VAX had.
> >
> > Goodbye VAX and farewell.
> Sorry Simon, but I am not getting rid of mine yet.
>
> bill
I too still have mine up and running either V5.5-2 or V7.3 depending upon the disk set.
I no longer have the prototype MVII though. Still working on some 6210s for a client too.
Just created a short data conversion routine in MACRO32 since it was simpler than writing it in PASCAL.

Good times...

On 12/31/2021 5:58 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:
> Today is the last day for VAX systems unless you have a permanent licence.
>
> It was a good architecture for its time, but I doubt we will ever see
> something like it again. The world has moved very much to a 2-mode KU
> architecture approach (with operating systems designed to match)

Sounds likely. If not counting hypervisor mode!

> and
> also very much away from the CISC approach with all the complex
> instructions in hardware that VAX had.

VMS is being ported to a CISC architecture.

x86-64 got some pretty complex instructions (math, AES, vector etc.).

Arne

In article <07c5deb5-367d-415c-9dc9-bbe694e66998n@googlegroups.com>, abrsvc <dansabrservices@yahoo.com> writes:
>On Friday, December 31, 2021 at 7:36:48 AM UTC-5, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>> On 12/31/21 5:58 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:
>> > Today is the last day for VAX systems unless you have a permanent licence.
>> Only if you run nothing but VMS. Now, where was that copy og CP/M?
>> >
>> > It was a good architecture for its time, but I doubt we will ever see
>> > something like it again. The world has moved very much to a 2-mode KU
>> > architecture approach (with operating systems designed to match) and
>> > also very much away from the CISC approach with all the complex
>> > instructions in hardware that VAX had.
>> >
>> > Goodbye VAX and farewell.
>> Sorry Simon, but I am not getting rid of mine yet.
>>
>> bill
>I too still have mine up and running either V5.5-2 or V7.3 depending upon the disk set.
>I no longer have the prototype MVII though. Still working on some 6210s for a client too.
>Just created a short data conversion routine in MACRO32 since it was simpler than writing it in PASCAL.

https://homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk/rni/papers/realprg.html

--
VAXman- A Bored Certified VMS Kernel Mode Hacker VAXman(at)TMESIS(dot)ORG

I speak to machines with the voice of humanity.

On Friday, December 31, 2021 at 8:24:27 AM UTC-5, VAXman- wrote:
> In article <07c5deb5-367d-415c...@googlegroups.com>, abrsvc <dansabr...@yahoo.com> writes:
> >On Friday, December 31, 2021 at 7:36:48 AM UTC-5, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> >> On 12/31/21 5:58 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:
> >> > Today is the last day for VAX systems unless you have a permanent licence.
> >> Only if you run nothing but VMS. Now, where was that copy og CP/M?
> >> >
> >> > It was a good architecture for its time, but I doubt we will ever see
> >> > something like it again. The world has moved very much to a 2-mode KU
> >> > architecture approach (with operating systems designed to match) and
> >> > also very much away from the CISC approach with all the complex
> >> > instructions in hardware that VAX had.
> >> >
> >> > Goodbye VAX and farewell.
> >> Sorry Simon, but I am not getting rid of mine yet.
> >>
> >> bill
> >I too still have mine up and running either V5.5-2 or V7.3 depending upon the disk set.
> >I no longer have the prototype MVII though. Still working on some 6210s for a client too.
> >Just created a short data conversion routine in MACRO32 since it was simpler than writing it in PASCAL.
> https://homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk/rni/papers/realprg.html
>
> --
> VAXman- A Bored Certified VMS Kernel Mode Hacker VAXman(at)TMESIS(dot)ORG
>
> I speak to machines with the voice of humanity.

Thanks for the chuckle. Note: I didn't write the system at the client site. Not sure why PASCAL was chosen almost 40 years ago, but the system has been very stable with no changes since 1998 and the change at that time were for DMQ routines only. One system is written using PL/I so I guess there will be another note about that too...

Note: The ONLY reason that this system is being replaced is because of custom hardware attached to the VAX systems that is no longer available and spares are getting low. Not too bad for a system that is 30 years old.

On 2021-12-31 02:58, Simon Clubley wrote:
> Today is the last day for VAX systems unless you have a permanent licence.
>
> It was a good architecture for its time, but I doubt we will ever see
> something like it again. The world has moved very much to a 2-mode KU
> architecture approach (with operating systems designed to match) and
> also very much away from the CISC approach with all the complex
> instructions in hardware that VAX had.
>
> Goodbye VAX and farewell.
>
> Simon.
>

Yes, my poor old VLC will lose it's brain tomorrow and become a boat anchor.

Welcome to OpenVMS (TM) VAX Operating System, Version V7.3

Username: system
Password:
Welcome to OpenVMS (TM) VAX Operating System, Version V7.3
Last interactive login on Saturday, 18-DEC-2021 20:15
Last non-interactive login on Sunday, 21-AUG-2005 19:42
$ $ show time
31-DEC-2021 11:30:46
$ show license vax-vms

Active licenses on node VMS:

------- Product ID -------- ---- Rating ----- -- Version --
Product Producer Units Avail Activ Version Release Termination
VAX-VMS DEC 0 0 100 0.0 (none) 1-JAN-2022
%SHOW-I-TERMIMM, 1 license has terminated or will terminate in 30 days
$

On Friday, December 31, 2021 at 7:47:16 PM UTC+1, Don North wrote:
> On 2021-12-31 02:58, Simon Clubley wrote:
> > Today is the last day for VAX systems unless you have a permanent licence.
> >
> > It was a good architecture for its time, but I doubt we will ever see
> > something like it again. The world has moved very much to a 2-mode KU
> > architecture approach (with operating systems designed to match) and
> > also very much away from the CISC approach with all the complex
> > instructions in hardware that VAX had.
> >
> > Goodbye VAX and farewell.
> >
> > Simon.
> >
> Yes, my poor old VLC will lose it's brain tomorrow and become a boat anchor.
>
>
> Welcome to OpenVMS (TM) VAX Operating System, Version V7.3
>
> Username: system
> Password:
> Welcome to OpenVMS (TM) VAX Operating System, Version V7.3
> Last interactive login on Saturday, 18-DEC-2021 20:15
> Last non-interactive login on Sunday, 21-AUG-2005 19:42
> $
> $ show time
> 31-DEC-2021 11:30:46
> $ show license vax-vms
>
> Active licenses on node VMS:
>
> ------- Product ID -------- ---- Rating ----- -- Version --
> Product Producer Units Avail Activ Version Release Termination
> VAX-VMS DEC 0 0 100 0.0 (none) 1-JAN-2022
> %SHOW-I-TERMIMM, 1 license has terminated or will terminate in 30 days
> $

I would say "Goodbye licenses, welcome license generators"!
Preserving history is more important than stupid rules.
FWIW I think we must disobey and react.

On 12/31/2021 12:47 PM, Don North wrote:
> On 2021-12-31 02:58, Simon Clubley wrote:
>> Today is the last day for VAX systems unless you have a permanent licence.
>>
>> It was a good architecture for its time, but I doubt we will ever see
>> something like it again. The world has moved very much to a 2-mode KU
>> architecture approach (with operating systems designed to match) and
>> also very much away from the CISC approach with all the complex
>> instructions in hardware that VAX had.
>>
>> Goodbye VAX and farewell.
>>
>> Simon.
>>
>
> Yes, my poor old VLC will lose it's brain tomorrow and become a boat anchor.
>

My MV3100 is now a near boat anchor. I managed to find a few PAKs on Ebay which will keep the OS and Network alive but the rest of the LP will be dead - no BASIC, Fortran, PASCAL, etc. *sigh*

I still have a couple Alphas running under the VSI CLP so I'm not OpenVMS-less but still.

--
John H. Reinhardt

In article <sqq3ra$fhs$1@dont-email.me>, "John H. Reinhardt" <johnhreinhardt@thereinhardts.org> writes:
> On 12/31/2021 12:47 PM, Don North wrote:

>> Yes, my poor old VLC will lose it's brain tomorrow and become a boat anchor.
>>
> My MV3100 is now a near boat anchor. I managed to find a few PAKs on Ebay
> which will keep the OS and Network alive but the rest of the LP will be dead -
> no BASIC, Fortran, PASCAL, etc. *sigh*

[...]

And we all gave Bruce Mitchell h%ll for wearing his infamous "Screw the LMF" teeshirt to a Symposium.

George "Bruce, where are you now? Aren't you curious about the PDP 11/10 you gave me?"

On 2021-12-31, Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> wrote:
> On 12/31/2021 5:58 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:
>> Today is the last day for VAX systems unless you have a permanent licence.
>>
>> It was a good architecture for its time, but I doubt we will ever see
>> something like it again. The world has moved very much to a 2-mode KU
>> architecture approach (with operating systems designed to match)
>
> Sounds likely. If not counting hypervisor mode!
>
>> and
>> also very much away from the CISC approach with all the complex
>> instructions in hardware that VAX had.
>
> VMS is being ported to a CISC architecture.
>

Very true, but that is a legacy architecture however.

> x86-64 got some pretty complex instructions (math, AES, vector etc.).
>

Yes, but I think of those types of instructions as more like specialist
addons and not as part of the original core architecture.

Simon.

--
Simon Clubley, clubley@remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Walking destinations on a map are further away than they appear.

On 2022-01-01, George Cornelius <cornelius@eisner.decus.org> wrote:
>
> And we all gave Bruce Mitchell h%ll for wearing his infamous "Screw the LMF" teeshirt to a Symposium.
>

I wonder, when x86-64 production licences come out, if VSI will take
the opportunity to implement much more robust licence keys that cannot
be easily bypassed (especially if they also take the opportunity to
start signing core images so that they can't be patched to bypass
such licencing).

They obviously have no backwards compatibility licencing issues at the
moment with x86-64 so it's the perfect time for them to implement such
licencing changes. :-)

Simon.

--
Simon Clubley, clubley@remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Walking destinations on a map are further away than they appear.

In article <sqrp90$rou$3@dont-email.me>, Simon Clubley
<clubley@remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP> writes:

> On 2022-01-01, George Cornelius <cornelius@eisner.decus.org> wrote:
> >
> > And we all gave Bruce Mitchell h%ll for wearing his infamous "Screw the LMF" teeshirt to a Symposium.
> >
>
> I wonder, when x86-64 production licences come out, if VSI will take
> the opportunity to implement much more robust licence keys that cannot
> be easily bypassed (especially if they also take the opportunity to
> start signing core images so that they can't be patched to bypass
> such licencing).
>
> They obviously have no backwards compatibility licencing issues at the
> moment with x86-64 so it's the perfect time for them to implement such
> licencing changes. :-)

They probably will, one reason being people who publicly state that they
will do all they can to bypass LMF.

On 1/2/2022 3:48 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:
> On 2021-12-31, Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> wrote:
>> On 12/31/2021 5:58 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:
>>> Today is the last day for VAX systems unless you have a permanent licence.
>>>
>>> It was a good architecture for its time, but I doubt we will ever see
>>> something like it again. The world has moved very much to a 2-mode KU
>>> architecture approach (with operating systems designed to match)
>>
>> Sounds likely. If not counting hypervisor mode!
>>
>>> and
>>> also very much away from the CISC approach with all the complex
>>> instructions in hardware that VAX had.
>>
>> VMS is being ported to a CISC architecture.
>>
>
> Very true, but that is a legacy architecture however.

But one that is doing pretty well.

>> x86-64 got some pretty complex instructions (math, AES, vector etc.).
>
> Yes, but I think of those types of instructions as more like specialist
> addons and not as part of the original core architecture.

It has evolved a lot over time. From 16 to 32 to 64 bit. And
added a dozen bundles of extra stuff (extensions) over the
years.

But they are there now and they are used.

Arne

On Sun, 2 Jan 2022 08:54:56 -0000 (UTC), Simon Clubley
<clubley@remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP> wrote:

>On 2022-01-01, George Cornelius <cornelius@eisner.decus.org> wrote:
>>
>> And we all gave Bruce Mitchell h%ll for wearing his infamous "Screw the LMF" teeshirt to a Symposium.
>>
>
>I wonder, when x86-64 production licences come out, if VSI will take
>the opportunity to implement much more robust licence keys that cannot
>be easily bypassed (especially if they also take the opportunity to
>start signing core images so that they can't be patched to bypass
>such licencing).
>
>They obviously have no backwards compatibility licencing issues at the
>moment with x86-64 so it's the perfect time for them to implement such
>licencing changes. :-)
>
>Simon.

Hola comp.os.vms companeros,

Akin to cats and UFOs we come and go, manifest and demanifest, with a
nonclalant disregard for the laws of physics, exemplary netiquette,
and a philosophical disregard for the laws of intellectual property -
in the specific domain of preserving and defending the heritage and
legacy of the Digital Equipment Corporation.

Alas, as much as we'd might otherwise, like to, we do not always
meticulously follow the transactions and proceedings of the
comp.os.vms college, but this particular conversation thread caught
our weather, weathered, rheumy, ageing, prescription spectacled, eyes
- there is a pertinent DECronym:

FTFAJ: Fuck That For A Joke

With specific application to the expiration of VAX licenses.

Here is our RCE remedy from October 2012, the 35th Anniversary of VMS:

LiBREVMS.LMFGEN.OpenVMS.Tru64.OSF1.ULTRIX.v1.2.WinALL.x86.x64.KEYGEN-VLF

File-hosts:

https://www.mirrored.to/files/0LOAT2SY/

Usenet Binaries Newsgroups:

https://binsearch.info/?q=LiBREVMS.LMFGEN.OpenVMS.Tru64.OSF1.ULTRIX.v1.2.WinALL.x86.x64.KEYGEN-VLF

Any VAX shop, hobbyist or business, should be able to carry on,
indefinitely, in dignity, and in perpetuity, not hung high and dry
until the VSI systems are ship-shape and ready to roll out for
production implementation in existing and new VMS shops.

The VLF have no plans to publicly release any licensing RCE for
x86-x64 VSI VMS systems - if VSI is the viable future for VMS, we wish
it to both to survive and to thrive, regenerating the VMS ecosystems
back to glory, in the process.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is a tried and true, ancient maxim
of engineering, and the VLF would aver that that is the case with the
LMF.

Signing images, or implementing any other byzantine, bizarre, and
dizzingly diabolical, protection and licencing schemes, are just a
waste of developer attention cycles that could be better deployed in
honing and extending the excellence of their software - it's
excellence that sells and keeps on selling. Management should not
delude themselves with "security through obtuse obfuscation"
delusions.

The endless, myriad, hard lessons (for developers) from the Microsoft
Windows applications underground RCE Scene is that there is no
protection or licensing scheme that can't be bypassed, broken,
keygenned, or otherwise, utterly crushed and humiliated, for any
application or application suite, gargantuan, great, or small.

The VLF would advise the VSI to carry on with the LMF as it is, but
management and the VSI string-pull investors, need to remedially
self-educate about the psychology, values, and attitudes of the
remaining VAX and AXP installation shops - the principals of them all
wear eleven gallon Stetsons - and to not piss them off with
exploitative and insulting licensing policies - if they want perpetual
licensing at a fixed revision level, then so be it - attract new
business from them in other more wholesome & productive ways - like
asking them what they want, everyone moving forward.

Dare the stares and glares of the profit extraction billionaires.

As always, if you understand what the VLF do, and why, there is no
need to comment; if you do not understand the what or the why, or you
do, and you do not appreciate it, then we earnestly advise you, in
either case, to remain in the dignity of silence.

Semper VAX; Semper AXP - Semper DEC.

Thank you for your attention,

Yours sincerely,

VLF: The VMS Liberation Front
In VMS We Trust.

PS: A shout out and salute to Gérard Calliet and the team at the
VMSgenerations Working Group - the VLF greatly admire their above
ground work, from afar - industry association, institutional response,
aggregate activism, in the relation to VSI is the way to go -
individual petitioning will not cut it.

$!------------------------- damn straight --------------------------!$
$ opprobrium/level=kittens/mode=conniptions/input=VLF:/output=NL: !$
$!-------------------------- enough said ---------------------------!$

In article <k8phtg1c91pkfs7acaq102c04g4kd5bneh@4ax.com>, Subcommandante XDelta <vlf@star.enet.dec.com> writes:
>On Sun, 2 Jan 2022 08:54:56 -0000 (UTC), Simon Clubley
><clubley@remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP> wrote:
>
>>On 2022-01-01, George Cornelius <cornelius@eisner.decus.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> And we all gave Bruce Mitchell h%ll for wearing his infamous "Screw the LMF" teeshirt to a Symposium.
>>>
>>
>>I wonder, when x86-64 production licences come out, if VSI will take
>>the opportunity to implement much more robust licence keys that cannot
>>be easily bypassed (especially if they also take the opportunity to
>>start signing core images so that they can't be patched to bypass
>>such licencing).
>>
>>They obviously have no backwards compatibility licencing issues at the
>>moment with x86-64 so it's the perfect time for them to implement such
>>licencing changes. :-)
>>
>>Simon.
>
>Hola comp.os.vms companeros,
>
>Akin to cats and UFOs we come and go, manifest and demanifest, with a
>nonclalant disregard for the laws of physics, exemplary netiquette,
>and a philosophical disregard for the laws of intellectual property -
>in the specific domain of preserving and defending the heritage and
>legacy of the Digital Equipment Corporation.
>
>Alas, as much as we'd might otherwise, like to, we do not always
>meticulously follow the transactions and proceedings of the
>comp.os.vms college, but this particular conversation thread caught
>our weather, weathered, rheumy, ageing, prescription spectacled, eyes
>- there is a pertinent DECronym:
>
>FTFAJ: Fuck That For A Joke
>
>With specific application to the expiration of VAX licenses.
>
>Here is our RCE remedy from October 2012, the 35th Anniversary of VMS:
>
>LiBREVMS.LMFGEN.OpenVMS.Tru64.OSF1.ULTRIX.v1.2.WinALL.x86.x64.KEYGEN-VLF
>
>File-hosts:
>
>https://www.mirrored.to/files/0LOAT2SY/

.... and this gets me what?

--
VAXman- A Bored Certified VMS Kernel Mode Hacker VAXman(at)TMESIS(dot)ORG

I speak to machines with the voice of humanity.

On 1/8/22 9:12 AM, VAXman-@SendSpamHere.ORG wrote:
> In article <k8phtg1c91pkfs7acaq102c04g4kd5bneh@4ax.com>, Subcommandante XDelta <vlf@star.enet.dec.com> writes:
>> On Sun, 2 Jan 2022 08:54:56 -0000 (UTC), Simon Clubley
>> <clubley@remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP> wrote:
>>
>>> On 2022-01-01, George Cornelius <cornelius@eisner.decus.org> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> And we all gave Bruce Mitchell h%ll for wearing his infamous "Screw the LMF" teeshirt to a Symposium.
>>>>
>>>
>>> I wonder, when x86-64 production licences come out, if VSI will take
>>> the opportunity to implement much more robust licence keys that cannot
>>> be easily bypassed (especially if they also take the opportunity to
>>> start signing core images so that they can't be patched to bypass
>>> such licencing).
>>>
>>> They obviously have no backwards compatibility licencing issues at the
>>> moment with x86-64 so it's the perfect time for them to implement such
>>> licencing changes. :-)
>>>
>>> Simon.
>>
>> Hola comp.os.vms companeros,
>>
>> Akin to cats and UFOs we come and go, manifest and demanifest, with a
>> nonclalant disregard for the laws of physics, exemplary netiquette,
>> and a philosophical disregard for the laws of intellectual property -
>> in the specific domain of preserving and defending the heritage and
>> legacy of the Digital Equipment Corporation.
>>
>> Alas, as much as we'd might otherwise, like to, we do not always
>> meticulously follow the transactions and proceedings of the
>> comp.os.vms college, but this particular conversation thread caught
>> our weather, weathered, rheumy, ageing, prescription spectacled, eyes
>> - there is a pertinent DECronym:
>>
>> FTFAJ: Fuck That For A Joke
>>
>> With specific application to the expiration of VAX licenses.
>>
>> Here is our RCE remedy from October 2012, the 35th Anniversary of VMS:
>>
>> LiBREVMS.LMFGEN.OpenVMS.Tru64.OSF1.ULTRIX.v1.2.WinALL.x86.x64.KEYGEN-VLF
>>
>> File-hosts:
>>
>> https://www.mirrored.to/files/0LOAT2SY/
>
> ... and this gets me what?
>

Apparently a scan of my Linux system and then a notice that my Norton
is out of date.

bill

On 1/8/2022 8:29 AM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> On 1/8/22 9:12 AM, VAXman-@SendSpamHere.ORG wrote:
>> In article <k8phtg1c91pkfs7acaq102c04g4kd5bneh@4ax.com>, Subcommandante XDelta <vlf@star.enet.dec.com> writes:

>>> With specific application to the expiration of VAX licenses.
>>>
>>> Here is our RCE remedy from October 2012, the 35th Anniversary of VMS:
>>>
>>> LiBREVMS.LMFGEN.OpenVMS.Tru64.OSF1.ULTRIX.v1.2.WinALL.x86.x64.KEYGEN-VLF
>>>
>>> File-hosts:
>>>
>>> https://www.mirrored.to/files/0LOAT2SY/
>>
>> ... and this gets me what?
>>
>
> Apparently a scan of my Linux system and then a notice that my Norton
> is out of date.
>
> bill

If you spin up a sacrificial Linux host (either VM or bare metal - bare metal preferred) and:
1) download the file - a .RAR file
2) take the system off line of ANY network
3) unpack the RAR file
4) you find
a) a PAKGEN Windows exe
b) the pacgen.c source
c) a set of PAKs covering 1400+ DEC products for VAX with unlimited units and no termination date.
d) some VLF manifesto junk

No guarantees the Windows exe is virus free but the PAKs and the pakgen.c files are a plain text so fairly incorruptible.

--
John H. Reinhardt

On 1/8/2022 11:41 AM, John H. Reinhardt wrote:
> On 1/8/2022 8:29 AM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>> On 1/8/22 9:12 AM, VAXman-@SendSpamHere.ORG wrote:
>>> In article <k8phtg1c91pkfs7acaq102c04g4kd5bneh@4ax.com>, Subcommandante XDelta <vlf@star.enet.dec.com> writes:
>
>>>> With specific application to the expiration of VAX licenses.
>>>>
>>>> Here is our RCE remedy from October 2012, the 35th Anniversary of VMS:
>>>>
>>>> LiBREVMS.LMFGEN.OpenVMS.Tru64.OSF1.ULTRIX.v1.2.WinALL.x86.x64.KEYGEN-VLF
>>>>
>>>> File-hosts:
>>>>
>>>> https://www.mirrored.to/files/0LOAT2SY/
>>>
>>> ... and this gets me what?
>>>
>>
>> Apparently a scan of my Linux system and then a notice that my Norton
>> is out of date.
>>
>> bill
>
> If you spin up a sacrificial Linux host (either VM or bare metal - bare metal preferred) and:
> 1) download the file - a .RAR file
> 2) take the system off line of ANY network
> 3) unpack the RAR file
> 4) you find
>   a) a PAKGEN Windows exe
>   b) the pacgen.c source
>   c) a set of PAKs covering 1400+ DEC products for VAX with unlimited units and no termination date.
>   d) some VLF manifesto junk
>
> No guarantees the Windows exe is virus free but the PAKs and the pakgen.c files are a plain text so fairly incorruptible.
>

I forgot step #5

5) Wipe that Linux system down to the ground because you've satisfied your curiosity and that's the right thing to do.

VAX/VMS is dead. Long Live VAX/VMS

--
John H. Reinhardt

On Saturday, January 8, 2022 at 9:42:03 AM UTC-8, John H. Reinhardt wrote:

(snip)
> If you spin up a sacrificial Linux host (either VM or bare metal - bare metal preferred) and:

There are Linux live CDs that can boot and run without installing, or even
having attached, a hard disk drive. The /home directory is on virtual (RAM)
disk, and will go away when you turn off the machine. You should be able
to read/write a USB stick or floppy disk, though.

On 2022-01-08, VAXman- @SendSpamHere.ORG <VAXman-@SendSpamHere.ORG> wrote:
>
> ... and this gets me what?
>

A visit from PC Plod. :-)

Simon.

--
Simon Clubley, clubley@remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Walking destinations on a map are further away than they appear.

On 10/01/2022 18:24, Simon Clubley wrote:
> On 2022-01-08, VAXman- @SendSpamHere.ORG <VAXman-@SendSpamHere.ORG> wrote:
>>
>> ... and this gets me what?
>>
>
> A visit from PC Plod. :-)

Unlikely. too busy not investigating breaches of Covid rules at an
address in Downing Street. ...

.... probably end up being extradited to the USA to face charges on
things that happen outside the USA when we, the fully BREXITed UK can't
manage to get US citizens to face charges for things they did in the UK..

>
> Simon.
>

Dave

On 2022-01-11, David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> wrote:
> On 10/01/2022 18:24, Simon Clubley wrote:
>> On 2022-01-08, VAXman- @SendSpamHere.ORG <VAXman-@SendSpamHere.ORG> wrote:
>>>
>>> ... and this gets me what?
>>>
>>
>> A visit from PC Plod. :-)
>
> Unlikely. too busy not investigating breaches of Covid rules at an
> address in Downing Street. ...
>

Actually, based on initial reports, it looks like this time they are
going to investigate. It looks the latest example was too gross a violation
for them to ignore. Whether they do anything meaningful about it is
another matter.

> ... probably end up being extradited to the USA to face charges on
> things that happen outside the USA when we, the fully BREXITed UK can't
> manage to get US citizens to face charges for things they did in the UK..
>

That last part really sucks. She should never have been allowed to
flee the country.

Simon.

--
Simon Clubley, clubley@remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Walking destinations on a map are further away than they appear.

On 1/11/2022 8:48 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:
> On 2022-01-11, David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> wrote:
>> On 10/01/2022 18:24, Simon Clubley wrote:
>>> On 2022-01-08, VAXman- @SendSpamHere.ORG <VAXman-@SendSpamHere.ORG> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> ... and this gets me what?
>>>>
>>>
>>> A visit from PC Plod. :-)
>>
>> Unlikely. too busy not investigating breaches of Covid rules at an
>> address in Downing Street. ...
>>
>
> Actually, based on initial reports, it looks like this time they are
> going to investigate. It looks the latest example was too gross a violation
> for them to ignore. Whether they do anything meaningful about it is
> another matter.
>
>> ... probably end up being extradited to the USA to face charges on
>> things that happen outside the USA when we, the fully BREXITed UK can't
>> manage to get US citizens to face charges for things they did in the UK..
>>
>
> That last part really sucks. She should never have been allowed to
> flee the country.
>
> Simon.
>

Ya know, for someone who believes in following the rules, you sure are
ambiguous. I don't know much about that event, other than regardless of best
efforts, shit still happens. But, If you're going to subscribe to diplomatic
immunity, you should not do so until you decide "maybe not". As Yoda mentioned,
do, or do not. Nor do I have much of an opinion about the practice, but, as I
mentioned, if you're going to have a rule, then follow it, always, not when you
maybe want to.

--
David Froble Tel: 724-529-0450
Dave Froble Enterprises, Inc. E-Mail: davef@tsoft-inc.com
DFE Ultralights, Inc.
170 Grimplin Road
Vanderbilt, PA 15486