INFO-VAX Sat, 09 Feb 2008 Volume 2008 : Issue 79 Contents: Re: Anyone interested in building a vms-like OS? CIFS cluster setup Re: Help identifying a cable Re: Help with OpenVMS - Apache - User Login Through the Browser Re: OT: Hack contest TCPIP 5.4 SSH/Putty issues Re: TCPIP 5.4 SSH/Putty issues VMSINSTAL Message Re: VMSINSTAL Message Re: VMSINSTAL Message Re: VMSINSTAL Message Re: VMSINSTAL Message Re: VMSINSTAL Message Xerox 7760 on DCPS? Re: Xerox 7760 on DCPS? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:49:14 -0600 From: David J Dachtera Subject: Re: Anyone interested in building a vms-like OS? Message-ID: <47AD22BA.15A1322A@spam.comcast.net> Bill Gunshannon wrote: > [snip] > There are thousands of people out there with the knowledge of linux and unix > to do it. There isn't for VMS for the obvious reason that the same level > of avaialble information has never existed for VMS. No one has the sources. > No one but HP can build versions of it. So, if you want to use VMS you > have to go to HP and pay what ever they want for it. That's buysiness. > You can't build an equivalent business on software you are required to hand > to your competitors. But then, if believe all software must be freei and you > still want to feed your family, I understand WallMart and McDonalds are still > hiring. The problem I have with that business model is that it's sort of like a light bulb that never fails: you sell it ONCE (think: "everlasting gobstopper"). Support, on the other hand, is either a monthly, quarterly, yearly or some other recurring charge (read: "cash flow"). That's known as "residual income" in some circles, rather like rental income on an apartment building, royalties of various kinds, etc. David J Dachtera DJE Systems ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 15:48:11 -0800 (PST) From: Rich Jordan Subject: CIFS cluster setup Message-ID: <3edb4809-3998-40cb-b60c-e3f94ddd7ee8@l1g2000hsa.googlegroups.com> Barely started working on one CIFS setup, so far unable to get proper security, and already got people clamoring for more, and yesterday. (I heard Samba was good, and its free, and its available for my Alpha!) Hooray for sales. Two node Alpha cluster (LAVC + SCSI cluster) running TCPIP services with the old-style cluster alias address and hostname and VMS V8.3. Due to old redundancy requirements the two systems are running separate local system disks that are NOT on the shared bus. The shared disks are shadowed, and the cluster common files (SYSUAF, RIGHTSLIST, queue files, etc, all the ones recommended in the cluster manual) are on shared storage accessible to either node with the other one offline. Although it hasn't been specified there is no doubt they will want CIFS to be redundant and cluster "aware" or at least cluster friendly too. Based on the scant info in the documentation HP provides, I don't think it can be either. CIFS can be installed on shared drives; its shares can be created on those drives. Does CIFS currently have any support for running in a cluster, using the cluster alias address for connections (perhaps load balancing that way), keeping service up if a node goes down, sharing access to config files, CIFS images, and actual share directories, etc? We just barely started scratching the surface with this product and ran into a dealbreaking security problem that I still haven't had time to properly test and work through based on suggestions received from HP (thank you, HP!). The cluster site does not have the same security requirements, so that won't be an issue, but the cluster- reliability aspect will be (at least they will want it to be). Thanks for any thoughts or info. Rich ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:39:48 -0500 From: "Richard B. Gilbert" Subject: Re: Help identifying a cable Message-ID: <47AD1274.4020905@comcast.net> Cydrome Leader wrote: > Richard B. Gilbert wrote: > >>Cydrome Leader wrote: >> >>>Richard B. Gilbert wrote: >>> >>> >>>>JF Mezei wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>>>Cydrome Leader wrote: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>>INMAC was a huge computer cables distributor. I think they vanished in the >>>>>>early 90s. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>If I recall properly, INMAC and the PC/MAC wharehouse became/merged >>>>>into what is today CDW. >>>>> >>>>>BlackBox still has a big catalogue of various cables. >>>> >>>>BlackBox not only has a big catalog of cables and other stuff but, >>>>if you can tell them what you need in terms of number of conductors >>>>and what's connected to what, they will make you a custom cable! >>> >>> >>>My issue with blackbox is the prices that are 50000% too high. >>> >>>There are other places that will make weird cable at sensible prices. >> >>It's like those $600 toilet seats the goverment sometimes buys. They >>could get a standard toilet seat for $20 or so but these toilet seats >>are non-standard, intended for use in an aircraft and the government >>wants just four of them! So the manufacturer spends $2300 tooling up to >>make the things and charges accordingly. >> >>If you want custom work, you generally have to pay for it! Frequently >>it's expensive! If you want something really odd, it can get really >>expensive. I'm sure that there are cases where someone other than Black >>Box can do it cheaper. >> >>I've dealt with them for a couple of custom cables intended to connect a >>VT320 to the console port on a Cisco switch. That's a piece of six >>conductor cable, an RJ45 and an MMJ connector. You need the crimping >>tool and dies for the RJ45 and the MMJ. Now you pay a couple of hundred >>for the tool and two sets of dies, you buy a hundred feet of cable of >>which 92 feet may never get used, a package of 50 or 100 RJ45 and a >>package of MMJ. You need to know what pin on each end gets connected to >>what pin on the other end. Add thirty minutes of my time which, I >>assure you, cost my employer dearly. Most of that time is just finding >>all the stuff I need; if you have all the tools and materials in front >>of you, it's maybe five minutes work to actually make the cable. >> >>Black Box's pricing begins to look like a real bargain. If you happen >>to have all this stuff, making the cable is five or ten minutes work and >>it's faster, easier, and cheaper than getting it from Black Box. >> > > > Everything from black box is priced like they're tooling up to make it > just for you, which isn't the case. > > > Nothing stops you from buying cheaper elsewhere if you can find what you need! Black Box is not the first place I would look for a standard cable but it IS the place I would go for unusual or custom cables. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:41:50 -0600 From: David J Dachtera Subject: Re: Help with OpenVMS - Apache - User Login Through the Browser Message-ID: <47AD20FE.537ED098@spam.comcast.net> "Muehlbauer, Jeffrey" wrote: > > Hi, > > I'm hoping for some help regarding logging into VMS through Apache Web Server (CSWS). Before installing Apache I had WASD installed and was able to have my users log into and view files in their home directory. I did this by entering http://server/~ in the browser and it took them to their SYS$LOGIN directory. That's confusing to me. I'd expect that to display the login directory of the user under which the HTTP daemon is running. To display for a specific user, I'd expect to need one of these syntaces: http://server/~username ...or... http://username:password@server/~ David J Dachtera DJE Systems ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:49:34 -0800 From: "Tom Linden" Subject: Re: OT: Hack contest Message-ID: On Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:18:51 -0800, Phaeton = = wrote: > > http://www.news.com/2102-1002_3-6229577.html?tag=3Dst.util.print > > > Vista, Leopard, Linux to compete in hack contest. > > ------------------------ > > I wonder why VMS is not there... :-) It is like golf these days, when Tiger is playing the field is competing= for second place. > > Cheers, Csaba > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------= ------------ > |d|i|g|i|t|a|l| = > http://csabaharangozo.blogspot.com > ----------------------------------------------------------------------= ------------ > EARTH::AUSTRALIA:[SYDNEY]HARANGOZO.CSABA;1, delete? [N]: > > The bigger the front, the bigger the back. -- = PL/I for OpenVMS www.kednos.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:03:45 -0600 From: Michael Austin Subject: TCPIP 5.4 SSH/Putty issues Message-ID: <746rj.11562$hI1.10685@nlpi061.nbdc.sbc.com> Putty Release 0.59 First box ALPHA1 is 2100/7.3-2/TCPIP 5.3 SSH via PuTTY=No Problem Target box is ALPHA1-DS10L Running 7.3-2/TCPIP 5.4 w/latest patches PuTTY will not work, ssh from 2100 does work. I have tried using the sshd_config from 5.4 and also tried copying the working sshd_config from the 5.3 box - all with same results. ALPHA1>MAUSTIN>MAUSTIN]$ ssh maustin@192.168.1.10 !!ssh from old->new maustin's password: Authentication successful. Welcome to OpenVMS (TM) Alpha Operating System, Version V7.3-2 Last interactive login on Friday, 8-FEB-2008 10:19:02.13 Last non-interactive login on Monday, 4-FEB-2008 20:57:33.41 ALPHA1-DS10L > HP TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS Alpha Version V5.4 - ECO 7 on a AlphaServer DS10L 466 MHz running OpenVMS V7.3-2 Trying to connect using PuTTY - I get: "Server sent disconnect message type 7 (service not available): "Wrong service name."" From the logfile: Fri 08 17:30:47 WARNING: Starting image in auxiliary server mode. Fri 08 17:30:47 INFORMATIONAL: OpenVMS$gl_sockfd = 0 Fri 08 17:30:47 INFORMATIONAL: connection from "192.168.1.210" Fri 08 17:30:48 INFORMATIONAL: Local disconnected: Wrong service name. (user '(n ull)', client address '(null):(null)', requested service '(null)') Fri 08 17:30:48 WARNING: service not available: 'Wrong service name. (user '(nul l)', client address '(null):(null)', requested service '(null)')' I have tried stopping/deleting the service and re-creating it - all with the same results. Putty is configured similar or the same as post in comp.os.vms as far back as 2003. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:55:43 -0600 From: David J Dachtera Subject: Re: TCPIP 5.4 SSH/Putty issues Message-ID: <47AD243F.7CA2EFE3@spam.comcast.net> Michael Austin wrote: > > Putty Release 0.59 > > First box ALPHA1 is 2100/7.3-2/TCPIP 5.3 SSH via PuTTY=No Problem > > Target box is ALPHA1-DS10L Running 7.3-2/TCPIP 5.4 w/latest patches > PuTTY will not work, ssh from 2100 does work. > I have tried using the sshd_config from 5.4 and also tried copying the > working sshd_config from the 5.3 box - all with same results. > > ALPHA1>MAUSTIN>MAUSTIN]$ ssh maustin@192.168.1.10 !!ssh from old->new > maustin's password: > Authentication successful. > > Welcome to OpenVMS (TM) Alpha Operating System, Version V7.3-2 > Last interactive login on Friday, 8-FEB-2008 10:19:02.13 > Last non-interactive login on Monday, 4-FEB-2008 20:57:33.41 > > ALPHA1-DS10L > > HP TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS Alpha Version V5.4 - ECO 7 > on a AlphaServer DS10L 466 MHz running OpenVMS V7.3-2 > > Trying to connect using PuTTY - I get: > > "Server sent disconnect message type 7 (service not available): "Wrong > service name."" > > From the logfile: > Fri 08 17:30:47 WARNING: Starting image in auxiliary server mode. > Fri 08 17:30:47 INFORMATIONAL: OpenVMS$gl_sockfd = 0 > Fri 08 17:30:47 INFORMATIONAL: connection from "192.168.1.210" > Fri 08 17:30:48 INFORMATIONAL: Local disconnected: Wrong service name. > (user '(n > ull)', client address '(null):(null)', requested service '(null)') > Fri 08 17:30:48 WARNING: service not available: 'Wrong service name. > (user '(nul > l)', client address '(null):(null)', requested service '(null)')' > > I have tried stopping/deleting the service and re-creating it - all with > the same results. > > Putty is configured similar or the same as post in comp.os.vms as far > back as 2003. I thought I saw a discussion of this over on the Multinet group... news:vmsnet.networks.tcp-ip.multinet David J Dachtera DJE Systems ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 20:14:26 -0800 (PST) From: Chuck Moore Subject: VMSINSTAL Message Message-ID: <14fd24b4-5322-4e4d-b35a-4d842912fe9f@s19g2000prg.googlegroups.com> Hi, Wanted to get UNZIP going. So I went to http://www.djesys.com/unzip.html and downloaded the UNZIP & SFX stuff, then FTPed it from Windows 2K to Alpha VMS (binary transfer) and COPYed things together as specified on the web-page. Here's what happened next: $ dir Directory UNIT02$DKB100: [WORKAREA.UNZIP] SFX_AXP.EXE;1 UNZIP_U2053.A;1 UNZU2053.EXE;2 UNZU2053.EXE;1 UNZU2053.ZIP; 1 Total of 5 files. $ run 'vmsinstal' _File: UNZIP_U2053.A; 1 %DCL-W-ACTIMAGE, error activating image UNZIP_U2053.A; 1 -CLI-E-IMGNAME, image file UNIT02$DKB100:[WORKAREA.UNZIP]UNZIP_U2053.A; 1 -IMGACT-F-NOTNATIVE, image is not an OpenVMS Alpha image Anyone got any ideas ? Chuck ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 23:24:59 -0500 From: "Richard B. Gilbert" Subject: Re: VMSINSTAL Message Message-ID: <47AD2B1B.1040908@comcast.net> Chuck Moore wrote: > Hi, > > Wanted to get UNZIP going. So I went to http://www.djesys.com/unzip.html > and downloaded the UNZIP & SFX stuff, then FTPed it from Windows 2K to > Alpha VMS (binary transfer) and COPYed things together as specified on > the web-page. Here's what happened next: > $ > dir > > Directory UNIT02$DKB100: > [WORKAREA.UNZIP] > > SFX_AXP.EXE;1 UNZIP_U2053.A;1 UNZU2053.EXE;2 > UNZU2053.EXE;1 > UNZU2053.ZIP; > 1 > > Total of 5 > files. > $ run > 'vmsinstal' > _File: UNZIP_U2053.A; > 1 > %DCL-W-ACTIMAGE, error activating image UNZIP_U2053.A; > 1 > -CLI-E-IMGNAME, image file UNIT02$DKB100:[WORKAREA.UNZIP]UNZIP_U2053.A; > 1 > -IMGACT-F-NOTNATIVE, image is not an OpenVMS Alpha > image > > Anyone got any ideas ? > > Chuck Well, without having read the directions or tried it myself, I wonder what the hell you are trying to do! My guess would be that UNZIP_U2053.A is a backup saveset. What "'vmsinstal'" evaluates to I can only guess. Last time I looked you didn't "run" vmsinstall. Instead you said @VMSINSTAL because, last time I looked VMSINSTAL was, in fact, VMSINSTAL.COM. I'm just an old fuddy-duddy but I would try: $ @VMSINSTAL UNZIP_U2053.A ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 22:32:08 -0600 From: David J Dachtera Subject: Re: VMSINSTAL Message Message-ID: <47AD2CC8.DB9E1BF8@spam.comcast.net> Chuck Moore wrote: > > Hi, > > Wanted to get UNZIP going. So I went to http://www.djesys.com/unzip.html > and downloaded the UNZIP & SFX stuff, then FTPed it from Windows 2K to > Alpha VMS (binary transfer) and COPYed things together as specified on > the web-page. Here's what happened next: > $ > dir > > Directory UNIT02$DKB100: > [WORKAREA.UNZIP] > > SFX_AXP.EXE;1 UNZIP_U2053.A;1 UNZU2053.EXE;2 > UNZU2053.EXE;1 > UNZU2053.ZIP; > 1 > > Total of 5 > files. > $ run > 'vmsinstal' > _File: UNZIP_U2053.A; > 1 > %DCL-W-ACTIMAGE, error activating image UNZIP_U2053.A; > 1 > -CLI-E-IMGNAME, image file UNIT02$DKB100:[WORKAREA.UNZIP]UNZIP_U2053.A; > 1 > -IMGACT-F-NOTNATIVE, image is not an OpenVMS Alpha > image > > Anyone got any ideas ? Well, in sequence, 1. That's a very old UNZIP - I've not updated it in years. 2. VMSINSTAL is a DCL procedure, not a binary program: you don't RUN it. The invocation is like so: $ @SYS$UPDATE:VMSINSTAL UNZIP_U2053 DKB100:[WORKAREA.UNZIP] Apologies if I left that out of the documentation. When I update UNZIP, I'll add info to the doc / web page. Oh, yeah: the reason you got the error from the image activator about UNZIP_U2053.A is because you used apostrophes (Single quotes) around vmsinstal. So, DCL tried to do symbol substitution. If you'd had a symbol in your environment called VMSINSTAL, DCL would have inserted its value into the command buffer before trying to execute the resulting command string. Otherwise, you'd have gotten something like this: $ run vmsinstal unzip_u2053 %DCL-W-MAXPARM, too many parameters - reenter command with fewer parameters \UNZIP_U2053\ David J Dachtera DJE Systems ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 20:38:31 -0800 (PST) From: Chuck Moore Subject: Re: VMSINSTAL Message Message-ID: On Feb 8, 8:32 pm, David J Dachtera wrote: > Chuck Moore wrote: > > > Hi, > > > Wanted to get UNZIP going. So I went tohttp://www.djesys.com/unzip.html > > and downloaded the UNZIP & SFX stuff, then FTPed it from Windows 2K to > > Alpha VMS (binary transfer) and COPYed things together as specified on > > the web-page. Here's what happened next: > > $ > > dir > > > Directory UNIT02$DKB100: > > [WORKAREA.UNZIP] > > > SFX_AXP.EXE;1 UNZIP_U2053.A;1 UNZU2053.EXE;2 > > UNZU2053.EXE;1 > > UNZU2053.ZIP; > > 1 > > > Total of 5 > > files. > > $ run > > 'vmsinstal' > > _File: UNZIP_U2053.A; > > 1 > > %DCL-W-ACTIMAGE, error activating image UNZIP_U2053.A; > > 1 > > -CLI-E-IMGNAME, image file UNIT02$DKB100:[WORKAREA.UNZIP]UNZIP_U2053.A; > > 1 > > -IMGACT-F-NOTNATIVE, image is not an OpenVMS Alpha > > image > > > Anyone got any ideas ? > > Well, in sequence, > > 1. That's a very old UNZIP - I've not updated it in years. > > 2. VMSINSTAL is a DCL procedure, not a binary program: you don't RUN it. > The invocation is like so: > > $ @SYS$UPDATE:VMSINSTAL UNZIP_U2053 DKB100:[WORKAREA.UNZIP] > > Apologies if I left that out of the documentation. When I update UNZIP, > I'll add info to the doc / web page. > > Oh, yeah: the reason you got the error from the image activator about > UNZIP_U2053.A is because you used apostrophes (Single quotes) around > vmsinstal. So, DCL tried to do symbol substitution. If you'd had a > symbol in your environment called VMSINSTAL, DCL would have inserted its > value into the command buffer before trying to execute the resulting > command string. Otherwise, you'd have gotten something like this: > > $ run vmsinstal unzip_u2053 > %DCL-W-MAXPARM, too many parameters - reenter command with fewer > parameters > \UNZIP_U2053\ > > David J Dachtera > DJE Systems David and Richard, Thanks for the quick responses. I looked on this list for UNZIP and that's how I got that particular software. I was just trying to do what was on the instructions. What UNZIP would y'all recommend ? Chuck ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 21:25:40 -0800 (PST) From: Chuck Moore Subject: Re: VMSINSTAL Message Message-ID: On Feb 8, 8:38 pm, Chuck Moore wrote: > On Feb 8, 8:32 pm, David J Dachtera > wrote: > > > > > Chuck Moore wrote: > > > > Hi, > > > > Wanted to get UNZIP going. So I went tohttp://www.djesys.com/unzip.html > > > and downloaded the UNZIP & SFX stuff, then FTPed it from Windows 2K to > > > Alpha VMS (binary transfer) and COPYed things together as specified on > > > the web-page. Here's what happened next: > > > $ > > > dir > > > > Directory UNIT02$DKB100: > > > [WORKAREA.UNZIP] > > > > SFX_AXP.EXE;1 UNZIP_U2053.A;1 UNZU2053.EXE;2 > > > UNZU2053.EXE;1 > > > UNZU2053.ZIP; > > > 1 > > > > Total of 5 > > > files. > > > $ run > > > 'vmsinstal' > > > _File: UNZIP_U2053.A; > > > 1 > > > %DCL-W-ACTIMAGE, error activating image UNZIP_U2053.A; > > > 1 > > > -CLI-E-IMGNAME, image file UNIT02$DKB100:[WORKAREA.UNZIP]UNZIP_U2053.A; > > > 1 > > > -IMGACT-F-NOTNATIVE, image is not an OpenVMS Alpha > > > image > > > > Anyone got any ideas ? > > > Well, in sequence, > > > 1. That's a very old UNZIP - I've not updated it in years. > > > 2. VMSINSTAL is a DCL procedure, not a binary program: you don't RUN it. > > The invocation is like so: > > > $ @SYS$UPDATE:VMSINSTAL UNZIP_U2053 DKB100:[WORKAREA.UNZIP] > > > Apologies if I left that out of the documentation. When I update UNZIP, > > I'll add info to the doc / web page. > > > Oh, yeah: the reason you got the error from the image activator about > > UNZIP_U2053.A is because you used apostrophes (Single quotes) around > > vmsinstal. So, DCL tried to do symbol substitution. If you'd had a > > symbol in your environment called VMSINSTAL, DCL would have inserted its > > value into the command buffer before trying to execute the resulting > > command string. Otherwise, you'd have gotten something like this: > > > $ run vmsinstal unzip_u2053 > > %DCL-W-MAXPARM, too many parameters - reenter command with fewer > > parameters > > \UNZIP_U2053\ > > > David J Dachtera > > DJE Systems > > David and Richard, > > Thanks for the quick responses. I looked on this list for UNZIP and > that's how I got that particular software. I was just trying to do > what was on the instructions. > > What UNZIP would y'all recommend ? > > Chuck *************************************************************** * Problem resolved: Got the the UNZIP from DJE working. Thanks * for the assistance everyone. Onto FLIST, PL./1 and BASIC ! *************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 09 Feb 2008 06:53:58 +0100 From: "Martin Vorlaender" Subject: Re: VMSINSTAL Message Message-ID: Chuck Moore wrote: > What UNZIP would y'all recommend ? Well, the source of all things, http://infozip.sourceforge.net/UnZip.html says VMS binaries for VAX and Alpha/AXP processors can be found at: ftp://ftp.info-zip.org/pub/infozip/VMS/ (Germany) http://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/ftp.info-zip.org/pub/infozip/VMS/ (UK) ftp://sunsite.icm.edu.pl/pub/unix/archiving/info-zip/VMS/ (Poland) http://vms.process.com/ftp/vms-freeware/fileserv/ (USA) [also via ftp ftp://ftp.process.com/vms-freeware/fileserv/ ] http://h71000.www7.hp.com/freeware/freeware70/info-zip/ (USA) HTH, Martin -- One OS to rule them all | Martin Vorlaender | OpenVMS rules! One OS to find them | work: mv@pdv-systeme.de One OS to bring them all | http://vms.pdv-systeme.de/users/martinv/ And in the Darkness bind them.| home: martin.vorlaender@t-online.de ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 09 Feb 2008 02:41:54 GMT From: winston@SSRL.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU (Alan Winston - SSRL Central Computing) Subject: Xerox 7760 on DCPS? Message-ID: <00A74E0A.BD2F40F5@SSRL.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU> VMSers -- DCPS SPD says Xerox Phaser 7750 is supported. Our printer guys are proposing purchasing a 7760. Is anyone out there already using this? Is it safe to buy one? DCPS 2.6 VMS 8.3 (Alpha DS20E at present, but we'll eventually need to print from Itanium too). This box will need to work on the first day, and the alternative is an HP5550, which *does* appear in the SPD. It looks like the 7760 might be a better printer, and I don't want to kibosh it unnecessarily. Thanks, - Alan ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 22:25:50 -0500 From: "Richard B. Gilbert" Subject: Re: Xerox 7760 on DCPS? Message-ID: <47AD1D3E.2050509@comcast.net> Alan Winston - SSRL Central Computing wrote: > VMSers -- > > DCPS SPD says Xerox Phaser 7750 is supported. Our printer guys are proposing > purchasing a 7760. Is anyone out there already using this? Is it safe to > buy one? > > DCPS 2.6 > VMS 8.3 > (Alpha DS20E at present, but we'll eventually need to print from Itanium too). > > This box will need to work on the first day, and the alternative is an HP5550, > which *does* appear in the SPD. It looks like the 7760 might be a better > printer, and I don't want to kibosh it unnecessarily. > > Thanks, > > > - Alan > Just remember, "supported" means that if it doesn't work, they will MAKE it work! That's a very cozy position to be in. If the 7760 doesn't work, what will you do? How much money will you be out? Remember, it's not just the cost of the printer, it's the man hours expended plus the cost of the 7760 which you may not recover if you have to send it back and get a 7750. Even if it *seems* to work, unless you test every feature and combination of features, you can't be sure that it will do everything it's supposed to do. If you need to upgrade DCPS and the 7750 is supported, you can expect that the 7750 will continue to work. The same is not true of the 7760. Im not familiar with either printer nor with your situation. You will have to be the one to evaluate the risks and make the call! ------------------------------ End of INFO-VAX 2008.079 ************************