Unix System Laboratories (USL) was originally organized as part of Bell Labs in 1989. USL joined with the UNIX Software Operation, also a Bell Laboratories division, in 1990. It assumed responsibility for Unix development and licensing activities. It then became a separate wholly owned subsidiary, formed, owned, and operated by AT&T Corporation, the parent company of Bell Labs.
Unix System Laboratories was the plaintiff in the USL v. BSDi lawsuit initiated in 1992 against Berkeley Software Design, Inc and the Regents of the University of California over copyrights and trademarks related to Unix. USL asked the court for a preliminary injunction that would bar BSDi and the UC Berkeley from distributing the NET-2 software until the case was concluded. USL v. BSDi was settled out of court 1993 after the judge expressed doubt as to the validity of USL's claims.
In June 1993, Novell purchased USL and all of the Unix assets, including all copyrights, trademarks, and licensing contracts.
Famous quotes containing the words system and/or laboratories:
“In a universe that is all gradations of matter, from gross to fine to finer, so that we end up with everything we are composed of in a lattice, a grid, a mesh, a mist, where particles or movements so small we cannot observe them are held in a strict and accurate web, that is nevertheless nonexistent to the eyes we use for ordinary living—in this system of fine and finer, where then is the substance of a thought?”
—Doris Lessing (b. 1919)
“Hollywood is the only industry, even taking in soup companies, which does not have laboratories for the purpose of experimentation.”
—Orson Welles (1915–1984)