Zelik,

        There are currently three vendors considering a PA-RISC emulator, Allegro,
SRI, and Strobe Data.  All of which are in the 'list'.  I would be surprised
if any of them are actually "writing an emulator" yet.  Hopefully if we can
get HP to put the finishing touches on the MPE license cost issue the three
companies can do their final analysis on the ROI of doing the emulator and
each of them can make a decision.  I, personally, would hope that can happen
within the next few months.

Thanx,
        Jon

> -----Original Message-----
> From: OpenMPE Support Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
> Schwartzman, Zelik
> Sent: Friday, December 27, 2002 10:51 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [OPENMPE] MPE Licensing
>
>
> Gavin
>
> I have but one more question of, say some importance.....Is
> anyone out there
> currently writing an emulator.  I have a strange feeling that
> months from
> now we will still be asking the same questions....and guess
> what then comes
> 12/31/2006 and we will still be asking the same questions.
>
> Basically what I'm trying to so delicately say is that the
> clock is ticking
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gavin Scott [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Friday, December 20, 2002 8:54 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: MPE Licensing
>
>
> Jeff writes:
> > 1. Will the version(s) of MPE that runs on the emulator include
> > crippling code? If so, will it be possible to upgrade the license
> > to get a fully performant version of MPE? If not, GREAT!.
>
> There would be no effective "crippling code" when running MPE on an
> emulator.  Besides having to go out of one's way to enable
> "crippling" on an
> emulator, it would be a silly concept since any emulator will
> be slow enough
> on its own without needing any help :-)
>
> > 2. Will the version(s) of MPE that run on the emulator include user
> > logon restrictions? If so, will it be possible to upgrade
> the license
> > to remove this restriction? If not, GREAT!
>
> >From the technical point of view, this is entirely up to the emulator
> manufacturers, though HP could insert things in their license
> that would
> restrict how the user could legally use MPE running on an emulator.
>
> > 3. Will the version of MPE that runs on to the emulator include all
> > HP subsystems, including compilers?
>
> Entirely up to HP of course, but if HP does not include approximately
> "everything" then someone somewhere will "have to have" some
> non-included
> subsystem and will have to either use it "illegally" or hound
> HP until they
> give/sell them a license for it.  If HP include very few
> subsystems (no
> compilers say) then *everyone* will hound them in this way, so it's
> generally in HP's own interest (IMHO) to include all
> subsystems that anyone
> might reasonably need.
>
> > 4. Will I be able to continue to use my existing 3000 in parallel to
> > the emulator systems for X months as I test the system before giving
> > up my MPE license for the PA-RISC box?  What is X?
>
> For HP to decide of course.
>
> > 5. Will there be a way to demo the emulator without paying the MPE
> > license fee?
>
> A very good question and one that is quite critical to the
> business case for
> developing an emulator.  If you can't legally demo it for
> someone, how can
> you sell it effectively?
>
> > 6. Will there be a way to beta test the emulator without paying the
> > MPE license fee?
>
> Same as the demo question of course.
>
> > 7. Will HP's MPE license fee be a one time fee or an annual fee?
>
> I don't think anyone would go for an annual fee, since that
> could allow HP
> to refuse to offer renewals at some point in the future, but
> that's just my
> own opinion.
>
> More questions, more or less at random:
>
> For how many years will HP be selling new licenses and/or
> transfer licenses?
>
> Will HP commit to releasing MPE (in binary form) under a
> license that allows
> free distribution and commercial use in the event that they
> no longer wish
> to deal with the licensing process at some point in the future?
>
> How will the HP license limit the machine(s) that it can run on?
> Specifically will the license be specific to an individual
> machine, or will
> the user be free to move the license from one system to
> another as needed
> due to hardware upgrades and disaster recovery operations?
>
> Will the license be transferable (i.e. resalable)?  What
> would the process
> be for transferring such a license, either as a result of a
> sale or perhaps
> the acquisition of the current license holder.  What if HP is
> no longer in
> business at the time?
>
> Will there be a provision of the license that will allow for disaster
> recovery testing (periodic non-production testing on an
> otherwise unlicensed
> system at the same time that the production license is in use).
>
> Will the license restrict the use of MPE to HP branded systems?
>
> Will the license attempt to restrict the degree to which a
> user can modify
> MPE itself, either in producing "enhancements" or correcting
> defects?  Would
> a user be legally able to share these enhancements (in some
> "diff" form or
> patch list that would allow another user to apply the same
> change to their
> system).
>
> How will MPE be distributed to licensees?  Will it be legal
> to use existing
> copies of MPE already in the licensee's possession?  How about tapes
> borrowed from another user?  What provisions will there be for "media
> replacement" if the official distribution is lost or damaged?
>
> Will the license cover all versions of MPE, or a specific set
> of versions,
> or a special version distinct from those that run on "real" HPe3000s?
>
> Will the license cover MPE/V :-)
>
> G.
>
>