actually, releasing source code for older games is kind of a trend these days. i know that id software released all of its old source up until quake3, and if you think about how quake3 is only around 6 years old (i think it came out in 2000, not sure), thats pretty generous. i believe that epic has released the code for unreal 1. also, i have heard rumors that the code for duke3d is going to be released from 3d realms. i think that id started this trend, but i also think it wont catch on to the bigger companies like VU. john carmack of id actually supports the linux/open source movement and i think thats the only reason why he did it. and then other companies just copied him because they always do. a company like VU that doesnt care about consumers or developers probably would never even think of releasing code.
i also find it hard to believe that the code for the engines and the script code for the games is gone. if that is true, that is the most irresponsible thing one can do in software design. thats as bad as a record company losing a master recording of an elvis song or something. i still have a copy of the source code for the first program i wrote back in high school ten years ago! didn’t they have any source control? maybe ken can elaborate on how Sierra used to handle source code archiving. i’m sure if it was lost it was during all of the switching around of management and stuff.