Dean, (01)
I see the following mentioned at http://www.ndma.com/resources/ndm5681.htm: (02)
[Note: HyPerform is based on the public-domain version of Augment built
under government funding, and not any subsequent versions developed by
Tymshare and McDonnell-Douglas. No original source code was used in its
construction; it is based solely on public-domain literature and the
recollections of Dean Meyer, a member of the SRI-ARC team.] (03)
... (04)
By the "public-domain version of Augment", do you mean the NLS system
developed between approximately 1962-1977 at SRI (before it was sold to
Tymshare)? (05)
I am working with the Computer History Museum on preserving the NLS and
subsequent Augment system, and as part of the project, we have been
looking into some legal issues regarding the software and related
documentation. (06)
I understand that SRI is a non-profit R&D organization in which much of
its funding for NLS came from DARPA or other government sources. Also,
that software in the 1960s-70s typically was not explicitly copyrighted.
Prior to the Copyright Act of 1976, documents were not given federal
copyright protection unless they were published and also had notice of
copyright affixed. (07)
That said, do you have any explicit knowledge or documents of any kind
that you could point us to, showing that NLS (prior to its sale to
Tymshare) and all corresponding documentation is indeed truly in the
public domain? If so, it would be extremely helpful as we are trying to
track down the legal status of this software through the last four decades. (08)
Thanks for your help! (09)
Jonathan (010)
Eugene Eric Kim wrote:
> I got an email today from Dean Meyer, who used to work at ARC and who
> produced a Windows version of Augment called HyPerform:
>
> http://blueoxen.net/c/hyperscope/wiki.pl?RelatedProjects#nid7V
>
> I'm in the process of trying to get copies to play with. In the
> meantime, follow the link. Lots of interesting info there (including
> references to a "public domain Augment"; I'm following up with Dean to
> find out more).
>
> -Eugene
> (011)
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