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SCO : Takes a Stand
Author: HumanX | Monday June 16, 2003
Carl McBride of SCO steps out of his office to discuss potential litigation against IBM and explains the incredible 1500 letters.
Quick Thoughts
Regarding Article at news.com : http://news.com.com/2008-1082_3-1017308.html?tag=fd_lede2_hed
This is an interesting article, pay close attention where SCO claims that comments and code are copied line for line. The battle is heating up and SCO appears to be building a stronger case.
SCO believe's they have had their intellectual rights trampled on and reading this article you begin to feel some pitty for SCO. My feelings are two sided, A. SCO believes they have been violated and B: Something more sinister is happening (Read http://www.linuxdig.com/news_page/1054904570.php).
I am still cheering for IBM and Novell, no matter what happens.
In the past we have scene companies deliberately expose products to theft with the sole intention of bringing law suits forth. Now, I am not saying that is what SCO is doing, but a 1 billion dollar lawsuit? Kind of makes you wonder.
How does a company like SCO get into this position in the first place. Are you telling me for one second that they have not been investigating Linux through the years, they have not made an attempt to understand potential competition, they have not gone through the source code? mmmmm.... A better question is, did someone wait long enough until their was enough code in Linux to begin this lawsuit...
Next, SCO liscenses its source code I believe, to companies and educational facilities. Knowing this, the code is going to be copied at some point in time, either by accident or intentionally.
If IBM is found guilty they should be forced to pay for the rewriting of the code in Linux and make a strong effort to get SCO code out of the later versions of Linux. IBM will pay a liscensing fee to SCO for customers running IBM versions of Linux with SCO code inside, and to for all future versions until SCO code has been removed. Finally pay a reasonable sum of money to SCO, and reasonable is certainly not 1 Billion Dollars.
What kind of message will out government send if a judge allows SCO to seek damages against other companies, who sold the software that IBM provided code for. We cannot allow this issue to cross that barrier or it will stifle creation. Resellers should not have to fear liability because of someone else's misdeeds.
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