O'pain Software Foundation: (1) problems with AT&T

[John Gilmore]

Nathaniel Mishkin wrote:
>                                               Unifying Unix (especially
> the BSD and System V derivative) is clearly a desirable thing.

Then why are the companies that are so set upon derailing the unified
Unix, the ones with a heavy investment in locking their customers into
proprietary software?  The only one missing is Apple, and I expect them
to join any day now.

>   The problem is the way in which the unification was happening.
> [att] requires companies to sign a..."heavyweight" contract...

It's hard to believe that if half the Unix licensees refused to sign
SVR3 licenses [due to provisions specifying that you had to ship it
all, not just the parts you liked], that AT&T would stick with them,
and continue to make them more heinous in future releases.  I know AT&T
is stupid about software, but they *are* trying to retain control of a
major fast-growing market, and alienating most of your customers is not
the way.

>          no one other than Sun or AT&T appeared to have any opportunity
> to have input into the process.

Are you giving AT&T the opportunity to tell you how to build Apollo's Unix?
It sounds like that was exactly what you were complaining about in the 
"heavyweight" contract.  You won't take it, but you'd like to dish it out.

>             Do end users really want to see the set of computer vendors
> reduced because all but two are put at the disadvantage of getting the
> latest software at a 6-12 month lag?

This seems to be a bogeyman.  Motorola has already announced that the
Unix for its 88000 will be SVR4 and that they will get early versions
of it so that they can make a release 'in the same timeframe' as AT&T
and Sun.
-- 
John Gilmore  {sun,pacbell,uunet,pyramid,ihnp4}!hoptoad!gnu        gnu at toad.com
"Use the Source, Luke...."