Re: Is Linux Unix?

[blm@ingwaz.pair.com]

* John L Fjellstad (john-debian@fjellstad.org) wrote:
> John Summerfield <debian@ComputerDatasafe.com.au> writes:
> 
> > Linux is not that, though it could contain some code that is descended
> > from that. Some other OS operating systems (FreeBSD etc) are genetic
> > linux.
> 
> You mean unix.  Didn't the *BSD people remove all AT&T code?
>

The history of UNIX is very interesting and you could find answers to this 
and many other questions on the net.

If memory serves me correct Unix System Labs (part of AT&T), when 
they owned UNIX, took BSDi and Regents of the University of California 
(originators of BSD distribution) to court alleging amongst other things 


    "BSDi's claim in their advertising and software license 
     that BSD/386 and the NET/2 code it was derived from 
     "contained no AT&T licensed code" was false, so BSDi 
     was guilty of false advertising and deceptive trade 
     practices. "
                        -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USL_v._BSDi

The case was settled:

    "The case was settled out of court after the judge expressed doubt 
     in the validity of USL's IP, with USL disclaiming interest in the 
     majority of the software that would later be developed into the 
     free BSDs."
                        -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USL_v._BSDi

I believe that a copy of the findings from the court case are 
at http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/cs/who/dmr/bsdi/930303.ruling.txt.  
Remeber dmr == Dennis Ritchie and this link appears part of his 
web space http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/cs/who/dmr/.


Ben Marsh