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From: Subcommandante XDelta <vlf@star.enet.dec.com>
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Re: Bare Metal VMS (Frame.Work Laptops)
Date: Sat, 16 Nov 2024 15:20:48 +1100
Organization: VMS Liberation Front
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Mr Vanderhoeven :)

On 13/11/2024 9:59 am, Subcommandante XDelta wrote:
> Just some blue sky kite flying, perhaps not grounded on the current
> revision levels of VSI reality - to be honest, I don't diligently keep
> up with the technicalities.
> 
> But wouldn't be lovely if we had laptops that were running bare metal
> VMS? - the likes of which we haven't seen since the Alpha Tadpole
> (IIRC).
> 
> I know "bare metal VMS" sounds like some unsafe sexual practice - and
> I don't know the ins and outs (so to speak) of why it isn't common
> practice, apart from the issues of device drivers writing, given the
> plethora of devices and modules, that might have to be catered for.
> 
> Which is why the Frame.Work laptop initiative is a bright blessing:
> 
> https://frame.work/
> 
> I think Big Ken would have had grudging respect, or, indeed,
> unreserved respect for what they have achieved.
> 
> If I wasn't such a "TrackPointer Tragic" ThinkPad veteran, this would
> be my laptop platform of choice - CRU (FRU) heaven, and the
> anthithesis of "enshittifcation".
> 
> As it is my current generations of ThinkPads will see me out, keeping
> a weather eye on my running down system clock.
> 
> Quite possibly only a small set of device drivers would need to be
> considered, if bare metal VMS was offered on their hardware platforms,
> and given the elegance of their construction, field service
> engineering would not have to be considered - people can roll their
> own - nothing is soldered down that strictly doesn't have to be - CRU
> heaven.
> 
> I think it would be the perfect marriage of VMS with third-party
> hardware, and it would be a boon to the VMS ecosystem, to have such
> available - it might even encourage new VMS shops being established -
> new clients for VSI.
> 
> Given the modular I/O port design, they would be a boon to VSI
> engineering for research, VSI Quality Assurnce for testing, VSI sales
> for demonstrations, and existing, and possibly new, customers for
> evaluating.
> 
> You could have two Ethernet port modules one for networking the other
> for clustering computer interconnect, and two USB ports for Disk
> shadow sets - the laptops would be cheap, perfect, Lego blocks for
> exploring the VMS clustering and Shadow Set chops of VMS.
> 
> Further VSI could liaise with Frame.Work, and commission them to
> design a Server Blade board, for running bare metal VMS, an Intel one,
> and an AMD one, utilising "Gruntmaster 6000" (cf Dilbert, circa 2000)
> CPUs and "GruntMaster 6000" GPUs (which seen all the rage these days,
> with the AI hype).
> 
> The server board would have a RS232 port (well, just because!), but it
> would also have (say) four narrow expansion slots to cater for DEC
> specific I/O considerations - another boon for the VMS ecosystem.
> 
> And one of the genius aspects of the Frame.Work way, is that like the
> Ship of Theseus, individual components, can be easily upgraded.
> 
> VSI management might have kittens and conniptions about how to price
> VSI/VMS licenses for the laptops - but what is not made in margins,
> may well be made in volume - I am sure if such laptops were available
> to the VMS ecosystem, that they would fly off the shelves.
> 
> The 13" laptops for the Office, and portability, and the 16" laptops
> for scientific and engineering workstations.
> 
> Anyways, that's my back of a beer coaster (lagered products) thesis &
> proposal.
> 
> I'll leave it up to those who know what they are talking about to
> weigh knowledgeably in.
> 
> And what might the VMSGenerations group think of it all?
>