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Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: comp.arch,comp.unix.wizards,comp.os.misc
Subject: Re: Who owns Unix(tm)? (was: Re: Mach, the new standard?)
Message-ID: <8508@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 29-Aug-87 02:22:40 EDT
Article-I.D.: utzoo.8508
Posted: Sat Aug 29 02:22:40 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 29-Aug-87 02:22:40 EDT
References: <1665@ncr-sd.SanDiego.NCR.COM> <8381@utzoo.UUCP> <797@Pescadero.ARPA>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 15
Keywords: Gross overbearing ripoff!

> ... Seems to me, right off hand, that an
> awfully good case could be made that the customers, NOT Ma Bell, own
> Unix...

It is quite possible that AT&T's regulated-monopoly status is the only
reason why Unix ever made it to the outside world!  Or don't you believe
that having Unix all to oneself would be a competitive advantage?  Under
the old rules, AT&T was required to license useful technology to the rest
of the world on reasonable terms.  Not any more.  I'm told there was a
lot of internal debate before the release of System III, mostly along the
lines of "do we really want to license our spiffiest software technology
to our competitors?!?".  Quit complaining, it could be a lot worse.
-- 
"There's a lot more to do in space   |  Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
than sending people to Mars." --Bova | {allegra,ihnp4,decvax,utai}!utzoo!henry