Path: utzoo!censor!geac!jtsv16!uunet!ginosko!usc!bloom-beacon!UMIACS.UMD.EDU!steve
From: steve@UMIACS.UMD.EDU
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: Re: xwebster
Message-ID: <8909071325.AA25395@fnord.umiacs.UMD.EDU>
Date: 7 Sep 89 13:25:45 GMT
References: <4537@shlump.nac.dec.com>
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 25


   The dictionary used by the webster servers in various places, and the
dictionary on NeXT machines, is owned by Merriam-Webster.  It is not public
domain.  Those with NeXT machines have Webster's Dictionary through an
agreement between NeXT and Merriam-Webster; to the best of my knowledge,
the dictionary on a NeXT machine is available *only* to those actually logged
into the NeXT machine.

   Those with Webster's Dictionary through other avenues (SRI and Boston
University come to mind) have the dictionary through other agreements or
as a historical accident.  Again, to the best of my knowledge, M-W does
not want such sites to offer webster service to those not associated with
those institutions.  Thus, the BU server may be available to those at BU,
but it's not supposed to be available (if I understand the situation) to
those outside BU.  We used to use the BU server, in fact, until the
situation became clear.

   This is my understanding of the legal situation.  Your mileage may vary.
If you ignore this (or pay attention to this) and it's wrong and you're somehow
hosed over because of it, that's your responsibility, not mine.

	-Steve

Spoken: Steve Miller    Domain: steve@umiacs.umd.edu    UUCP: uunet!mimsy!steve
Phone: +1-301-454-1808  USPS: UMIACS, Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742