Even though Unix International and AT&T Co’s Unix Software Operation have had a signed contract for a month now, it turns out that this particular legal document isn’t good enough for their lawyers, who according to one Unix International insider, have spent weeks tightening up the language – writing in plain English, making sure there is no waffling and reinstating a key section that mysteriously got deleted from the draft as it got shuffled back and forth. Basically what they are trying to make airtight are those what if clauses, as in, what if AT&T wants out of the business? Or what if Unix International wants a bigger share of things? Interim Unix International chairman Don Herman indicated that if the Unix International-Unix Software Operation-AT&T relationship came to blows, Unix Software Operation by contract would get the Unix operating system for a big fee. However his colleague stressed last week that there’s no guarantee Unix International can take [Unix] over, but AT&T would discuss it. Once the lawyers have finished honing their masterpiece we might all get the chance to read it: Unix International is seriously considering making it public, despite its worries that the legal jargon could be misinterpreted.
