Xref: utzoo comp.unix.questions:27806 gnu.misc.discuss:2165
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!uunet!samsung!think.com!hsdndev!cmcl2!kramden.acf.nyu.edu!brnstnd
From: brnstnd@kramden.acf.nyu.edu (Dan Bernstein)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions,gnu.misc.discuss
Subject: Re: Use of BSD 4.3 source
Message-ID: <1261:Jan317:51:0091@kramden.acf.nyu.edu>
Date: 3 Jan 91 17:51:00 GMT
References: <1991Jan3.050048.5153@mel.dit.csiro.au> <1991Jan3.165855.21113@gsm001.uucp>
Organization: IR
Lines: 24

In article <1991Jan3.165855.21113@gsm001.uucp> gsm@gsm001.uucp (Geoffrey S. Mendelson) writes:
> >I understand that Berkeley intend to make the parts of BSD which are not
> >based on AT&T code freely redistributable. 
> The original Berkeley code was funded by the U.S. Department of Defense
> which makes it owned by the "United States of America" which makes it
> public domain.

Not necessarily.

> Therefore programs that were written at Berkeley such as BIFF, the BSD NROFF,
> etc. are clearly public domain even if there are no comments to that effect.

Not necessarily.

> If you are truely concered, ask an atourney that specializes in software law.

Yes.

> This is especially important as U.S. copyright law is VERY different than
> anyone else's. 

No.

---Dan