[Info-vax] Licenses on VAX/VMS 4.0/4.1 source code listing scans

[Bill Gunshannon]

On 12/12/21 7:34 PM, chris wrote:
> On 12/10/21 20:12, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
>> On 12/10/2021 10:46 AM, chris wrote:
>>> If you are a developer, you should try to walk the walk in terms
>>> of ethics and try to do the right thing. In the real world though,
>>> people will do whatever needs to be done to find a solution if there
>>> seems to b an insurmountable obstacle.
>>>
>>> The other point is, do the original owners really care enough, or
>>> even at all, when so much licensed software is out there and is
>>> obsolete and no longer sold ?. Similar case here, where I was trying
>>> find detail on the write boot block code for early SunOs for historical
>>> purposes. Found the complete source cd online and was able to complete
>>> the task. No profit involved, other than keeping some old machines
>>> alive.
>>>
>>> Ethical dilemmas everywhere in life and we all have to make our
>>> own choices...
>>
>> I don't think there is much ethical dilemma here.
>>
>> There should be no doubt that following the law is the etical
>> solution here.
>>
>> Arne
>>
> 
> Well, that's my whole point, but if no license is available from the
> original vendor, or they have ceased to exist, the user should stop
> using the product, irrespective of the effect on their business ?.
> 
> Imho, it's a gross breach of good faith and trust for a vendor to
> provide no means of continuance in such cases...
> 

Companies come and go.  Most don't want to fail, but it happens.
But I hardly think it is their fault that a customer doesn't take
appropriate actions to protect their future.  Back in my mainframe
days we used to have COOP plans.  Now, they were more targeted at
disasters like 9/11 but the idea is sound for even less disastrous
situations.  If one sees a possibility (no matter how vague) of a
situation that could result in their demise they really should make
the effort to plan for it.  And those plans should be updated and
maybe even movced up in priority if the vagueness seems to be fading
and the threat seems closer.

bill