Xref: utzoo comp.misc:4438 comp.os.minix:4346 comp.unix.xenix:4214 comp.unix.microport:2326
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!ucbvax!bloom-beacon!apple!well!dave
From: dave@well.UUCP (Dave Hughes)
Newsgroups: comp.misc,comp.os.minix,comp.unix.xenix,comp.unix.microport
Subject: Re: Questions from the Soviets about UNIX
Summary: Soviet's request a prank?
Message-ID: <10061@well.UUCP>
Date: 19 Dec 88 05:03:27 GMT
References: <10031@well.UUCP> <846@nosc.NOSC.MIL>
Lines: 28

In article <846@nosc.NOSC.MIL>, hall@nosc.NOSC.MIL (Robert R. Hall) writes:
> 
> Let's see.  You state your case as: Soviets don't have any computers
> with which to gain experience and they are seeking techenical
> help with the list of questions but then they wish to repay me
> back with products of their programing skills.  No thanks, I rather
> do it myself. ;-)
> 
> Sorry but this is comming across as a high school kid's version
> of a prank.


And you are serious? 
One simple fact is that, unless it is a pretty high level deal,
they don't have dollars or gold to pay for foreign products. And
western banks won't accept rubles. But under the current regime,
its ok for lesser Soviet porjects to pay in anything - services,
commodities - that their trading partners will accept. 
Unrelated to this request, I have recieved an offer via Novosti
news agency, Moscow, via Twics in Tokyo for 'joint ventures'
between US and USSR business entities. Also, as they have 
attempted to sell US publications a form of interactive news
services (via telecom) they made it clear they would accept
payment in PCs. I understand 386's are still prohibited export
to them, but not 286's. And apparently they have discovered
SCO Xenix! 
  Now won't it be a gas when this newsgroup starts getting
cries for getty help in Cyrillic?