Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!ucbvax!INDYVAX.BITNET!IMHW400 From: IMHW400@INDYVAX.BITNET Newsgroups: comp.os.vms Subject: Re: Press Release Message-ID: <8807071508.AA22868@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> Date: 5 Jul 88 13:32:00 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The Internet Lines: 45 >From: "Anthony A. Datri">If DEC really wanted to exist peacefully in a multivendor, ethernet >environment, they'd at least supply a TCP/IP product for VMS, as well >as a termcap. DEC *does* supply TCP/IP for VMS: they remarket both Wollongong's WINS and Network Research's FUSION. If you are willing to admit Ultrix systems as well, DEC currently sells *three* different TCP/IP packages. Why don't they come up with their own? My guess is twofold: 1) They need to have all of their network wizards working on DECnet Phase V, to provide VMS with the complete OSI protocol stack (as complete as the stack of standards, anyway). 2) I am guessing that DEC sees TCP/IP becoming a niche market as OSI phases in across the industry, a small market that they'd rather leave to others with more experience and existing investment. ARPANET/MILNET, for example, is going to have to move to the OSI stack unless they can invoke some kind of escape clause to evade GOSIP, and I imagine that the rest of the Internet will follow. I imagine that most TCP/IP vendors are quietly working out a plan to move their products to the OSI stack, and eventually phase out TCP/IP (maybe maintaining the popular user interfaces, with support from the new protocol services). Why spend all that money on a product for which you expect steadily DEcreasing sales? Note 1: I don't work for DEC, I don't have access to their unannounced policies, and my crystal ball is often cloudy. Note 2: Flames on the subject of TCP/IP's useful lifetime, merits relative to the OSI stack, and other such religious issues should be directed to me personally; I don't want to stir up another holy war. ******** As for termcap, it is available as part of DEC/Shell, which is a handy gadget in a number of ways. Also, look at the SMG$ stuff for a VMS-native equivalent. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Mark H. Wood IMHW400@INDYVAX.BITNET (317)274-0749 III U U PPPP U U III Indiana University - Purdue University at Indianapolis I U U P P U U I 799 West Michigan Street, ET 1023 I U U PPPP U U I Indianapolis, IN 46202 USA I U U P U U I [@disclaimer@] III UUU P UUU III