3 Feb
2016
3 Feb
'16
4:59 p.m.
Paul_Koning at Dell.com wrote:
I was looking back at the discussion on what Mentec
actually owned, back when it existed. The discussion on the list suggested that Mentec
had a license but did not actually own the IP. It seems an odd arrangement that
doesn't say much for the business skills of those making it, but I suppose it's
posssible.
I found that there are some RSTS manuals at www.computinghistory.co.uk with Mentec cover
pages. Among other things, a free for the download RSTS 10.1 internals manual, over 600
pages of good stuff.
The cover has a Mentec logo but no other ownership clues. I was hoping to see the
copyright page to find out whose name appears there. Unfortunately, the scan omits the
copyright page.
Does anyone have any manuals from Mentec? If yes, does it say "Copyright ...
Mentec"? Or "Copyright ... someone else"?
This MIGHT be your answer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have a V05.07 RT-11 DOC set with over a dozen binders. Each
binder has about 1000 pages for one or more manuals. All the
binders have the DEC logo. All the manuals have the DEC copyright.
The only place the "Compaq" logo appears is for the funny cover pages
which are very thick paper with a window to allow the manual name
to show through. Those very thick cover pages also used to have the
DEC logo before Mentec was involved.
Overall conclusion: The manuals are still from DEC - nothing has
changed since replacing the name on the thick paper cover page
without ANY supporting reference to what the "Compaq" logo
refers to may be just the way that Mentec attempted to portray
that Mentec now owned the manual copyrights.
There is ONE exception. The Release Notes for V05.07 of RT-11
was prepared and produced by Mentec in 1998. This one manual
does have a copyright notice from Mentec!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So I would suggest that any manual prepared prior to 1994 which
was approximately when Mentec became involved is purely from
DEC and is still under copyright from DEC. And further, based
on a notice from DEC concerning manuals which are out of print
(naturally at this point all manuals from DEC are out of print), DEC
gave permission (I don't have a copy of the actual notice - can
someone please provide it) to copy all manuals.
Jerome Fine