VMS->UNIX conversion aids?

[Donn Seeley]

	From John Nagle <jbn at wdl1.UUCP>:

	1.  Has anyone ever implemented an emulator which allows VMS
	programs to run under UNIX?  (VMS programs under UNIX, not UNIX
	programs under VMS).

	2.  Have the DEC VMS Fortran or Ada compilers ever been brought
	up under UNIX?

Back when I was working at UCSD Chemistry, Jim McGinness (hi, Jim!) had
an idea that would let us get the VMS Fortran compiler and run it under
4.1 BSD.  We would build an object-module converter -- any code with a
symbol table could be run through this and it would take appropriate
measures to map VMS system services into a compatibility library on
Unix.  This scheme would be very general: any program that didn't
require absurdly VMSoid services could be ported.  (Imagine -- DCL,
SOS, etc. all at your fingertips!  Just kidding, folks.)

We asked DEC about it and they thought about it for a long time and
eventually said, 'No way.' Eunice yes, VNX yes, Vmice no.

Now that Jim McGinness is working for DEC, and DEC is in the Unix
business, I understand they've had second thoughts, at least about
running VMS compilers under Ultrix.  I don't know what the prospects
are at the moment, but I suspect if you asked the people involved with
Ultrix language support, the answer would be, 'Don't hold your breath.'
If you run across DECcies at Usenix, pester them on this issue and you
may get better answers or at least see some more action.

I'd settle for the VMS math library myself,

Donn Seeley    University of Utah CS Dept    donn at utah-cs.arpa
40 46' 6"N 111 50' 34"W    (801) 581-5668    decvax!utah-cs!donn