AT&T and Unix - The real issue

[preece at ccvaxa.UUCP]

>	Would anybody care to comment on the REAL issue here, or do you all
>	think that small users are left out in the cold, but derserve it
>	because they cant afford a $40k source license?
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I think the popularity of Unix and the fact that it has been available as
it has are fortunate accidents.  If AT&T had been in the computer business
when it was developed, we never would have had the chance to hack on it.

I think AT&T has every right to charge whatever they want, but I don't
think they deserve any particular applause for it.  If they made source
available, under non-disclosure/non-resale agreements, to EVERYBODY then
they would deserve applause.

I don't think either I or AT&T would feel significant moral outrage at
your taking a copy of the sources to use on your personal machine as long
as you didn't (a) sell it or pieces of it or (b) tell everybody that you
had it.  Somebody might be able to construct some kind of analogy to the
fair use principle in coyright, though it would be stretching a point.
If you go around saying "Look what I got," you should expect to have it
taken away from you.  It IS theft, but it's not necessarily
reprehensible.

I'd like to see GNU succeed.  I'd like to see AT&T recognize that if they
got $500 from everybody who'd like to have the Unix sources they'd
probably make more money than they have made from Unix.

Peace, love, and understanding would be nice, too.  Could you guys stop
yelling at each other and each assume, for a minute or two, that the
other is a rational, well-meaning person who just has a different
opinion?

scott preece
ihnp4!uiucdcs!ccvaxa!preece