<> But Allison says the 11/730 can be net booted too. Would it be possible t
<> net boot this VMS 6.1 CDROM off a PC running Linux? I know other people a
<> using MOP to boot other OS's off their Linux machines. (Please forgive me
<> this was a silly question. I know _nothing_ about MOP.)

Mop is a protocal where they system sends an eithernet message with the 
physical address as a broadcast.  It is the responsability of another system
to recognize that message and reply using the correct protocal.

There is a FAQ and also info on net booting vaxen.

<Nope, can't be done as far as I can tell, since VMS CDs aren't anything
<near being ISO9660-like, else one of these VS3100's would be running the
<OpenVMS 7.1 I have sitting here still shrinkwrapped...  (I need to find
<a proper 512 byte/sector cdrom drive so I have been told)

It's not bytes sector but the whole directory structure is VMS not DOS.
A dos box can read the media but hasn't a clue to the structure.

What makes the Freebee CDrom useful is it has OVMS5.4 and later versions
up to 6.1.  

The disparaging comments about 730s is distressing.  They have many 
characteristics that make them appealing to hobbyiests like they do not 
need special power (750s may not but your pushing it, 780s do).  The 
average 730 is one, maybe two short cabs making them compact.  The average 
750 is twice the size.  If you want something smaller and faster find a 
microvax-II or 3100 however they may cost some to obtain or get going.
Of course if speed is the concern get an Alpha or MMX box.

Not the 730 may be the 386/16 of the vax family but I run a 386/16 for 
lots of very useful things.  Why?  the one I have is quite tiny and fast 
enough and was very cheap to keep(free).  While I was at DEC I ran a 730 in 
an office and supported 6 users(and a printserver) with it.

Also the CPU of the 730 is slow but not that different from the 750.

Allison