Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bloom-beacon!oberon!skat.usc.edu!blarson
From: blarson@skat.usc.edu (Bob Larson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec
Subject: Re: DEC-10 Assembler Inquiry
Message-ID: <6896@oberon.USC.EDU>
Date: 11 Feb 88 08:23:44 GMT
References: <1997@ukecc.engr.uky.edu>
Sender: nobody@oberon.USC.EDU
Reply-To: blarson@skat.usc.edu (Bob Larson)
Organization: USC AIS, Los Angeles
Lines: 29
Keywords: DEC-10, off in nowhereland?

In article <1997@ukecc.engr.uky.edu> wes@engr.uky.edu (Wes Morgan) writes:
>I understand that the DEC-10 is no longer supported by Digital.
>If this is the case, what is the status of DEC-10 system soft-
>ware in terms of copyrights, et cetera?

Copyright laws are not significantly different for things out of print.
I'm no lawyer, but I don't think you can use any copyrighted material
without permission except for "fair use".  What you need may be fair use.

>  I'm working on an assembler for instructional purposes, and the 
>DEC-10 instruction set is one of the most readable I've used.  
>Since DEC-10s are no longer around, 

There are still quite a few around.  (Two left at USC running Tops-20.)

>how would I go about securing 
>permission to use the DEC-10 instruction set in this manner?

I don't think you would need permission to use the instruction set.
You would, of course, need permission to copy the manuals.

I think the Tenex operating system for them is in public domain.  You
might also check with Stanford about their Fail assembler for them.
(Superior to Macro-10.)
--
Bob Larson	Arpa: Blarson@Ecla.Usc.Edu	blarson@skat.usc.edu
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