On Thu, 26 Aug 1999, Gunnar Helliesen wrote:

> Perhaps this is old news to most of you, but I hadn't read it before:
> 
> http://www.digital.com/alphaserver/vax/vax_letter_final.html

I haven't kept up with new VAX hardware in a while now, so it was news to
me, though not unexpected...

> This marks the end of an era in computing, the final gasp of the PDP,
> the 36-bit machines and of course the VAXen themselves.

Actually no. Funny that I should say this, but (as many PDP-11 fans
predicted) the PDP-11 now will outlive the VAX. The PDP-11 product was
sold to Mentec in 1994, which (it seems) was a real fortunate thing.
Mentec is still actively selling the PDP-11. And that's not all. Strobe
Data makes a PDP-11 on a card that you plug into your PC, and Quickware
makes the fastest PDP-11s I know of. So that's atleast three manufacturers
of PDP-11 machines.

As for 36-bitters, XKL is still in the business, aren't they? And don't
mix 36-bitters and VAXen in the same sentence. 36-bit fans might object
strenously to that. ;-)

> If I have the money I'm going to place an order for a VAX next
> September, and try to get NetBSD/vax up and running on it. Just for old
> times sake... heck, I grew up with VAXen, learned to program on them and
> learned how to be a sysadmin on a VAXcluster with almost a thousand
> users. This is quite emotional for me, excuse me while I blow my nose
> and wipe a tear from my eyes... ;-)

Well, I must admit that I really liked the VAX all the way too, and it is
indeed sad that it won't be made any more. But there are lots of them out
there, so I don't see any shortage coming about soon...

> RIP, VAX.
> 
> If only I had the money to buy the remnants of Digital back from
> Compaq... I'd set up shop in The Mill (fly swatters at hand and all) and
> get back to basics.

Now *that* would be a good idea.

	Johnny

Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
                                  ||  on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt@update.uu.se           ||  Reading murder books
pdp is alive!                     ||  tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol