[rescue] Interesting bit on Multics

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

Joshua Boyd wrote:

> To the end that if they can't make truck loads of money off of it, then
> they damn well aren't gonna let any insignificant little anarchistic
> bloody peons get and enjoymeny/benefit/anything out of it.

Does anyone on this list work for Groupe Bull? If you approach 
the correct person in a nice manner they may react differently.

I doubt that the CEO of the company has any idea of what Multics is. If
approached properly, they may be willing to release the source code (if
they legally can) as a good will gesture.

As it sits now, it's worthless, if it is given away, they could write
off its "value" as a goodwill expense. For example, value it at $100m
and sell it to the FSF for $1 and take the loss off their taxes. That's
$33m less income tax they would have to pay.

Think of the colateral effect. An emulator to run the binaries would have
to be developed. A PL/I compiler for current systems. Multics on your
home computer. Multics on your laptop, Multics on your cell phone. :-)

Geoff.

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Geoffrey S. Mendelson gsm at mendelson.com 972-54-608-069
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