On Wednesday 16 January 2002 10:18 am, Kent West wrote: [snip] > >> > >>Why oh why won't Corel release the old DOS version into the open source > >>world? > > [snip > > Yes, but I don't particularly care if the DOS version is *made > available*; I'd like it to be *made available as open source*. Then the > developers out there could (and hopefully would) convert it to native > Linux, thus leading to more functional Linux software. > > > Note that Corel _did_ (does?) have a Unix-native version, including a > > console mode (not available, AFAIK, in the WP8 which was made generally > > available for GNU/Linux). This would seem to be the program you're > > looking for. What the availability of this program is I don't know. >
i wrote to corel, asking about the possibility of a linux version of wp5.1 ever appearing in the world. below is their response. > > The WordPerfect 5.1 for Linux/UNIX was never developped by Corel > Corporation. The last versions to be offered for Linux/UNIX are > WordPerfect 8 for UNIX(X graphical and console based) and WordPerfect > Office 2000 for Linux (X graphical only). > Both products are currently discontinued, with chances of renewal > studied based on market demand. > > Thank you, > Corel Customer Services so i wrote back and said: Thanks for your response. I'm aware of the fact that Corel didn't develop WP5.1, which was a product of the former WordPerfect Corporation out of Utah, but you do own the rights to the source--don't you? How about releasing the source under a GPL license? Given that you do have a niche in the larger Linux market, it would definitely enhance your standing in that community, as well as generate a reasonable amount of publicity that would also draw attention to your complete product range; in short, a good return that would benefit you as well as the community. this received no response, at all, not even an automated reply in receipt of my mail. maybe they've got a filter over there to toss anything containing the dreaded three letters--GPL. so, kent west, don't hold your breath. ben
