[Info-vax] [Attn: HP Employees] PDP-11 OS hobbyist licensing

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2013-10-03 13:47, Simon Clubley wrote:
> On 2013-10-03, Johnny Billquist <bqt at softjar.se> wrote:
>>
>> Technically no.
>>
>> But it's also a different question from the one about distributing the
>> software. I doubt HP would go after the people who downloaded, and was
>> running the software. But the guy (or company) who was distributing
>> it...? Who knows...
>>
>> Let us be clear here. Technically, according to law, we are not allowed
>> to distribute it, nor run it without a license.
>>
>
> I wonder what the legal situation is with Bitsavers which archives not
> only the public documentation, but also the binary OS kits as well.
>
> If you look, you will see they have versions of RSX not covered by
> the Mentec license. As for me, I would like to play with the kits
> and there's nothing at a technical level stopping me, but morally
> I just don't feel it's right until after the licence issue is resolved.
>
> However, at the same time, I don't see the same as applying to the public
> documentation; I don't see any reason why I cannot read through the public
> RSX documentation also available from Bitsavers.

As far as documentation goes, I seem to remember some permission a 
number of years ago from DEC about all old, out of print documentation 
being allowed to be copied for non-commercial purposes.
Maybe someone else can dig up the details of that permission, and see if 
it really is as broad as I seem to remember.

The software that have been made available have, I think been done with 
the hope that it causes little enough notice that noone will care. Still 
probably illegal, though.

>> I find it depressing how willing some people are to ask others to gamble
>> their whole financial future. And this in the country which is famous
>> for financial lawsuits...
>>
>
> You will get no argument from me on that one. (However, JF lives in
> Canada, not the US, unless he's moved).

But he's asking people in the US to do the gambling...

	Johnny