gnu@lll-crg.ARPA@hoptoad.UUCP (12/10/86)
The Sun User Group is an independent users' group for people who own
or use Sun Workstations. We're the people who put on the Sun
conferences every year (with a lot of help from Sun). We also work
to collect and distribute non-proprietary software for Suns.
We are collecting and collating software for the next tape. In the
past, all the software has been public domain or freely
redistributable. This will continue; in addition, we will also be
creating two tapes for AT&T licensed software (e.g. enhanced Unix
programs). Sun users with binary licenses will be able to get binary
copies of the licensed software; ATT+UCB source licensees can get a
source tape. Anybody will be able to get the unlicensed tape.
Due to the proliferation of lawyers we will have to send you a
release form (electronically or by paper mail) which you can print
out, sign, and send in to us. I am actively working to get the
legalese out of this form and make it simple and straightforward.
You can send in the software first and we will send back the form
before we distribute it. You must own the software, or certify that
it is public domain, or it must be freely redistributable under
copyright.
In general, we want pieces of software that are not available from
other public sources and/or are specific to Sun Workstations. For
example, we won't be distributing GNU Emacs or Tex, though we might
distribute Sun-specific mods to them that aren't part of the generic
release. On the other hand, we have public domain versions of curses
and University Ingres which have not seen wide distribution; we plan
to put these on the tape, even though they are not specific to Suns.
Comments on our tape policies are welcome, especially if accompanied
by software!
I'd like to make a special request to Sun employees to make available
some of the toys and tools that have been floating around but never
got released. Phil Heller has graciously agreed, with the full
support of his management, to send us the collection of demo software
that has dazzled all of us in the Sun vendor exhibits. Mike Shantz
wants to release an excellent 24-bit to 8-bit color dithering program
that's been around since about 1982 -- his management is still
thinking about it. If you have some tool that never made it onto a
Sun release (perhaps for fear that you would have to support it!),
now is your chance to get it into customers' hands and out of your
~/bin or /usr/local directory.
Submissions should consist of a directory containing the software,
Makefile (if needed), documentation, and a README file with a summary
of what it is, where it came from, who owns it, and what (if any)
restrictions there are on its use. We can receive them by email
(shar scripts), direct uucp transfer, or on tar tapes (1600, 6250, or
QIC-11 or QIC-24 1/4'' cartridges).
David Hartwell put together the previous S.U.G. tape and is also
working on the upcoming ones. He is covered by an AT&T source
license, so you must send licensed sources to him:
David Hartwell phone +1 415 422 4457
hartwell@lll-lcc.arpa
{ihnp4,sun,rutgers,seismo,caip}!lll-crg!lll-lcc!hartwell
You can send unlicensed software to him or to any of us on the tape
committee:
Rich Morin {hoptoad,lll-lcc}!cfcl!rdm +1 415 994 6860
or John Gilmore {ihnp4,sun,lll-crg,ptsfa}!hoptoad!gnu +1 415 931 4667
Thanks everybody --
John Gilmore
Member, Sun User Group board of directors
PS: For generic questions about the Sun User Group, like "how do I
get the existing tape" or "how do I join", please send mail to
sun!users or users@sun.com .