That's my recollection also. I know it was around 1969 -- the second
("software") consent decree, because that is the one year I worked for what
would become Kraft Corporation, and my boss had me order every "Type 3"
(remember those -- free, unsupported, SE-written software?) program that he
thought they could ever use, on the mistaken understanding that formerly
free software was going to go to a charge basis.Somewhere in there also was the settlement with Control Data Corp., in which IBM agreed to foreswear the service bureau (hourly machine rental, for you young fellers) business, and gave Service Bureau Corporation to CDC as part of the settlement. Charles -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Gerhard Postpischil Sent: Saturday, October 21, 2006 12:29 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Software pricing Phil Payne wrote: > The 1956 consent decree between the Department of Justice and IBM, of Armonk, N.Y., resulted > in several restrictions on the company that were designed to prevent it from becoming a > monopoly in the > computer industry. > There are currently no "Consent Decree" or similar restrictions on IBM. The > last was the 1984 EC Undertaking that mainly concerned the timely > availability of interface information. I'm not sure you're correct about that. The 1956 consent decree required IBM to make hardware available for purchase; prior to that all hardware was available on lease only. In 1968 or 1969, I worked for Applied Data Research, when Marty Goetz decided to sue IBM for giving away free software, to the ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
