Re: VAX4000/300

[Thor Lancelot Simon <tls%panix.com@localhost>]

On Sat, May 16, 2015 at 11:08:45PM +0200, Johnny Billquist wrote:
> On 2015-05-16 16:02, Thor Lancelot Simon wrote:
> >On Sat, May 16, 2015 at 12:27:15AM +0200, Johnny Billquist wrote:
> >>
> >>Correct. I have a sort of long term project on the back burner to write code
> >>for that, based on the Ultrix code, but it's going nowhere at the moment.
> >>Too many other things that keep me occupied.
> >
> >I wonder if we could get HP to contribute the Ultrix code.
> 
> It would be really cool if we could actually get the Ultrix code release,
> yes.

I am pretty sure we can't get it all, because -- I believe -- it got
contaminated with SVR2 when they added support for System V IPC and
some userland stuff.  I had a 32V source license at the time and was
able to get earlier DEC Unix source code at a nominal cost under
educational licensing but somewhere around 3.0 Ultrix began to require
a System V license -- much more costly.

Given that the litigous corpse of SCO is still crawling around occasionally
making noise I suspect the chance HP would be willing to release even a
sanitized Ultrix source tree is minimal.  But maybe if we could find the
right person to ask for exactly the right files, we could get some of
the platform-specific code and clearly DEC-written code like the CI stuff,
as separate files.  Even today, it might be they could claim a tax deduction
if they donated the copyright to TNF.

-- 
 Thor Lancelot Simon	                                      tls%panix.com@localhost
"From the tooth paste you use in the morning to the salt on your evening meal,
it's easy to take for granted the many products brought to us with explosives."
    - Institute of Manufacturers of Explosives, "Explosives Make It Possible"