FREEWARE, FREEWARE, The Master OpenVMS Freeware README File OpenVMS Freeware CD-ROM ReadMe ------------------------------ Update: 24-Aug-2006 Welcome to the HP OpenVMS Freeware V8.0 CD-ROM. All the software included on this CD-ROM is also available for (free) download at the OpenVMS web site: http://www.hp.com/go/openvms/freeware/ This document contains a general introduction to the OpenVMS Freeware as well as notes specific to the Freeware V8.0 distribution. General Introduction -------------------- The OpenVMS Freeware CD-ROM contains free software tools and utilities to aid software developers, partners and OpenVMS Hobbyists in creating applications, and in managing and using OpenVMS systems, as well as packages that can serve as programming source code examples. Contained on this CD-ROM are of packages for OpenVMS VAX, OpenVMS Alpha, and OpenVMS I64, divided into general categories including the following: AFFINITY Interoperation with Microsoft Windows systems BUILD_TOOLS Build tools WEB_TOOLS CGI and HTML tools GAMES Games (also see Motif Toys) GRAPHICS Graphics tools LANGUAGES Compilers, assemblers, and language-related MISCELLANEOUS Or ask for the creation of a new category MOTIF_TOYS X Windows, CDE, and Motif toys (see Games) NETWORKING Networking and network-related tools PROGRAMMING Source Code Examples, APIs, etc SYSTEM_MANAGEMENT Tools related to system management, security STORAGE_MANAGEMENT Tools related to storage management UTILITIES Random Utilities unrelated to other categories FREEWARE Reserved for use by Freeware CD-ROM constructs Many of these tools are popular packages already widely known and in use, while others are internally developed HP OpenVMS tools our engineers are making available to you, our OpenVMS customers. For example, the OpenVMS Freeware CD-ROM includes Bliss compilers for various OpenVMS platforms. The Freeware CD-ROM includes the following features: o Includes an easy-to-use 4GL-based menu system for examining the contents of the CD-ROM. o Is in Files-11 format to make it readable on OpenVMS systems. o Contains binaries, source code (except for the Bliss compilers and specific other HP-provided packages), and documentation. o Represents some of the most popular, most often requested free packages, plus new items never before made public. Disclaimer on Testing, Quality, and Licensing The OpenVMS Freeware CD-ROM set is provided "AS IS" without warranty. HP adds no Freeware-specific restrictions on the distribution or redistribution of the contents of these disks, nor adds any specific restrictions onto the redistribution of any packages on it. Be aware, however, that various of the individual packages on the CD-ROM may carry restrictions on their use or on their redistribution, as imposed by the original author(s) or owner(s) of the package(s). Therefore, you should carefully read the documentation accompanying any products of interest. HP is providing this software free of charge and without warranty -- copies of packages (and various package updates that might become available) can usually be downloaded from http://www.hp.com/go/openvms/freeware, and (additional) copies of this CD-ROM set can be ordered from HP for a small media replication, handling, and distribution charge. Included in the [FREEWARE] directory on this CD are various GNU software licenses. HP makes no claims concerning this software, and provides this CD-ROM distribution to the OpenVMS community and to HP customers as a free service. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Remember, all packages contained herein are supplied AS IS. All packages are without any warranty, expressed or implied. HP has performed no verification, no code reviews, and no testing. You are solely responsible for support, debug, test and remediation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ General Freeware V8.0 release notes ----------------------------------- o There were the usual problems building the distributions due to errors found in various FREEWARE_README.TXT files, and due to submissions that were missing the (required) FREEWARE_README.TXT file. The Keeper of the OpenVMS Freeware (KoOF) apologizes for these changes. o The menu system is (still) (over)due to be replaced -- probably with a Lynx-based system of HTML files, or otherwise -- while the current menu environment is not expected to operate on OpenVMS I64. As part of working toward this long-awaited menu system replacement, you will find template HTML files in this [FREEWARE] directory -- including freeware.html -- and these files are templates, and are NOT not expected to be operational. The replacement involves updating the creation-related command procedures to generate current files, and to replace the existing freeware_menu.com menu command procedure with a version that uses Lynx to display the generated HTML. o The menu system is deliberately not requiring all CD-ROMs in the Freeware set to be mounted at the same time -- this avoids the requirement to have multiple CD-ROM drives. This also unfortunately makes it somewhat more difficult to rummage around on the various disks. o Please take the time to examine the following files and directories: [000000]AAAREADME.* [000000]OPENVMS_FREQUENTLY_ASKED_QUESTIONS_FAQ.TXT [000000]00FREEWARE_ABSTRACT.TXT [000TOOLS]*.* [FREEWARE]*.* [VMSFAQ]*.* These files are replicated on all Freeware CD-ROM disks. o Current copies of the OpenVMS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document are available at: http://www.hp.com/go/openvms/faq/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thank you, Stephen Hoffman Keeper of the Freeware HP OpenVMS Engineering July, 2006