Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!husc6!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!longway!std-unix
From: std-unix@longway.TIC.COM (Moderator, John S. Quarterman)
Newsgroups: comp.std.unix
Subject: A "public domain" set of include files.
Keywords: public domain, GNU, /usr/include
Message-ID: <255@longway.TIC.COM>
Date: 10 Nov 88 04:36:17 GMT
Reply-To: uunet!ames.arc.nasa.gov!sultra!dtynan (Der Tynan)
Organization: Tynan Computers, Sunnyvale, CA
Lines: 41
Approved: jsq@longway.tic.com (Moderator, John S. Quarterman)

From: uunet!ames.arc.nasa.gov!sultra!dtynan (Der Tynan)

I have been wondering, for some time, about the status of the files in the
/usr/include directory.  It would seem to me, that these files are the
property of AT&T, and as such, cannot be distributed without a licence.
In the context of POSIX, and the numerous 'public domain' efforts in
progress, one of the things I would like to see, is a list of the 'necessary'
files in these directories, and perhaps, public domain (or freeware) versions
of these files.  Thus, people developing software (PD or otherwise), which
in some way or another, uses these definitions, can know what to expect.  I
know that the (admittedly, rather old) copy of the POSIX document I have,
gives some vague definitions to some of the files (pwd.h, for example).  It
doesn't really shed much light on what definitions can and cannot be used.
As an example, consider the following;
	if ((ip->i_mode & IFMT) == IFDIR)
		/* something */;

This is a fairly standard piece of code.  When RMS et al, produce a CERTIFIED
AT&T-free kernel, it would seem to me, that this code CANNOT be included in
any of the utilities, because it is using AT&T definitions.  I would appreciate
some clarification on this issue.  If such code cannot be used in UN*X clones,
or lookalikes, then it will have to be replaced with macro's such as
	if (isdir(ip))
		/* something */;

It would certainly be nice to know that now, rather than two years down the
road.
						- Der
-- 
	dtynan@sultra.UUCP  (Dermot Tynan @ Tynan Computers)
	{mips,pyramid}!sultra!dtynan

 ---  God invented alcohol to keep the Irish from taking over the planet  ---

[ The IEEE 1003.1 Full Use Standard is more clear about what parameter
files it requires.  AT&T has expressed no objection to the use by 1003.1
of the information specified in that standard for those files (including
IFMT and IFDIR).  Since the legal protection of AT&T code is as trade secrets,
it's hard to see how they could claim that those definitions qualify.  -mod ]

Volume-Number: Volume 15, Number 22