"jrobinson@stisierra.com" "James Robinson"

> Well I just got off the phone from Digital. I found out how much it costs
>for a licience for my 8200. Would you believe $20,000!!! Just for the right
>to run something on it! not even the media..... They said that there
>database didn't go back that far so I have to get a new one.(Hello, Ya
>right!!!) Eventho they said that the licience goes with the cpu!!

The licence does go with the CPU, but you have to prove that the licence
existed and didn't, for example, get transferred to another machine. If you
have the docs and are willing to pay the transfer fee (which was $300 or so?)
then you should not have any problems.

You have to remember that:
(a) The licence is the right to use the software - getting the software always
    was something else entirely.
(b) The VAX 8200 was a "big" machine way back when and Digital's policy
    has (always?) been to make new machines more competitive than old machines,
    for obvious reasons. Another example of this is the pricing for maintenance
    docs and services - these tend not to drop in price over time.

Now if this is for hobbyist use then you can get it for free (or for the cost
of DECUS membership).


Antonio

Antonio Carlini                            Mail: carlini@marvin.enet.dec.com
DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Engineering
Digital Equipment Corporation              Worton Grange, Reading, England