PDP-11 Software (Was: Mentec)

[Johnny Billquist]

To answer a few details in short.

PDP-11 licenses (alteast RSX, and I believe all of them) are bound to a 
specific customer. So they don't transfer along with the hardware.

However, DEC did have a license transfer program. It wasn't expensive, 
and I used it at my end back when DEC still existed.
I think it was still possible to transfer licenses after Mentec bought 
the software and DEC still sold it. What the exact status of this is 
right now, I don't know. Haven't asked.

As for Jay West and Jerome Fine's claims that it's all right just 
because Mentec haven't set any lawyers on their backs must stand for 
them. I don't think it's okay, and furthermore, I don't think their 
claims that it's OK because they think that Mentec knows a lot of things 
will hold much water if it went to court. But that's just my thoughts.
And yes, I do speak with Mentec on business matters from time to time, 
so I'm not totally unaware of what they do.

If Jay West happens to know for a fact that Mentec is aware of the 
discussions here, and furthermore, have proof that people here are 
running their software without a license, and choose to not do anything 
about it, then I think it would be a good thing for him to actually say 
so, since it actually would strengthen his case against Mentec, if it 
ever came to that. By playing the "it's not something we're willing to 
discuss in public" is just idle talk, since it's in fact more supporting 
of what I'm saying than what he is.

But I'll leave it here. No point in arguing. Everyone have to decide for 
them self. I do notice that noone have yet publicly admitted to 
violating Mentecs IP rights.

	Johnny

-- 
Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
                                   ||  on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt at softjar.se             ||  Reading murder books
pdp is alive!                     ||  tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol