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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga community support ideas => Topic started by: HaukeVB on December 03, 2016, 11:13:36 AM

Title: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: HaukeVB on December 03, 2016, 11:13:36 AM
Hi, does anybody have contact information for SAS, that could help  release the source-code to the compiler (buyout or open-source)?
Or is  in contact with anybody who does?

Please help! :(
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: kamelito on December 03, 2016, 12:37:14 PM
I ask about that somewhere else.
Try maybe to contact Jim Cooper, Steve Krueger, Douglas Walker they may know if it's possible.
They still work at SAS, they still have their compiler but it is used for internal project only so I guess it will never be open sourced.

Kamelito

https://www.reddit.com/r/amiga/comments/2nekbp/any_oldtime_amiga_users_from_19851990/
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: olsen on December 03, 2016, 02:32:07 PM
Quote from: kamelito;817230
I ask about that somewhere else.
Try maybe to contact Jim Cooper, Steve Krueger, Douglas Walker they may know if it's possible.
They still work at SAS, they still have their compiler but it is used for internal project only so I guess it will never be open sourced.

Kamelito

https://www.reddit.com/r/amiga/comments/2nekbp/any_oldtime_amiga_users_from_19851990/

Right now I would settle for the option to license it for commercial use again. SAS/C is crucially important for the AmigaOS 2.x/3.x platform because it is the best-integrated 'C' development environment for it.

Code quality apparently leaves something to be desired still, but the alternatives are very scarce (who's got a working source level debugger and a profiler?).
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: HaukeVB on December 03, 2016, 02:35:28 PM
Quote from: kamelito;817230
I ask about that somewhere else.
Try maybe to contact Jim Cooper, Steve Krueger, Douglas Walker they may know if it's possible.
They still work at SAS, they still have their compiler but it is used for internal project only so I guess it will never be open sourced.

Kamelito

https://www.reddit.com/r/amiga/comments/2nekbp/any_oldtime_amiga_users_from_19851990/

Did you get any contact details?
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: guest11527 on December 03, 2016, 04:31:35 PM
Quote from: olsen;817233
Right now I would settle for the option to license it for commercial use again. SAS/C is crucially important for the AmigaOS 2.x/3.x platform because it is the best-integrated 'C' development environment for it.

Bingo. Asking for "open source" first might already scare decision makers within SAS/C, so I wouldn't go this route right now and would not set the priority on the license conditions too high.

The important part is not "open source or not", the important part is to get contacts to the decision makers within SAS/C, and *then* discuss potential options.

In the best possible case, they might be able to put a "price tag" on the source. Even getting it licensed again - as in "binaries for money" - would be tremendously helpful.
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: wawrzon on December 03, 2016, 05:49:32 PM
Quote from: Thomas Richter;817240
price tag


i doubt there is anyone left who could or would pay a "price tag" if there was any.
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: midway on December 03, 2016, 07:13:22 PM
I have an original version with manuals and disks. Its in switzerland though.
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: nicholas on December 03, 2016, 07:31:43 PM
Quote from: wawrzon;817242
i doubt there is anyone left who could or would pay a "price tag" if there was any.


Cue the angry hordes with pitchforks demanding A-Eon buy it in 5... 4..... 3..... ;)
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: midway on December 03, 2016, 07:52:48 PM
I have an original version with manuals and disks. Its in switzerland though.
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: IanP on December 03, 2016, 08:50:54 PM
Isn't SAS a multibillion dollar company, if so I doubt they would put a price on an ancient Amiga classic compiler. Whether you could find anybody there willing to put the time and effort into open sourcing it is also doubtful but you never know, good luck.
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: guest11527 on December 03, 2016, 09:25:14 PM
Quote from: IanP;817250
Isn't SAS a multibillion dollar company, if so I doubt they would put a price on an ancient Amiga classic compiler.
Yes, and I afraid I have to agree. I'm not very optimistic that this will go anywhere...
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: gregthecanuck on December 03, 2016, 09:59:26 PM
Wasn't SAS/C made free for download?

Fuzzy recollection there.
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: psxphill on December 03, 2016, 10:37:22 PM
Quote from: gregthecanuck;817254
Wasn't SAS/C made free for download?

Fuzzy recollection there.


I don't think so, and you can't buy it new either.

https://www.warped.com/amiga/
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: gregthecanuck on December 04, 2016, 12:03:01 AM
A quick google search turned up at least one download of 6.50 with the patches. It has been there a while with no issue so far.

Note that I do own a real copy of SAS/C but backup images for the diskettes are always welcome.
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: wawrzon on December 04, 2016, 04:48:56 AM
Quote from: IanP;817250
Isn't SAS a multibillion dollar company, if so I doubt they would put a price on an ancient Amiga classic compiler. Whether you could find anybody there willing to put the time and effort into open sourcing it is also doubtful but you never know, good luck.


not sure of their budget. but doesnt the multibillion company, you may be referring to, rather go by the name of "SAP"? however, software by any actually operating company may be beyond any such "pricetag". id love to be wrong..
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: kamelito on December 04, 2016, 07:10:37 AM
Doug Walker : http://doug.walkerfamily.name/
The other two you can contact through LinkedIn

I suggest that someone like Olsen or Thor contact them.

Kamelito
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: olsen on December 04, 2016, 07:12:09 AM
Quote from: wawrzon;817264
not sure of their budget. but doesnt the multibillion company, you may be referring to, rather go by the name of "SAP"? however, software by any actually operating company may be beyond any such "pricetag". id love to be wrong..


You're going to love this then ;)

It is indeed SAS and not SAP. The compiler identifies itself as SAS/C when you run it.

SAS Institute acquired the Lattice 'C' compiler back in 1987, if I remember correctly, so as to make their software more portable across different computer platforms. SAS Institute no longer had to rely upon 3rd party software for that purpose.

Lattice 'C' was the first commercially available 'C' software development solution which ran natively on the Amiga operating system. After the acquisition the product name was changed to SAS/C (version 5). If I remember correctly, product support for SAS/C on the Amiga ceased in 1995. You could still buy the compiler at that time, while SAS Institute was liquidating the available stock.
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: kamelito on December 04, 2016, 07:13:13 AM
Quote from: gregthecanuck;817260
A quick google search turned up at least one download of 6.50 with the patches. It has been there a while with no issue so far.

Note that I do own a real copy of SAS/C but backup images for the diskettes are always welcome.


Only the patches were available for free.
Kamelito
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: wawrzon on December 04, 2016, 02:20:27 PM
Quote from: olsen;817269
You're going to love this then ;)

It is indeed SAS and not SAP. The compiler identifies itself as SAS/C when you run it.


i was referring to ianp post, where i assumed he might have mistaken SAS for SAP. im not sure if SAS is multibillion company. SAP is, i guess.
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: wawrzon on December 04, 2016, 02:21:12 PM
Quote from: kamelito;817268
Doug Walker : http://doug.walkerfamily.name/
The other two you can contact through LinkedIn

I suggest that someone like Olsen or Thor contact them.

Kamelito


i think its been agreed upon jens does it.
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: IanP on December 04, 2016, 03:25:04 PM
Quote from: wawrzon;817276
i was referring to ianp post, where i assumed he might have mistaken SAS for SAP. im not sure if SAS is multibillion company. SAP is, i guess.
SAS Annual Report 2015 (pdf) (http://www.sas.com/content/dam/SAS/en_us/doc/other1/company-overview-annual-report.pdf) page 13 shows revenue for the year $3.16B.
Title: Re: Help to open-source SAS/C
Post by: wawrzon on December 04, 2016, 05:15:01 PM
Quote from: IanP;817283
SAS Annual Report 2015 (pdf) (http://www.sas.com/content/dam/SAS/en_us/doc/other1/company-overview-annual-report.pdf) page 13 shows revenue for the year $3.16B.


mm. sorry. not sure, if thats good news.