Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!ucsd!sdcsvax!ucsdhub!jack!sdeggo!dave
From: dave@sdeggo.UUCP (David L. Smith)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.microport
Subject: Microport Users Corp.
Message-ID: <176@sdeggo.UUCP>
Date: 5 Mar 88 23:12:11 GMT
Organization: Lazy Programmer's Society of San Diego
Lines: 38
Keywords: sources

There's a lot of problems which have been reported that could have been
fixed fairly easily by someone with access to the source, and there is
certainly enough expertise amongst the people on the net to fix these
things properly.  Unfortunately, a source license is well beyond the
financial means of most of us.

I propose that a privately held corporation could be formed, with the purpose
of purchasing a Microport source license and producing useful enhancements
to the system for internal usage and to be sold back to Microport.  A person 
would buy into the company for a fee, become an employee at the nominal rate 
of $1/year, and receive access to the company's sources.  Naturally, they 
would have to have Microport binaries licenses beforehand and sign a 
non-disclosure agreement.

Now for the tough question:  Is this feasible and legal?  I believe that a
source license applies to the company as a whole, not just a single machine,
so I don't see a problem there.  As to whether or not Microport/AT&T would
sell to such a corporation, that's another question.  It seems as if it would
be beneficial to Microport, since it would in all likelihood generate a
large number of enhancements and fixes to their current system.

Is anybody interested in such a deal?  I believe that the source license for
a business costs around $20,000.  With 100 people forming the corporation,
a share would cost around $200.  There will also be other overhead associated
with the company, in terms of keeping records, start-up legal fees and
duplicating disks (Oh, yes, and salaries also :-) ).  So, this would require
a share price of around $220 - $250.

Am I volunteering to head this thing up?  Yes, if there's enough interest,
and no legal battles to be fought.

(Note: I'm proposing this for the Sys V/AT product.  I don't have a '386,
but a parallel company could be set up for '386 owners.)

-- 
David L. Smith
{sdcsvax!jack,ihnp4!jack, hp-sdd!crash, pyramid, uport}!sdeggo!dave
sdeggo!dave@amos.ling.edu 
Sinners can repent, but stupid is forever.