SCO declares war on Linux (A study in self-immolation)

Jerry Feldman gaf at blu.org
Thu May 15 13:00:00 EDT 2003


On Thu, 15 May 2003 12:20:33 -0400 (EDT)
bscott at ntisys.com wrote:

>   There is potential for a lot of PR damage here.  Businesses still
> uncertain as to the "safety" of Linux might get scared away.  And, of
> course, opponents of Linux can use this for ammo.  I'm sure the
> marketdroids in Redmond are rubbing their hands in glee.
> 
>   In this case, I think the potential impact will be largely
>   determined by
> the reaction of the community.  In other words, if we treat this as a
> serious threat, others will consider it a serious threat.  If we
> consider it the dying gasp of a failed software company, then the PR
> damage will be minimized.  Perception is reality, for this sort of
> thing.
That is true. BTW: Linus also responded in the following URL.
http://www.linuxworld.com/go.cgi?id=742372

Again, I don't know what SCO's strategy is (or was), but they have
certainly angered the Linux (and possibly the Unix) community. 
Lawsuits are necessary in business, many times to protect proprietary
information. In some cases, as a way to possibly get an infusion of cash
or to become acquired. In many cases it becomes a PR nightmare. 
The problem here is that SCO has the proprietary rights to the
commercial Unix code, such that all commercial Unix products must obtain
the appropriate licenses. I think that the initial lawsuit has backfired
on SCO forcing them to take on not only IBM, but also nearly the entire
Linux market. I don't subscribe the the Microsoft Conspiracy Theory. I
don't think that Microsoft had anything to do with this.


-- 
Jerry Feldman <gaf at blu.org>
Boston Linux and Unix user group
http://www.blu.org PGP key id:C5061EA9
PGP Key fingerprint:053C 73EC 3AC1 5C44 3E14 9245 FB00 3ED5 C506 1EA9
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