Fake Your Way Through Minis and Mainframes - VMS

This document is Part 3: OpenVMS of "The Operating System Handbook" by Bob DuCharme, copyrighted 2001. It serves as a practical guide for users to navigate and utilize the OpenVMS operating system, previously known as VMS, particularly on VAX minicomputers and beyond.

The document covers:

• Introduction to OpenVMS: Its history, "balanced architecture," key features, and a comparison with UNIX, noting OpenVMS's user-friendly, English-like commands and strong online help. It also briefly describes popular VMS software like ALL-IN-1, Rdb, and Pathworks.
• Getting Started: Essential information on logging in and out, entering commands using the Digital Command Language (DCL), understanding file naming conventions (including versions and wildcards), and navigating the hierarchical directory structure. It also details the extensive and intuitive online help system.
• File Management: A deep dive into core commands such as DIRECTORY (listing files), TYPE (displaying content), COPY, RENAME, DELETE, PURGE (for old file versions), SET PROTECTION (for access control), and CREATE/DIRECTORY. It explains the use of command qualifiers and common error messages.
• The OpenVMS EVE Text Editor: A comprehensive guide to using the Extensible VAX Editor (EVE), covering basic text insertion, deletion, searching, saving changes, and quitting, emphasizing its ease of use and its own integrated help system.
• System Usage and Communication: Instructions for printing files, checking and canceling print jobs, creating DCL command procedures and symbols for automation, and configuring the LOGIN.COM file for automatic commands upon login. It also details the built-in MAIL program, covering sending and receiving messages, organizing them into folders, and saving mail to text files.

The document concludes with a sample OpenVMS session that demonstrates the practical application of many of the covered commands and features.