Re: [open-cobol-list] COBOL standard text (writing usage manuals for OpenCOBOL)

[Bill Klein]

(I was afraid that Jimmy or someone would bring my name into this <G>).

Well, there really is a long, complex and contradictory history to all
of this. 
I would, however, point you to the following text on the cover page of
the ANSI 
(rather than ISO) version of the 2002 (latest approved) Standard.  It
states,

"ITI/INCITS claim a copyright interest in the COBOL standard to the
extent that 
these organizations have verified that the COBOL standard has met the
standard 
setting requirements of these organizations. However, ITI/INCITS claims
no 
copyright in the underlying technical specifications of the COBOL
standard and, 
to the extent that consent is required, INCITS freely consents to use of
the 
underlying technical specification by any person without charge. No
person 
reproducing, improving, or using the standard shall claim that any
modifications 
or improvements have been adopted as part of any "official" COBOL
standards 
and/or the standard setting processes of ANSI/ITI/INCITS."

What I *think* (but I am not YOUR lawyer) all of this means is that you
ARE free 
to use any of the "technical information" from the Standard in any way
you want. 
You can even place a copyright on YOUR text.  You may not, however,
claim that 
YOUR text "is the Standard".

If I were you, I would include something like the text you quotes - or
  From the IBM LRM
 
http://publibfp.boulder.ibm.com/cgi-bin/bookmgr/BOOKS/igy3lr40/PREFACE.6


-- 
Bill Klein
 wmklein <at> ix.netcom.com
<address@hidden> wrote in message 
news:address@hidden
.
Hello everyone,

I'm a little confused.  I've been working on documentation for the
OpenCOBOL project.  I'd like to include a Standards Compliance
section.

So,  I keep seeing:

"
TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PREFACE OF THE MANUAL (REQUIRED BY ANSI
WHEN USING INFO FROM THE STANDARDS DOCUMENT):
COBOL is an industry language and is not the property of any company
or group of
companies, or of any organization or group of organizations.
No warranty, express or implied, is made by any contributor or by the
CODASYL
COBOL Committee as to the accuracy and functioning of the programming
system
and language. Moreover, no responsibility is assumed by any
contributor, or by the
committee, in connection therewith.
The authors and copyright holders of the copyrighted materials used
herein:
FLOW-MATIC (trademark of Sperry Rand Corporation), Programming for the
UNIVAC ® I and II, Data Automation Systems copyrighted 1958, 1959, by
Sperry
Rand Corporation; IBM Commercial Translater Form No. F 28-8013,
copyrighted
1959 by IBM; FACT, DSI 27A5260-2760. Copyrighted 1960 by Minneapolis-
Honeywell have specifically authorized the use of this material in
whole or in part,
in the COBOL specifications. Such authorization extends to the
reproduction and
use of COBOL specifications in programming manuals or similar
publications.
"

Ok, so ... I'd like to "use this material in whole or in part" for a
programming manual.  Where is this mythical material ... I'm searching
and searching and ...  ;)  All of the online materials that include
this preface are stamped as copyright, do not reproduce.  I'm
confused.

I want to create some good OpenCOBOL docs, but I don't want to get the
project in trouble.

A link to a textual copy that has this original preface would be
great .. or a link to where a textual copy that can be copied (for fee
if needed) and then modified to show where and how OpenCOBOL meets or
does meet the spec would also be wonderful.

I'm willing to start with COBOL-60 and then work upwards, but I'll
admit;  I'm confused.

Thanks in advance
Brian Tiffin

P.S.  To see the soon to be published OpenCOBOL FAQ please click to
http://opencobol.add1tocobol.com/ocfaq.html