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Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd Path: sserve!manuel!munnari.oz.au!uunet!darwin.sura.net!nntp.msstate.edu!news From: fwp@CC.MsState.Edu (Frank Peters) Subject: Re: AT&T vs. BSDI --> 4.3BSD-NET2 distribution requires AT&T license!!! Message-ID: <1992Jul25.233515.21491@ra.msstate.edu> Keywords: AT&T 'Death Star' rises over BSDI's horizon [Tel. 1-800-800-4BSD Sender: news@ra.msstate.edu Nntp-Posting-Host: jester.cc.msstate.edu Organization: Computing Center, Mississippi State University References: <1992Jul22.103717.17224@uropax.contrib.de> <89@ampr.ab.ca> <BryLr3.4BL@gumby.ocs.com> Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1992 23:35:15 GMT Lines: 36 In article <BryLr3.4BL@gumby.ocs.com> obi@gumby.ocs.com says: : I've been following this thread with some interest. I have some questions : to those in the know: : : 1. (Ignorant.) What exactly IS NET/2 anyway? Basically, the parts of BSD UNIX which are (or, I guess I should say, are claimed to be) free of AT&T/USL code. : 2. Does BSDI make only Intel ports of BSD? Yes. I have no idea whether they plan to branch out in the future. : 3. Why is only this vendor targeted by USL? Why not Sun Microsystems or : any of the numerous other vendors who produce BSD-type systems? Sun uses USL code and pays all of the necessary licensing fees to do so. The same is true of all of the other major vendors of UNIX based systems. Since NET2 is (supposed to be) free of AT&T/USL code BSDI doesn't pay such fees to USL for the right to sell it. BSDI is the first company to sell (rather than give away) a system based upon NET2 sources. That is, no doubt, one of the major reasons that they were singled out for this suit. : 4. Any thoughts on what the effect of a win/loss by USL will be on other : vendors? This group and others have been full of such speculations (ranging from the likely to the ridiculous). I don't think that I have much to add to it. -- Frank Peters - UNIX Systems Programmer - Mississippi State University Internet: fwp@CC.MsState.Edu - Phone: (601)325-7030 - FAX: (601)325-8921