Should I add a "Micro" PDP11/73 to the Herd?

From: allisonp <allisonp_at_world.std.com>
Date: Thu Jun 22 17:59:44 2000

>Zane replied to Allison:
>> Do you have any understanding of the computer industry? Do you have any
>> understanding of computers larger than your Windows box? Do you even
look
>> at the licenses of any software you have purchased? I'm fairly sure you
>> don't remember the days when you didn't even own the computer, you rented
>> it, or rented time on one.


I didn't write that but I essentially agree.

Consider this you buy a book, you own it to dispose of how you wish
(sell, give or burn). You don't buy a license to read it or X many friends
to read it. It is property. The copyright means you can't make copies
of it (other than limited amounts for reference with attribution) to sell
or give away without expressed permission. Software is going the
route of, you pay for the media, manuals and support(optional) and also
for rights to use under specified conditions as a CONTRACT. There
lies the difference. the manuals are property (usually) but the software is
provided under some stipulation (even freeware!) regarding it's use.

>vendor, you got the software for FREE from the vendor. Allison correctly
>pointed out that before some point these damn software licenses didn't
>exist.


The idea of XYZ Co OWNING the software (copyrighted) is quite old and
may preceed the 1960s! At one time computers were only rented. DEC
was one of the first to alter that by selling machines outright.


Allison
Received on Thu Jun 22 2000 - 17:59:44 BST