GNU Emacs compiling/executable.

["Bob Bruccoleri 683-6165", 609]

Dear Vernon,
	I honestly doubt whether the Free Software Foundation would
object to SGI providing a repository for its binaries as long as SGI
made its patches to the GNU sources available as well. I think that the
FSF cares much more about the spirit of their license rather than its
letter, and they ask people to contact them if there is any question or
if alternative arrangements can be made. 

	I think SGI is making an error by not assisting the GNU effort more.
Above all, most GNU software is very high quality. Having it available on Iris's 
increases their value to customers. The cost of one or two SGI engineers 
working to maintain GNU software is much less than the value provided
to all SGI customers. In addition, the good will generated by helping such
an altruistic cause will also be helpful to company sales. I understand
that SGI is worried about GNU software cutting into sales of its own
products, but I think there is limited overlap between the "markets"
for free, unsupported software and for paid, supported software. 

	I don't see how the liability issue for GNU software is
any different than 4Dgifts. In fact, the flight demo is more dangerous
than any GNU software. Its flight simulation is sufficiently incorrect
that a person who learns to use it will have a harder time learning
how to fly a real airplane afterwards, and will be more likely to crash.

	Thankfully, the Iris user community and individuals at SGI are
working to make the GNU programs work on our workstations. But it would
be better if corporate SGI got more involved with the GNU project. 

						Sincerely yours,
						Robert E. Bruccoleri

+-----------------------------------------+----------------------------+
|        Robert E. Bruccoleri, Ph.D.      | Macromolecular Modeling    |
| Hat 1: Research Leader                  | Bristol-Myers Squibb       |
| Hat 2: Interim Internet Network Manager | Pharmaceutical Research    |
| Hat 3: Whatever is Necessary            | Institute                  |
|        bruc at dino.squibb.com             | P.O. Box 4000              |
|        (609) 683-6165                   | Princeton, NJ 08543 USA    |
+-----------------------------------------+----------------------------+