Re: Flavors, Symbolics, and MIT

[fateman%ucbdali@Berkeley (Richard Fateman)]

I believe Bob Giansiracusa is mistaken about the ownership of software
developed (under gov't contract) by MIT employees.  The possibilities are
approximately:
1. the authors own it  and/or
2. mit and the gov't jointly own it
3. the gov't owns it
4. mit owns it
5. the software is owned, but distributed at low cost
6. the software is owned, but distributed at high cost
7. the software is "public domain".

Inquiries to MIT concerning Macsyma, at least, reveal that their
patent office thinks 4 and 6, with perhaps 2.  There have been some changes to Macsyma
by Symbolics.