info-vax@ucbvax.ARPA (06/23/85)
From: Jim Guyton <guyton@rand-unix> forwarded from net.emacs ... ------- Forwarded Message Relay-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site randvax.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84 SMI; site sun.uucp Path: randvax!sdcrdcf!sdcsvax!dcdwest!ittvax!decvax!decwrl!sun!jag From: jag@sun.uucp (James Gosling) Newsgroups: net.emacs Subject: Re: Permission Message-ID: <2334@sun.uucp> Date: 22 Jun 85 02:04:50 GMT Date-Received: 23 Jun 85 10:23:37 GMT References: <4486@mit-eddie.UUCP> Reply-To: jag@sun.UUCP (James Gosling) Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc. Lines: 25 Summary: I've tried to stay out of this discussion, but it has gotten too far out of hand for me to remain silent. In no way did I ever give Fen Lebalm (and by dubious transitivity, Richard Stallman) permission to distribute any part of the Emacs that I wrote. Version 85 was not in the public domain - I was very careful to get everyone who recieved a copy to agree to not redistribute it.. Unfortunatly, two moves have left my records in a shambles. I am not against public domain software: I am very much in favor of it. There is an awful lot of public domain software floating around on the net that was written by me. Emacs is not a part of it. I would applaud the GNU effort (Emacs has needed a real lisp in it for a long time) if it hadn't started off with what is at best a dreadful misunderstanding. Properly maintaining a piece of software like Emacs over a long period is hard to do on a volunteer basis. I did it with my version for three years and nearly destroyed my chances to graduate. I spent a long time trying to find a new maintainer (either commercial or public domain). I found no one willing to maintain it in the public domain and provide the quality and the commitment that I thought was necessary. I talked with quite a few companies, and by far the best was Unipress. They may prostitute their souls for a dollar, but they do a pretty good job of looking after Emacs. ------- End of Forwarded Message