[TUHS] IBM Unix source licenses [was Re: PWB vs Unix/TS

[Kevin Bowling]

Charlie, there is some interesting history of the pre-RS/6000 AIX
stuff here (you give a quote :)).  Particularly page 41 gives a
chronology of UNIX at IBM:
https://amaus.net/static/S100/IBM/RTPC/AIX%20Family%20Definition%201989.pdf

Prior to AIX the Series/1 had a UNIX port in the early '80s.  I think
that work happened in Boca Raton.

There are some bizarre anecdotes from Craig Newmark on the above
https://craigconnects.org/2014/12/29/knowing-when-to-keep-your-mouth-shut/.
The S/1 was a PDP competitor (or at least very squarely in the PLC,
interfacing and real time worlds) and IBM was driving much more
successful product lines, especially the PC, and later AT and RT, that
were better suited for competing in the UNIX space.

I don't remember where I read this, but I recently came across someone
claiming that AT&T tried to sell UNIX to IBM outright in the early
1980s.  I'm guessing '81-'82 because the '83 divestment opened up the
direct commercialization by AT&T as System III/V.

Regards,
Kevin

On Wed, Sep 11, 2019 at 9:55 AM Charles H Sauer <sauer at technologists.com> wrote:
>
> On 9/11/2019 10:36 AM, Clem Cole wrote:
> ...
> > OSF would eventually use the IBM SVR3 license as its base [which
> > makes me believe IBM must have had a V7 redistribution license too.
> > Somebody like Charlie Saurer might know].  Anyway, IBM, DEC and HP all
> > shipped OSF 'licensed' systems although only DEC would switch to an
> > OSF/1 based kernel.
>
> "Sauer"
>
> idk. As far as I know, IBM Austin did not get source licenses until
> System V. Before Clay Cipione became the AIX development manager in the
> AFWS -> RT transition, Austin did not have source licenses, as far as I
> know. Clay insisted that we have source.
>
> It is plausible that Don Rozenberg had V7 license at Yorktown and/or
> ACIS had V7 license for BSD stuff.
>
> I'm blind copying Clay and another AIX alumnus that might know for sure.
>
> Charlie
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