Generic mc68000 port

[Mats Wichmann]

My information is gathered from numerous conversations with AT&T people and
Motorola people, especially Bill Lowery. However, the story changes almost
weekly, so this may not be the latest version.

Motorola did a port to the 68000 of AT&T UNIX System V, Release 1. This port
was *NOT* intended to be an enhancement of the standard AT&T UNIX System
(unlike what many porting houses try to provide: UniSoft, MicroSoft, HCR, etc).
It was specifically intended to be an extremely vanilla port. Prior to beginning
the port, Motorola was handed a document describing acceptance criteria for
AT&T. They did the port, and in due time had it validated and accepted by
AT&T. Most of the rumors flying around pertain to the gray area of the time
between the port being up and running and AT&T validating it.

Motrola will send you source code for the port NOW for $2000 (plus media cost).
The catch is that you must have an AT&T System V source license with AT&T and 
it *MUST* be specified as a 68000 Version (*NOT* VAX version) source license. 
Those of you with a VAX source license will need to have it converted or 
purchase an `additional CPU' license, specified as 68000 Version. Until 
validation, this license was not available, therefore Motorola was unable to 
ship the product.

Some clarification is still necessary with respect to AT&T's position on
processor-type-specific licenses, a new idea for most people. Such things
as conversion details (switching from Vax to 68000, for example) are still
not completely straight. It is rumored to be easy and cheap (like free).
I have not gone through the procedure, so I don't know for sure.

System V, release 2 is due to be completed by Motrola 3Q or 4Q of '84.
Presumably, the same shipping restrictions will apply - no valiadtion
from AT&T, no product shipped. Validation consists, apparently, of checking
each line of code with the original, so there are no substantial rewrites,
except in very processor-specific stuff (kernel, compilers, PS, debuggers).
Do not expect Sys V, R 2 before '85, in my humble opinion.

	    Mats Wichmann
	    Dual Systems Corp.
	    ...{ucbvax,amd70,ihnp4,cbosgd,decwrl,fortune}!dual!mats

P.S. - apparently, there was a session at the recent Usenix show, where
Motorola may have discussed some of these details. I did not attend, so
I don't know. If someone has info from there that conflicts with or
is an addition to what I have mentioned, please post comments.