Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!decwrl!pa.dec.com!mayo
From: mayo@wrl.dec.com (Bob Mayo)
Newsgroups: comp.lsi
Subject: Re: VLSI Software
Keywords: vlsi lsi chips software
Message-ID: <1991Feb1.010924.1854@pa.dec.com>
Date: 1 Feb 91 01:09:24 GMT
References: <45@hdwr1.UUCP>
Sender: news@pa.dec.com (News)
Organization: DEC Palo Alto
Lines: 25

In article <45@hdwr1.UUCP> rmorse@hdwr1.UUCP (Robert Morse) writes:
>I have a question about the Magic software.  I called up and asked for a
>catalog of the ,`so called free software`, and in a week or so received
>the catalog.  Now is the problem.  When I look up the Magic software I find
>that because I am not a university, I am expected to donate $1500.00 dollars
>for the software, as they think everyone who is not at a university is going
>to get it for a company.  

Magic V6 is also available from me via FTP within the USA.  There is no
charge.  Or, you may steal it from a friend.  If you require a tape or if
you are outside of the USA, you'll have to either pay Berkeley or get a friend 
to make you a tape.  The copyright for version 6 allows unlimited copying and 
distribution by anybody.  Any way you get it, it would be nice if you sent
a few bucks to Berkeley to help fund similar projects...

The reason that I got Berkeley to change the copyright in this manner is that
I feel that lots more people could use and enhance magic if it was free.  In
particular, there appears to be a "cottage industry" of individual IC 
designers out there that rely on free or inexpensive software such as Magic.

Now, all we need is to find someone to fund a small group of people to 
support the thing.  Perhaps I should open up a $5/minute 900-number for
magic questions!  

--Bob