[Simh] Free USER SPACE DECNET LAT MOP

[Timothe Litt]

On 21-Feb-16 08:06, Johnny Billquist wrote:
> Then I mis-remembered.    I thought someone on the list reported running
>> it.  18 years ago I could have put my hands on a copy fairly easily :-(
>
> I know several people have asked for it. I have no idea where to find
> it either. Well, actually, maybe I do, but I have not tried...
>
>
> Correct. It all went to Mentec Inc, and when Mentec folded, it was
> bought by XX2247, who is the current owner. I haven't
> asked/investigated, but it's quite possible that XX2247 do have DECnet
> for RT-11. They certainly have RT-11 itself, I'm sure.
>
I knew Mentec folded, but didn't know about xx2247.  Google reveals that
Al Kossow tried to work the hobbyist licensing issue with HP a few years
ago, but HP was too busy worrying about self-dissection at the time. 
Maybe that's changed...

The old Mentec hobbyist license allowed old versions (which RT-11 DECnet
would be), on "an emulator {at that time} owned by DEC".
SimH is the descendant of that emulator; everyone here proceeds on the
assumption that the license still applies.  Even though DEC is no more,
SimH is the emulator that DEC owned then.  Bob got DEC to release
ownership of the emulator.  There's no place for hobbyists to send the
signed licenses to, but that's a detail encountered in other cases. 

If you know where to ask, it wouldn't hurt to do so.  I'm of the mind
that at this point, we should gather as many bits as possible before
they disappear.  Many people are retiring, downsizing or dying.  History
that was saved tends to be lost at each stage.

Holding bits unused with the intent to preserve doesn't harm the owner,
and while I'm not an attorney, I doubt it would cause a fuss.  The
'owner' might even be grateful.  With bits in-hand, it's a lot easier to
talk about a specific legal issue & get permission to use and/or
distribute them. 

Holding a license when the bits have completely vanished isn't helpful. 
And negotiating for one in the abstract tends to entertain lawyers who
worry about 'what ifs', with no concrete results.

With respect to RT-11 DECnet, I posted a note on the Linked-In DEC
Alumni group to see if anyone there might have squirreled away these bits.



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