"We are very pleased to announce that Access, the current holders of the BeOS intellectual property, has responded positively to our request for permission to reproduce the BeBook and all the Be Newsletters. As a result, we will be able to release these BeOS legacy documents under a Creative Commons license."
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Member since:2006-01-26
WOW... that's a pretty plain statement. But I already knew Bernd wasn't allowed to open-source BeOS code - that is obvious as he never owned it in the first place.
Anyone asking about open-sourced BeOS/Zeta code and how it could help Haiku can read some of the commentary here:
http://osnews.com/comment.php?news_id=17608
and specifically note:
http://www.freelists.org/archives/openbeos/04-2007/msg00020.html
Seriously, opening up the BeOS source would probably hurt Haiku more than help it at this point.
Edit: removed my own flaw here...
Edited 2007-04-04 00:10
Member since:2005-10-09
Don't forget the even more damning commentary here:
http://osnews.com/comment.php?news_id=17569
Member since:2005-10-09
I hate to say it so soon - but it seems an "I told you so" (not to the OP, but to many other people who have said otherwise - hi Thom!) might be in order, along with a dozen apologies - again - assuming this is legit. I did look up the name, and it's correct - but I'm really surprised there was no formal statement made, nor legal proceedings concerning the infraction.
Keep us updated if you receive any word back concerning the legitimacy of these statements. I'd love to be able to laugh at a few dozen folks. 
---
Back on topic concerning the release of the BeBook - I still have a copy sitting on my shelves, totally worn down from use. Awesome book, and awesome it's available under creative commons. With some updating, it might provide a nice framework for a Haiku revision!
Thanks, ACCESS!
Member since:2005-08-07
This is vindication for all those times myself and others were slapped down in the comments for having the audacity to question whether Zeta was legal or whether Bernd had any legal access tot he source code of BeOS.
It will reflect very poorly if the administrators do not respond and investigate the veracity of the statements left by David "Lefty" Schlesinger and (assuming those comments were not a hoax) apologize for the constant haranguing they allowed to go on and participated in when questions were asked on this subject.
--bornagainpenguin
Member since:2005-08-18
"We have attempted to contact Access and Mr Schlesinger to confirm, and elaborate on, these statements."
Oh come on, of course he would say that. Don't you know that they have this license agreement with YT that says that the licensee aren't allowed to prove that they are a licensee? So he *can't* admit it 
Seriously though, its a post on forum board. It's not like it's impossible to fake it.
Member since:
2005-07-06
David "Lefty" Schlesinger of ACCESS Co. just left a comment on Bits of news ( http://www.bitsofnews.com/content/view/5496/44/ ) to the effect that:
Zeta is not, nor has it ever been, a licensee of PalmSource (or ACCESS, the company which acquired PalmSource year before last) in any way, shape or form. If Zeta or magnussoft has claimed that they have a license with us, that's a complete falsehood.
As the legitimate owners of the intellectual property formerly belonging to Be, our position is that the product marketed by YellowTab and then by magnussoft represents a pirated version of BeOS, done without our permission or approval.
magnussoft is thus in no position to open source anything, since their product, in its entirety, represents a derivative work of our intellectual property.
We have attempted to contact Access and Mr Schlesinger to confirm, and elaborate on, these statements.