dfh@mcnc.UUCP (06/14/83)
The following blurb is from some Radio Shack propaganda on the TRS-80 Model 16: "Unlike 'UNIX-like' systems, TRS-XENIX actually 'is' the UNIX operating system." A question for you folks at Microsoft: Are you calling a rose by another name? What is meant my "... actually 'is' the UNIX ..."? Is TRS-XENIX a binary UNIX license with some Berkely enhancements? Is the Model 16 implementation of XENIX different from other XENIX implementations? Ignorant, but not afraid to ask, David Hinnant N.C. Educational Computing Service (919) 549-0671 ucbvax!decvax!mcnc!dfh
guy@rlgvax.UUCP (06/14/83)
XENIX is what Microsoft calls its licensed versions of UNIX; there may be some
Berkeley enhancements in it, and there are definitely Microsoft-developed
enhancements (record locking, etc.).
A rumor had it that anyone who offered UNIX under a sub-license had to give
it another name; is this strictly true or can you call it "the UNIX operating
system" (after all, "UNIX" is an adjective, not a noun. Sure. Just like
"Kleenex." It may be the law, but is it reality?). I have seen several ads
using the word "UNIX" unadorned by anything other than the familiar footnote.
Guy Harris
RLG Corporation
{seismo,mcnc,we13,brl-bmd,allegra}!rlgvax!guyjohnl@ima.UUCP (06/16/83)
#R:mcnc:-169200:ima:16900009:000:712
ima!johnl Jun 15 12:52:00 1983
It seems that when Bell licenses you the Unix software, they are not
licensing the name "Unix." Legally, anybody who resells it is supposed
to call it something else, which is why you have such systems as IS/3,
Xenix, Onix, and so forth, all of which are Genuine Bell. It is
perfectly legitimate to say "derived from the Unix system", "licensed by
AT&T," and so forth.
There are certainly some smaller companies that call their sublicensed
Unix "Unix" without qualification. Bell will probably get on their case
sooner or later, particularly if they ever get into serious end-user
sales.
John Levine, decvax!yale-co!jrl, ucbvax!cbosgd!ima!johnl,
{research|allegra|floyd|amd70}!ima!johnl, Levine@YALE.ARPA.ron%brl-bmd@sri-unix.UUCP (06/16/83)
From: Ron Natalie <ron@brl-bmd> Actually, Bell said you can't callit UNIX unless it is. If you are merely relicensing a Real UNIX (albeit ported to your hardware), you can call it UNIX. If it doesn't work just like UNIX, or if it is all original code (like IDRIS or COHERENT) to make a non-bell UNIX lookalike, you just can't call it UNIX and get away with it. UNIX is a trademark of Bell Labs IDRIS is a trademark of Whitesmiths COHERENT is a trademark of Mark Williams Member FDIC. Highway mileage will probably be lower. -Ron