eric@aplvax.UUCP (02/03/84)
We are currently waiting for the delivery of a couple of Teletype 5620 (Blit) terminals. They actually were supposed to arrive last Monday, but that is another issue. It now seems fairly certain that Bell is only going to release object versions of the 5620 software, only System V will be supported. We, on the other hand, run 4.1 BSD (and variants thereof). Thus, we are left in the lurch (we were told that source would be available). Has anyone out there done any work in connecting 5620s to 4.?, and willing to share their experiences (or results?). Does the terminal come with enough documentation to attempt it ourselves? Have we just bought two very expensive, ordinary terminals? I am interested in hearing about other users of the 5620. -- eric ...!seismo!umcp-cs!aplvax!eric
ron%brl-vgr@sri-unix.UUCP (02/07/84)
From: Ron Natalie <ron@brl-vgr> They give you the source to the driver at least, but you are up a creek with respect to the host end software if you are not running System V and/or you are not a VAX. I think enough people beat on AT&T at the conference that they are probably going to do something reasonable like source license the software for some astronomical price like they currently do for OEM copies of the OS. It could be worse, ever look at IBM software prices and licensing? If source is outlawed, only outlaws will have source. -Ron
gwyn%brl-vld@sri-unix.UUCP (02/08/84)
From: Doug Gwyn (VLD/VMB) <gwyn@brl-vld> If necessary source code does not come with your 5620s, I would suggest that you refuse to accept (or pay for) them.
phil@sequent.UUCP (02/09/84)
Gee, I remember the discussion in a presentation of the 5620 at the Usenix in San Diego where the question was asked whether it was desirable to have source code along with the 5620. I think 95% of the room said it was a must. I guess no one took notice.. -- Phil Hochstetler Sequent Computer Systems ...!sequent!phil