Yep, I know this — I'd like to see it on AMD's 64-bit architecture (x86_64), but that doesn't look like it'll happen.
About the only fast way to get there (as far as I can see), would be a VM that emulates the Alpha or Itanium instruction set on i64.
Yep, I was looking at simh earlier today, but I might be able to grab some Itainums [off ebay or whatever] for a fair price should I need the actual HW.
The biggest barriers, IMO, to porting VMS to the i64 would be the lack of the Bliss compiler for your target architecture. You could write a program to translate the Macro stuff over, but all that Bliss-32 code... woof. That’s a huge undertaking.
Yeah... which is why I'd likely go with grabbing the Itainum (or Alpha) HW: less work.
Well, if you do, gimme a ping, would you? One of these days, I’ve a notion to buy an old Alpha system and set up a VMS system again, and I’d like to keep in touch with people who have a similar notion.
The Alpha was a sweeeet architecture. It’s a shame it’s gone by the wayside now...