By Andy McCue, 8 March 2004 09:10
NEWS UK Linux users are being advised to stand firm in the licensing stand-off with SCO despite the software company's decision to sue DaimlerChrysler and Autozone.
SCO sent out thousands of letters last year to Linux users claiming they were in breach of the company's Unix intellectual property rights and demanding payment for licences to use it.
Anecdotal evidence suggests most companies dismissed the threat, with many quite literally binning the letters.
But do the latest developments and SCO's insistence that it will not restrict targets to just US-based companies change the attitude of UK CIOs and IT directors?
The CIO of one large UK user, who did not want to be named, told silicon.com that everyone is watching the case "with interest" as it unfolds.
"I can't believe that they will be succesful in their actions and I still believe that they are taking their challenge to the wrong organisations," he said.
David Rippon, chairman of the British Computer Society's Elite user group, said it is now a "difficult one to call".
"If the two test cases go in SCO's favour then it will go after everyone," he said.
Rippon advised UK companies to hold back from paying up to SCO until after the cases against DaimlerChrysler and Autozone.
Law firm Masons said any UK organisations that become targets could ask the court to wait for the outcome of the key IBM and Novell cases but the fact these are overseas means it is "less likely" that a UK court would grant such a request.
Comments
There are 8 comments. Join the discussion
1. Steve Anderson
It's worth pointing out that, to date, the only people SCO have launched lawsuits against are existing customers. The best way to not be sued by SCO is to not do business with them EVER!
2. Gary Kemp
I'm following the whole fiaSCO from the beginning and it looks to me, that SCO has a very weak case.
First, they had been asked to show with specifity where Linux infringes their copyright, SCO let a court date pass without fulfilling that request, the court gave them now another 45 days (April, the 17th).
Second, Daimler-Chrysler and AutoZone were Ex-customers.
That in turn gives the impression, that the possibility of being sued goes up, if you buy a licence...
In addition, SCO had been silenced in Germany by a court.
From my point of view, I strongly advise against buying a licence from SCO - Instead, if anyone wants to deploy Linux, go ahead.
A european court already would have thrown out the case a long time ago...
With best regards.
Gary Kemp
3. Tony Hartnell
I wonder whether it would be worth anybodies time to ascertain how much time developing programs/utilities etc. on Linux, has made it back into Unix code. Would it be worth pursuing SCO for the misuse of intellectual property rights that were given freely to the open comunity?
4. anonymous
I am now getting very confused can anyone help. Are SCO claiming ALL instances of Linux are their's or only certain ports?
5. Gary Kemp
Anonymous wrote on 08/03/2004
" Are SCO claiming ALL instances of Linux are their's or only certain ports?"
It depends on, who at SCO does the talking. According to McBride, it's 2.4 and later, but someone there in Utah talked about the 2.2 kernels as well.
But on all platforms of course.
Oh, well...
6. anonymous
At one time or another SCO has claimed just about everything related to Unix, and other OSes as well. See www.groklaw.net for details.
7. anonymous
SCO's case is two fold...
1) Make a lot of noise, signifying nothing.
2) Make a claim that "some code" is in Linux, but blow it out of proportion in the media.
They don't like Linux because it undermines their business model, and they are being funded by Microsoft to make a lot of noise.
This is what desperation looks like.
8. Steve
Whatever the outcome for SCO in the courts I firmly believe they have signed their own death warrant - who in their right minds would want to do business with a company like this, regardless if they win or lose.
Five years from now people will be saying SCO... who are they?