SGI: Development

Hello,

I just obtained a license for free from this place:

https://support.sgi.com/software/licensing

The site response to my inquiry was:



Actually my intent was to figure out how much it would cost to obtain these licenses. But after entering the ID of my SGI O2, I got in the first step the response from the site - the licenses I requested were already issued for my machine in the past (very, very unlikely). In the second step, the messages above came up and the actual license keys.

Now this is very unlikely, that C and C++ licenses were bought in the past for my machine, since I got the SGI O2 from a Cancer Research Center and they were doing imaging but not programming. I also got the machine without any licenses or compilers installed, though in the same state it was used for research.

I suspect and hope that maybe the SGI licensing policy has changed somehow and owners of older systems get the compilers for free. Maybe SGI has introduced a licensing policy for hobbyists and it is already implemented in the process of licencing through their website though there is no official information anywhere about it.

If it turns out I was just lucky with my machine maybe this note will be helpful for others to give it a try.

nice found. let me try my systems...

I gave it a try, and
* I got a re-issue for MIPSpro (C/C++/F77/F90/Workshop) for my Power Indigo2 (duh -- that one did have license already). I didn't get licenses for APO and roboinst (which it didn't have before either).

* I didn't get one for the Crimson (it asks for entitlement IDs), even if I register it as an Indy

So far it looks like what they're saying is correct: if the hostid is in their database, they generate a new license. Lots of my systems are from universities and were previously covered by Varsity. I'll try to get licenses for my Indies, see what happens

i tried for one of my boxes as well. it didn't spit out a single license, bastards!
but the box came pre-loaded with lics for the whole dev-suite and XVM when i got it (and some weirdo software for modelling and simulating car interior safety bits ), so i guess these licenses where deleted when the original contract ended?
ah well, i don't do C/C++ but somehow it hurts when you're left out in he cold like that.

Let me guess, the "issuer" filed of the license says "HaxForce 2000" or something like that

I tried two more Indigos and an Indigo2 and got nothing as well. It looks like xmas is not in april this year

can't say for sure since i did a fresh install but since the box came from some local car parts manufacturer, i somehow hope this wasn't the case.

I actuall lucked out. A while ago I got some misc SGI CD's off Epay and among them was a MipsPro 7.2.1 with the Entitlement sticker. I never did anything with it, but in December decided to give it a shot. I was issued a Permanent Concurrent license



Whats cool about this is the Origin 2000 is a license server to all my other machines

Well; that was one of my main concerns up to this moment, every time I've wondered about to change/add a bigger development/compilation box than my maxed out O2 for which I have all the MISPRO licenses...

I have some hopes that maybe SGI will issue new licences for my new systems if I sell my main O2 and I add some O2K and/or Octane, or maybe even a few other O2(s) later as front-end?

Maybe would be safer if I ask them first...
Greetz!
Diego

At one time you could email SGI's license lookup service, and it would respond with all the licenses valid for a system's ID, serial number, LMhostid, and host name. Must of been an automated thing, 'cause you had to give them cetain info in a specific format with each field separated by commas - if you skipped a field, you still had to include the commas in the right places.

diego: you do know about change_sid, right? should work on o2, too

Yeah, had to run my system through the license check (curiousity being a bitch). No free software for me today, bummer.

Yeah, I know about these thing, but by some strange reason I reject the idea to use these change_sid thing with my developer tools...

It is not ironic? ...So much work to make honor to these full set of licenses, to lately use at the end just a change_sid tool to be allowed to enjoy from a greater box? ...I don't know. Does not sounds too well...

Wat I really want is another set of legal licenses for my next box!!!
You know: "-Yeah, It seems soap, but it is real cheese!"

Well, if they're giving them out for free, then I suppose that's cool. Don't forget they also offer courtesy keys for some products:

http://www.sgi.com/support/licensing/courtesy_keys.html

Still, please refrain from discussing change_sid in too great a detail, ok?

Saw this on SGI's developer pages:

When Developer Plus members join the SGI® Global Developer Program, they receive a free, five-user floating-license IRIX Development Tools and Compiler Bundle, valued at a list price of $20,000.

Of course, you already need to be a "Developer Plus" which seems to exclude open-source.

Probably been discussed before, but given the current state of SGI and IRIX, any bets on whether they'll release mipspro for free (a la Sun Studio) or take it down with the ship?

I guess they'll take it all down with the sinking ship and leave us scavenging with our little neko-acme submarines.