18 Dec
2008
18 Dec
'08
2:32 a.m.
John Cowan:
"Cannot yet" is good. Is there any hope of seeing the 10th Edition
emerge from the shadows, ever?
=======
Unless some energetic person skilled at nudging people in
a friendly way takes on the cause, probably not.
Even were Novell to release the source code to System V,
that wouldn't of itself make 10/e open, since there's plenty
in the latter system that differs substantially from the
former--all the really interesting bits, in fact. As has
been discussed here at some point in the past, someone would
have to get (updated list of players) Novell, AT&T, and Alcatel
all to agree to the release. The good news is that that would
probably mostly require getting Novell to agree that there's
nothing in the system worth protecting for commercial reasons,
and the others just to officially say what is already likely
true, that they don't care. The bad news is that that is
probably substantial work, as he who talked what was then SCO
into a hobbyist-source-license for 7/e and predecessors knows well.
But Warren has already gone far beyond the call in his work
(and cannot be thanked enough, so herewith I thank him yet
again); and I'm old and tired and was never really good at
talking to corporate types anyway; and in my humble but correct
opinion, it is the combination of energy and dedication and
ability to talk cheerfully to corporate times and to persist
without losing either hope or patience or cordiality that
is needed. That has always been a rare combination.
If someone thinks he or she has the requisite skills and wants
to have a go, I'll be glad to offer what little help I can,
and I'm sure Warren likewise. But somehow I wonder whether
it will actually happen before the world ends on 2038 January
18.
Norman Wilson
Toronto ON