Running 7.3 with a hobbyist license on SIMH, it took a lot of struggle to get DECWindows working. Two notable issues that don't seem to be documented:
1. Apparently you MUST install DECNET and configure it, even if you are going to use TCPIP as the transport for DECWindows. Nothing worked for me until I installed and configured DECNET. After that I could inhibit it from starting up with the "ignore" logical, and DECWindows worked fine over TCPIP, but without DECNET there were error messages saying that remote screens could not be opened because something was "unsupported" (%SYS-E-UNSUPPORTED)
2. When attempting to use XDM to activate a session from a remote host, it is impossible to actually log in unless the Xserver channel is zero (0). If you open X with a server number of 1 or higher, the login fails and you are returned to the authentication panel. This appears to happen because the SYS$SYSTEM:TCPIP$XDM_XSESSION.COM file assumes the server will always be zero.
Neither of these problems seem to apply to the Alpha version of VMS. Can anyone confirm that I've drawn the correct conclusions here?
Edited by Altivo on June 16 2011 03:55
I do not bother with XDM, I just launch a vue$master session with a menu that allows me to access the other X-11 hosts just by clicking on them.
I always install decnet because even on a single node system, you can use it for decnet objects. Decnet objects can allow non-privileged users to run privileged command files.
That makes some sense if your primary workstation is running VMS. Mine runs Linux and I normally use either separate X servers on separate screens or something like Xnest or Xephyr to put a remote headless server into a window on my console. While I have real Alpha servers doing useful stuff, they are not located so I can conveniently use them as primary workstations. And I do run a lot of Linux-based stuff anyway.
The SIMH node, of course, has no graphical console of its own. While my real VAX experience never included DECWindows, I do find it more convenient now than just using a telnet session.
The bug that prevents XDM from handling any Xserver channel other than zero is real in 7.3. It was corrected in the 8.3 distribution for Alpha by patch 70-5-1747.
The script SYS$SYSTEM:XDM_XSESSION.COM from OpenVMS Alpha 8.3 can be copied over to OpenVMS VAX 7.3 and will partly fix the problem. There appear to be corresponding changes needed in a couple of other files, and I'm looking into it.
Edited by Altivo on June 16 2011 08:08
malmberg August 04 2022 No more VAX hobbyist licenses.
Community licenses for Alpha/IA64/X86_64 VMS Software Inc.
Commercial VMS software licenses for VAX available from HPE.
ozboomer July 20 2022 Just re-visiting.. No more hobbyist licenses? Is that from vmssoftware.com, no 'community' licenses?
valdirfranco July 01 2022 No more hobbyist license...sad
mister_wavey February 12 2022 I recall that the disks failed on the public access VMS systems that included Fafner
parwezw January 03 2022 Anyone know what happened to FAFNER.DYNDS.ORG?
I had a hobbyist account here but can longer access the site.
gtackett October 27 2021 Make that DECdfs _2.1A_ for Vax
gtackett October 27 2021 I'm looking for DECdfs V2.4A kit for VAX.
Asking here just in case anyone is still listening.
MarkRLV September 17 2021 At one time, didn't this web site have a job board? I would love to use my legacy skills one last time in my career.
malmberg January 18 2021 New Hobbyist PAKs for VAX/VMS are no longer available according to reports. Only commercial licenses are reported to be for sale from HPE
dfilip January 16 2021 Can someone please point me to hobbyist license pak? I'm looking for VAX/VMS 7.1, DECnet Phase IV, and UCX/TCPIP ... have the 7.1 media, need the license paks ... thanks!
