Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!mit-eddie!uw-beaver!apollo!lubkin
From: lubkin@apollo.uucp (David Lubkin)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: OSF without AT&T code
Message-ID: <3d22058e.7011@apollo.uucp>
Date: 8 Jul 88 20:49:00 GMT
Organization: Apollo Computer, Chelmsford, Mass.
Lines: 26

OSF is presumably going to use the established method for getting
out from under licenses:  hire employees who have demonstrably never
had access to source code, have them work at a separate facility,
be able to prove it, and have the backbone and wherewithal to fight
in court.

Phoenix did this to create a work-alike to the MS-DOS BIOS, which 
they then licensed to many manufacturers, thereby creating the PC 
clone market.  Lynx recently announced a "POSIX compatible, SVID 
compatible" (whatever that means) real-time almost-UNIX that does 
not require an AT&T license.

Given the money and the will, it's not that hard.

I wonder if they'll start from scratch or include the various public
domain pieces floating around the net (including the pd MINIX add-ons).


-- David Lubkin.


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