3 Feb
2016
3 Feb
'16
9 a.m.
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"?
paul
3 Feb
3 Feb
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
4 Feb
4 Feb
2:06 a.m.
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.
Any thing that says "DEC" passed to "Compaq" as Compaq bought DEC
lock,
stock and barrel, well excluding Digital India which was never wholly owned
any way,
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.
As I said Compaq bought DEC. Anything DEC passed to Compaq or
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.
DEC no longer exists. Its Compaq. (well HP now)
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
Dave Wade Knee dave.wade at digital.com
6:47 a.m.
On Feb 4, 2016, at 5:06 AM, Dave Wade <dave.g4ugm
at gmail.com> wrote:
...and of course, excluding all the bits of DEC that were sold off piecemeal by the
butcher CEO before Compaq swooped in to grab the remaining carcass. Bits like the
semiconductor division (to Intel), the networking division (to Cabletron) and possibly
others that I've forgotten about.
paul
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.
Any thing that says "DEC" passed to "Compaq" as Compaq bought DEC
lock,
stock and barrel, well excluding Digital India which was never wholly owned
any way, 
11:02 a.m.
On Thu, Feb 4, 2016 at 7:47 AM, Paul Koning <paulkoning at comcast.net> wrote:
Storage to NCR who sold it to LSI who sold it to Avago (though I may have
missed a few jumps)
Warner
On Feb 4, 2016, at 5:06 AM, Dave Wade
<dave.g4ugm at gmail.com> wrote:
owned
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.
Any thing that says "DEC" passed to "Compaq" as Compaq bought DEC
lock,
stock and barrel, well excluding Digital India which was never wholly any way,
...and of course, excluding all the bits of DEC that were sold off
piecemeal by the butcher CEO before Compaq swooped in to grab the remaining
carcass. Bits like the semiconductor division (to Intel), the networking
division (to Cabletron) and possibly others that I've forgotten about.
3244
days inactive
3245
days old
4 comments
5 participants
participants (5)
-
dave.g4ugm＠gmail.com -
imp＠bsdimp.com -
jhfinedp3k＠compsys.to -
Paul_Koning＠Dell.com -
paulkoning＠comcast.net