[TUHS] BSD/OS

[segaloco via TUHS]

On Saturday, September 7th, 2024 at 4:52 PM, Warner Losh <imp at bsdimp.com> wrote:

> 
> 
> On Sat, Sep 7, 2024, 4:53 PM Greg 'groggy' Lehey <grog at lemis.com> wrote:
> 
> > On Wednesday, 4 September 2024 at 4:49:47 -0400, Jim Carpenter wrote:
> > > On Sun, Sep 1, 2024 at 3:33 AM Kevin Bowling <kevin.bowling at kev009.com> wrote:
> > >> Many of the BSD/OS versions have disc images on archive.org or
> > >> osarchive.org where the 7.4GB rar file was helpful for getting a 5.1
> > >> contrib disc since the archive.org one is corrupt. So the binaries
> > >> and source seem fairly well preserved for future explorers.
> > >
> > > Check again. The contrib image in the 7.4GB rar has the same hash as
> > > the one on archive.org and elsewhere. I have no idea if the install
> > > image is 100% correct. Hell, it's possible every image in that archive
> > > and on archive.org is bad. I just don't know.
> > >
> > > So if anybody has any BSD/OS CDs please speak up.
> > 
> > I have CDs of 2.0, 2.1 and 3.0. I had 1.x, but I can't put my hands
> > on them right now. Maybe they were on QIC tape, in which case they're
> > probably unrecoverable. I also have source trees for 4.0, 4.1 and the
> > development version of 5.0 which I used to write the code for FreeBSD.
> > 
> > What's the legal situation about distributing them?
> 
> 
> No one is left to go after you for diing so. Wind river left bsdi support behind years ago....
> 
> But that's a slippery slope that depends on how you feel about ancient abandonware...
> 
> Warner
> 
> 
> 
> 
> > Greg
> > --
> > Sent from my desktop computer.
> > Finger grog at lemis.com for PGP public key.
> > See complete headers for address and phone numbers.
> > This message is digitally signed. If your Microsoft mail program
> > reports problems, please read http://lemis.com/broken-MUA.php

IANAL but a tiny bit of CYA can be added to the process by drafting a clear disclaimer that the materials are of currently-unknown copyright last known to be held by <company XYZ> and that all questions of license to *use* the code for anything you cannot affirmatively answer.  For instance with the disassemblies of old console games I produce, which I've found no EULA stating disassembly is verboten, I usually add something to the effect of:

I am not in a position to provide licensing terms on this material I have preserved.  I myself will not lay restrictions on what you can and can't do but I also do not have the authority to make any affirmative claims on the matter.

Additionally making it clear in your distribution you are receptive to claims by proven copyright holders to C and D actions related to distribution shows good faith, if someone *does* take issue, hopefully they'll see that and contact you realizing you are interested in balancing preservation with respect to copyrights.

I repeat though, I've not once set foot in the soul crushing environment that is the legal profession, so if you want to play an air tight game, consider retaining legal counsel.

- Matt G.