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Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!yoyo.aarnet.edu.au!news.adelaide.edu.au!basser.cs.su.oz.au!news.cs.su.oz.au!metro!seagoon.newcastle.edu.au!wabbit.cc.uow.edu.au!dmssyd.syd.dms.CSIRO.AU!dmsperth.per.dms.CSIRO.AU!uniwa!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!msuinfo!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!uknet!festival!edcogsci!richard From: richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk (Richard Tobin) Subject: Re: USL vs. BSDI Lawsuit Settled Message-ID: <CKvC57.MHy@cogsci.ed.ac.uk> Organization: HCRC, University of Edinburgh References: <2j45sm$39l@BSDI.COM> <WAYNE.94Feb7070413@backbone.uucp> <tgmCKv40r.Iz5@netcom.com> Date: Mon, 7 Feb 1994 19:15:06 GMT Lines: 33 In article <tgmCKv40r.Iz5@netcom.com> tgm@netcom.com (Thomas G. McWilliams) writes: >It seems that any NET/2 derived work is affected. From the above >quote it appears that continued distribution of full NET/2 source >is not allowed, and that BSDI will have to distribute portions in >binary form until it can substitute the agreed upon portions of >4.4(Lite). I guess that the big question of interest is exactly >what portions of NET/2 are not freely distributable. [Note - I'm not a lawyer.] The fact that BSDI and UCB agreed not to continue distributing portions of Net/2 does not mean that they aren't legally freely distributable. It just meant that BSDI and UCB decided it was in their interests to agree to cease distributing them (presumably in return for USL dropping the suit). As far as I know, USL has not threatened any 386BSD (etc) users with lawsuits, and I see no reason for any of us to worry about it. Of course, it will make sense for NetBSD and FreeBSD to pick up replacements from 4.4-lite. Just to re-iterate: there was no legal decision in the case; it was settled by agreement and therefore has no implication for what those of us who weren't parties to the agreement are allowed to do. -- Richard PS Can the NetBSD / FreeBSD people confirm that USL haven't tried to stop them distributing anything? -- Richard Tobin, HCRC, Edinburgh University R.Tobin@ed.ac.uk "We demand guaranteed rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty" - HHGTTG