“some IP may have been repurposed from the Data General Nova” - the default/bring-up Alto microcode* was/is more or less Nova compatible which is hardly IP IMHO. Different hardware by far and never DG software. I think the Nova was the console controller for the PARC MAXC PDP-10 clone hence their familiarity with the architecture.
*Altos and successor D-machines are soft machines.
*Altos and successor D-machines are soft machines.