Mach

[Rich Salz]

> Could Mach  (or a
>sanitized AT&T cleansed version!) be a candidate for replacing Unix in
>the academic world? I've read that once CMU have  removed all the AT&T
>source, they intend  to distribute  it  for a neglegible  fee ...

The Unix source license uses "trade secret" terms, not just copyright.
In the United States, at least, this is a much more powerful form of
protection than just copyright.  If I read ATT source, then sit down
and release my free rewrite then I will expect that the nice ATT lawyers
will ask me to explain, in court, how I did not use the "techniques and
methods" which I agreed to hold secret when I signed their piece of
paper.

This is apparently (one of) the reasons that Stallman refuses to look at
ANY code that is covered by a Unix source license.

Disclaimer:  I am not a lawyer, and do not presume to speak for RMS, CMU,
    ATT, or any other acronym.
-- 
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