[TriLUG] O.T., but interesting (SCO Protest)

Gnu Man gnu_man at earthlink.net
Sun Jun 22 21:34:01 EDT 2003


I agree that SCO certainly has the F.U.D. machine in high gear, I doubt
that they involved themselves with Linux to destroy and/or earn fees
from licensed "derivative works".  My personal opinion is that they see
this as a last ditch effort to save a failing company or to settle the
case and be bought out.  

Let's forget the politics and grandstanding for a minute and look at the
practical aspect of their argument.

SCO claims that Unix System V code has been copied illegally into the
Linux kernel.  

If this is the case, I would imagine that if shown the offending code,
the Open Source community could replace said code in a relatively short
period of time.

SCO knows this, but they want to drag this fiasco out all over the
courts and the media, getting "free" publicity from a potentionally
trivial problem.

I think SCO's involvement with Linux is one of it's biggest holes in
it's case.  If anyone put SCO's code in Linux, SCO itself would be one
of the first and most likely suspects.  So I find it hard to believe
that this was planned before their involvement with Linux.

However I do agree that this matter will effect the future of Linux and
Open Source.  Hopefully when the dust settles, the truth will come out,
any copyrighted code will be replaced, and more people will see the
benenfits of Open Source software.

On Sun, 2003-06-22 at 18:02, Smitty wrote:
> On Sunday 22 June 2003 13:50, Gnu Man wrote:
> > Check out this SCO protest by a fellow LUG (PLUG, Provo Linux Users
> > Group).
> >
> > http://mirror.lug-nut.com/
> >
> > Here is an interesting section from the web site:
> >
> > -->SNIP
> > "One of the more interesting parts of the event this afternoon was as
> > the linux users showed up to begin the protest, several people came out
> > of the SCO building with pre-prepared posters for the protest. In
> > several of the pictures you will notice them trying to mingle in with
> > the crowd, or trying to make sure their posters were seen amongst the
> > crowd. These posters had such winning slogans as:
> >
> >
> > I love software piracy
> >
> > I don't pay for my music, I'm not paying for my os, so sue me
> >
> > My son stole code & published it! And all I got was this lousy t-shirt
> >
> > Try communism - use Linux"
> >
> > -->SNIP
> SCO are truly enemies of free software and are attempting to position linux 
> users with criminals.  What has amazed me is how scheming and diabolical they 
> are.  It seems that they involved themselves with Linux for the sole purpose 
> of undermining and subverting it.  Real strategic planning went into this.  
> It is not coincidental.  
> Smitty
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