Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!harpo!floyd!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!tekecs!mcg From: mcg@tekecs.UUCP Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards Subject: Re: Unix source code... Message-ID: <1410@tekecs.UUCP> Date: Tue, 14-Jun-83 16:15:24 EDT Article-I.D.: tekecs.1410 Posted: Tue Jun 14 16:15:24 1983 Date-Received: Thu, 16-Jun-83 01:24:22 EDT Lines: 49 WRT Lauren's note about submitting UNIX source code to the net: ------- Forwarded Message Date: 14 Jun 1983 at 1311-PDT (Tuesday) From: mcg (Steven McGeady) To: tektronix!"vortex!lauren"@LBL-CSAM,tektronix!lauren@UCLA-SECURITY Subject: Re: Unix source code... In-reply-to: Your message of Tuesday, 14-Jun-83 04:18:44 PDT. My message contained less code that is typically contained in "bug fixes" to the kernel and various other software. Although there are no explicit references, I have always followed the rule that if someone cannot construct a program or any major algorithms from the distributed code, it is OK to distribute. Thus, this rule prevents someone from sending even a few lines if those few lines embody an algorithm which is important to the application. On the other hand, it would allow someone to send nearly a whole module, if it was impossible to deduce the remainder of the code. I have given a fair amount of thought to this, and believe that I acted in good faith, providing an exposition that few (if any) persons without UUCP source code could benefit from. This is also consistent with the practice of distributing bug fixes over the network. If you have a different view of the legalities of the situation, or (better yet) personal experience which would invalidate my position, I would be interested in hearing about it. I'm certainly not saying I'm not possibly wrong, I just don't see it yet. S. McGeady - stevenm.tektronix@rand-relay Tektronix, Inc. P.s.: BTW, since my submission was made from the USENET, rather than from ARPA, the moderator would only get the choice as to whether to distribute it to ARPA or not, if that. The message would have been already flying around the UUCP part of the network. ------- End of Forwarded Message