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From: bill@prijat.cs.uofs.edu (Bill Gunshannon)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd
Subject: Re: AT&T sues BSDI
Message-ID: <10923@platypus.uofs.uofs.edu>
Date: 22 Jul 92 16:04:38 GMT
References: <1992Jul20.211811.3152@algor2.algorists.com> <QUANSTRO.92Jul21140234@lars.StOlaf.edu>
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In article <QUANSTRO.92Jul21140234@lars.StOlaf.edu>, quanstro@lars.StOlaf.edu (goon) writes:
|>
|> Imminent death of free-UN*X systems predicted...
|>
|> Wouldn't that be great!
|>
Well, I wouldn't hold my breath. Back in 1981 when I got my first UNIX
system (actually XENIX) for my home I was told by most of the people I
worked with (government employees, no less) that I was crazy cause UNIX
was never going to catch on. Hmmmm.
Personally, I hope (and expect) that UNIX will loose this one. But one
way or the other, I doubt that we are seeing the imminent demise of UNIX.
As an interesting point, protection in court for things like trade secret
status usually requires that the Plaintif has vigorously defended the
secrecy and proprietary-ness of the secret. Based on the fact that AT&T
pushed schools to take UNIX and use it in teaching Operating Systems and
also it's active part in making SYSVID a standard that was used in defining
POSIX, aren't they in serious danger of a judge saying the whole shooting
match should be considered public domain??
I'm not a lawyer or a judge (and I don't play one on TV), I'm just curious.
bill
--
Bill Gunshannon | If this statement wasn't here,
bill@platypus.uofs.edu | This space would be left intentionally blank
bill@tuatara.uofs.edu | #include <std.disclaimer.h>