OpenVMS Codebase: A 35-Year Journey of Explosive Growth
2025-04-03
A researcher meticulously analyzed the size of the OpenVMS (VMS) codebase over 35 years. By counting lines of code across 15 key components in various releases (V6.2, V7.2, V8.2, V9.2-3), the study revealed a nearly threefold increase in code size, from hundreds of thousands of lines to almost two million. The shift in programming languages from BLISS and MACRO-32 to C was also highlighted. This research offers valuable insights into the architecture and evolution of large-scale operating systems.
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