>Eric Smith wrote:
> The problem with putting PDP-11 software manuals online is that Mentec
> still owns and sells this stuff. If someone were to convince Mentec
> to grant permission to put scans of PDP-11 software manuals online,
> I think Al would be happy to do it.
Jerome Fine replies:
In respect to the V4.00 RT-11 manuals, I still have not found them,
but will continue to look.
However, based on the notice that someone posted (Zane was it you?
that DEC allows anyone to make a copy of any DOCs that are not
longer being sold by DEC, I can't see that there would be a problem
with scanning RT-11 V4.00 DOCs and putting them on a CD. From
there, it should be possible to at least distribute them privately until
the issue is resolved.
> Note that some PDP-11 software is NOT owned by Mentec. Obvious
> examples are DOS/Batch, IAS, DSM (Mumps), and diagnostics. Al has
> already scanned some DOS/Batch docs, but I'm sure that if more of
> these manuals were provided, he'd get them scanned.
As for who actually owns the present DOCs for RT-11, there really
seems to be something VERY curious (fishy?) going on. Since the
only available DOCs for RT-11 are for V5.06 (which are the same
IDENTICAL DOCs as are being used for V5.07 - with the addition
from Mentec of just the V5.07 Release Notes which are mostly
useless from what I have been told), it seems possible that DEC
still owns the actual copyright on the DOCs themselves.
In addition, I know the DEC approved of making copies of
even V5.04G DOCs for RT-11 since they are no longer
being sold by DEC.
And there certainly seems to be a blackout on ALMOST ALL
detailed information about V5.07 of RT-11. For example, I
would very much like to add a large number of bugs to the
SECRET "Mentec V5.07 RT-11 Bug List", but I am prevented
from doing so because the list is of course SECRET.
> You'd have to check with Al to be sure, though.
Maybe it would be better to have Al scan a set of at least V5.03
DOCs for RT-11. Since DEC certainly is not selling V5.03
if V5.04G is not available, I can't see why putting V5.03 DOCs
on a CD would not be permitted as well. Perhaps either Al
or anyone else willing to scan a set of RT-11 DOCs could
contact me. Al are you still at the same e-mail address?
Sincerely yours,
Jerome Fine
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Received on Mon Oct 07 2002 - 17:52:00 BST