Re: SCO offers UnixWare licenses for Linux

[Sancar Saran <saran@sim.com.tr>]

Hi,

First, thanks for replaying my mail.

On Thursday 24 July 2003 22:32, you wrote:
> On Iau, 2003-07-24 at 16:49, Sancar Saran wrote:
> > I wish to know are we have backup plan any backup plan. Most of Linux
> > users are gonna worry.
>
> Well if IBM did steal stuff my backup plan is to sue IBM, as I suspect
> is everyone elses. There are basically three outcomes
>
> #1 The whole thing is without merit (as it seems to be now)
> #2 IBM did it and have to buy SCO (because everyone will sue IBM, every
> Linux developer, every business, every user)
> #3 SCO gets bankrupted by countersuits (popular US approach to law)
>

It look like good plan, and my question is not answered. Are distro makers  
safe in these time line? What if Red Hat goes bankrupt before the SCO 
falldown.

I believe without them we are lost very valuable assets. Losing Red Hat or 
SuSe are unacceptable. Because of the whole thing slowes down the sales of 
RHAS class expensive Linux contracts may lead economically trouble our very 
importand distros. 

Of course I can live without them, when everything goes bad, I can do linux 
from strach. But what about Joe Sixpack or, Johny WannebeLinux Admin. I think 
none of us want to return status of 1997.

I don't mean technological status of 1997, I mean industry acceptance. Last 
six monts I see lots of system sales & IT consultant people gonna buy 
expensive Linux contracs.

Before the expensive Linux offerings these guys have serious trouble to 
understand Linux nature. Now they are very happy to buy RHAS for 2499$

And now SCO looks like gonna destroy our industry acceptance.

Today I see gartner suggestions about status.

http://www3.gartner.com/DisplayDocument?doc_cd=116445

(of course this is M$ biased FUD. But to many people listen them. Remember PR 
;) )

Its look like our distros gonna hurt badly.

> At the moment it seems like the games Intel played against AMD in the
> 486 days against motherboard vendors, except that Intel had a better
> case
>
> > Today I get a e mail from our local mailing lists. Says SCO sued Red Hat
> > for this. another one asks Can M$ send BSA to check their systems and
> > request licence money (because of buying SCO Unixware Licences).
>
> SCO Unixware licenses don't entitle you to copy Linux. In fact if you
> sign one of their "settlements" you probably lose your right to
> distribute Linux under the GPL license terms and give them the right to
> break into your office by signing one. But I'm not a lawyer
>
> You can still today download Linux kernels from sco.com which claim to
> be GPL. Given what I know about estoppel and law I suggest everyone may
> wish to download a copy and log the date they did so.
>
> These same issues are true of Windows btw. If you are using any of the
> following products you might want to worry about the Intertrust patent
> suit against Microsoft...
>
> http://www.intertrust.com/main/ip/accused.html
> http://secure.zdnet.com.au/newstech/enterprise/story/0,2000048640,20276337,
>00.htm
>
> and also Timeline - who have made it clear they are considering
> targetting Microsoft customers
>
> http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/53/29419.html
>
> 	"particularly those Microsoft customers who relied on 	Microsoft's
> assurances, failed to investigate them thoroughly, 	and knowingly
> continued to provide material steps in an 	Infringing Combination. These
> infringers, if any, may face 	treble damages for the entire three and
> one-half years the case 	was tied up in the courts. Microsoft is not a
> law firm. Relying 	on its advice should not constitute acting in good
> faith; which 	is the required defense to treble damages for failure to
> 	investigate and honor patents once on notice of their 	existence."
>
> Just the press cover that one mysteriously less often.
>
> Final amusement: http://www.talkleft.com/archives/003727.html

Oh.. I think my broken English leads some misunderstanding. I mean, non 
technical (or don't know too much about GNU/Linux communty or even /.) Linux 
users are believe these rumors. They just sing-up some local IT sites, also 
these sites have very limited knowladge about situation. And thoose (I 
believe some M$ biased aproachs) speculations make them nervous.
They have no clue about status, they have not real information sources and 
they are chooses which operating systems run their cooperation or they give 

Personally I'm living in Turkey, we are very very far away that questions, 
problems etc. I have no fears about SCO,his case and others. Neither SCO nor 
M$ can distrub me.

Anyway this is Kernel list, a harcore technical list. That much politics may 
distrub you or others.

But I'm fear about thoose distros, loosing them not good and I believe if this 
mess not finish in A.S.A.P we gonna loose them.

And this is what M$, Sun wants.

Regards

Sancar "Delifisek" Saran