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--- events:free_licenses [2016/01/04 13:17] – [Hammering Away at the Lawyers] wkt
+++ events:free_licenses [2022/08/15 02:38] – old revision restored (2016/01/04 13:37) 149.57.16.137
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 After that, it was mostly working through the administrivia: "[[http://www.tuhs.org/Archive/Documentation/Emails/dionj_wkt.html#19980224143216.53836@sco.com|Who nominates the authorized countries and designated CPUs?]]" (24 February 1998), how [[http://www.tuhs.org/Archive/Documentation/Emails/dionj_wkt.html#19980225144345.61400@sco.com|SCO will inform me of license holders]] so I could give access to the Unix Archive (25 February 1998) and [[http://www.tuhs.org/Archive/Documentation/Emails/dionj_wkt.html#19980302152605.46176@sco.com|payment options]] (2 March 1998).
+In early March, I send Dion what I proposed as a [[http://www.tuhs.org/Archive/Documentation/Emails/dionj_wkt.html#19980309162345.49134@sco.com|set of instructions]] for people to follow to buy a Unix source license from SCO and then get access to the Unix Archive. He replied (//ibid.//) with a few amendments.
+===== The Announcement =====
+On the 10th of March 1998 [[http://www.tuhs.org/Archive/Documentation/Emails/dionj_wkt.html#19980310130649.37234@sco.com|Dion wrote]] that "we are ready to go when you are. That is, we can accept license applications any time.", and made it official with [[http://www.tuhs.org/Archive/Documentation/Emails/dionj_wkt.html#19980310150838.29113@sco.com|this note]]:
+> **SCO Provides Low-cost Source License for Ancient UNIX Versions**
+>
+> SCO, in cooperation with the PDP-11 UNIX Preservation Society, is happy to announce the availability of a special software license for UNIX Editions 1-7 and 32V.
+>
+> This license permits hobbyists and enthusiasts to have access to the source code of these historic versions of UNIX, for personal and noncommercial use, and to share experiences and code updates with other licensees.
+>
+> The license text may be found online at www.sco.com/offers, and the PUPS website.  A $100 fee is charged to offset cost of legal and administrative handling of the license.
+Dion felt that, even though this hadn't been officially blessed by legal, it was time to make it happen: "I suspect the legal/finance folks will holler foul when this hits them but hell that's their job. ;-)" (//ibid.//). By the 20th of March, SCO already had "about a dozen licenses here, all paid up and signed off." ([[http://www.tuhs.org/Archive/Documentation/Emails/dionj_wkt.html#19980320140932.37135@sco.com|e-mail from Dion]]).
+So, finally, source licenses for early Unix were available, although they were not free. This would never have been possible without such a steadfast and stalwart advocate as Dion Johnson. At the [[http://www.tuhs.org/Archive/Documentation/Emails/dionj_wkt.html#19980318161915.51127@sco.com|end of March]], Dion wrote: "The legal people are a little grumpy at me, but they also know my heart is pure and they sorta respect that. ... I am very proud of doing this and grateful for your help and the help of the other PUPS and other participants in the Unix heritage. ... I am known as a bit of a maverick, and customer advocate, so it's expected.  Every company needs a few people like me". I could not agree more!
+===== Processing the New Unix Source Licenses =====
+After that, it was a bit anticlimactic. People would purchase a Unix source license through SCO's website, Dion would e-mail me their name, I would provide access to the Unix Archive, and periodically Dion would [[http://www.tuhs.org/Archive/Documentation/Emails/dionj_wkt.html#19980407105028.33236@sco.com|snail-mail me photocopies]] of their signed licenses.
 //(incomplete, more to come!)//