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From: kiessig@idi.UUCP (Rick Kiessig)
Newsgroups: net.flame,net.unix,net.unix-wizards,net.legal
Subject: Re: Where's the (c) on UNIX?
Message-ID: <161@idi.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 23-Mar-84 14:35:39 EST
Article-I.D.: idi.161
Posted: Fri Mar 23 14:35:39 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 25-Mar-84 08:39:26 EST
Organization: Intelligent Decisions, Saratoga, CA
Lines: 21


	As Mark pointed out, UNIX is not covered by copyright,
but buy your license agreement with AT&T.  This agreement uses
Trade Secret Laws as its basis, not copyright.  I have always 
been told that one of the catches behind trade secret laws is
that once the secret "gets out", everything involved becomes
public domain.  This was one of the reasons for the large delay
in allowing UNIX into Mexico - I guess they don't support the
notion of trade secrets (everything belongs to the government,
or some such nonsense).

	So does this mean that if someone were to post the UNIX
sources to Usenet that AT&T could no longer find legal protection
in existing signed license agreements, and that UNIX would totally
go into the public domain?  Probably.  Anyone willing to sacrifice
their careers for The Cause?

-- 
Rick Kiessig
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