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yea, i've been hitting the refresh button myself.

(and you took my idea you bastard.)

if you don't know what i'm talking about, go here.

yea, i've been hitting the refresh button myself.

(and you took my idea you bastard.)

if you don't know what i'm talking about, go here.

Notice the title on this page:
nice tags, ASSHAT!

Click either of the following two Netcraft-sponsored links to see if you've won! How to tell if you're a winner, all the green stuff in the graph must not be shown for the entire month of May 2003. Thankyou, and remember folks, check the following two URLS each and every 10 minutes or so to see if you've won!

Netcraft: www.sco.com

Netcraft: www.calder.com

I mean SCO seems allright now. And besides I can't imagine that anyone would stoop so low as to deliberatly overload their servers. Besides just look at their site. Which is running so well as I look at it now. It would truly be a shame if their servers happended to get ./ed, wouldn't it?

I mean SCO seems allright now. And besides I can't imagine that anyone would stoop so low as to deliberatly overload their servers. Besides just look at their site. Which is running so well as I look at it now. It would truly be a shame if their servers happended to get ./ed, wouldn't it?

I mean SCO seems allright now. And besides I can't imagine that anyone would stoop so low as to deliberatly overload their servers. Besides just look at their site. Which is running so well as I look at it now. It would truly be a shame if their servers happended to get ./ed, wouldn't it?

I mean SCO seems allright now. And besides I can't imagine that anyone would stoop so low as to deliberatly overload their servers. Besides just look at their site. Which is running so well as I look at it now. It would truly be a shame if their servers happended to get ./ed, wouldn't it?

I mean SCO seems allright now. And besides I can't imagine that anyone would stoop so low as to deliberatly overload their servers. Besides just look at their site. Which is running so well as I look at it now. It would truly be a shame if their servers happended to get ./ed, wouldn't it?

I mean SCO seems allright now. And besides I can't imagine that anyone would stoop so low as to deliberatly overload their servers. Besides just look at their site. Which is running so well as I look at it now. It would truly be a shame if their servers happended to get ./ed, wouldn't it?

http://www.caldera.com/ Nothing like a Slashdotting during a DDoS attack.

I'll try to summarize the complaint based on my limited understanding of law.

Caldera is claiming that IBM leaked trade secrets by working on both Project Monterey (a joint venture between SCO and IBM to port UNIX to 64 bits) and Linux (paragraph 50). During their joint development effort, IBM had access to UNIX documentation (53), presumably under NDA. IBM then scrapped Monterey (55), choosing to incorporate the technology into AIX (92). IBM also announced that it was contributing to Linux (92) and willing to open-source any parts of AIX, which is a no-no because AIX UNIX (19, 93). Furthermore, IBM intends to make Linux as powerful as UNIX (98) and runtime-compatible with AIX, which is only possible if IBM had analyzed the hooks in SCO OpenServer's proprietary shared libraries (38, 41).

UNIX is a studly operating system (70-72). Before IBM worked on Linux, Linux was so wimpy that no enterprise user would want it (83-86). After all, take a look at that no-warranty clause in the GPL (81)! The only possible explanation for its rapid maturity was knowledge transfer through IBM employees (99-100). Linux was hopeless before IBM coordinated the squabbling, confused hackers (82) into a threat (103).

IBM has therefore leaked trade secrets (104-114) and used other distros as accomplices to protect itself (91, 101). By doing so, it has deceptively breached the Monterey agreement (118) and caused SCO to lose $1 billion (116, 119, 120) and destroyed SCO's business (121). It has also violated the terms UNIX license that prevent disclosure of IP (130-134).

Notice that SCO is claiming protection based on trade secrets, not copyrights, patents, trademarks. Therefore, it can be vague and not cite any specific Linux code. (That would, after all, disclose their trade secret.) Will they have to be more specific in court? Does anyone know?

As I understand it, it's up to you to protect your own trade secrets. If somebody leaks the Coca-Cola recipe, Coca-Cola has no recourse, because it was their own responsibility to keep their secret. In SCO's case, IBM had licensed UNIX and allegedly leaked information to Red Hat and others. SCO may sue IBM for loads of money (though the grounds may be weak), but I don't think that they have a right to go after Red Hat. If a thief sells a stolen car, the buyer of the stolen car doesn't own the car. But Red Hat has a right to sell a product based on a leaked secret, because the rules for IP are different.

SCO asked for a jury trial, perhaps hoping that non-technical jurors might easily be fooled.

It seems like this whole affair is just sour grapes due to IBM's abandoning Monterey in favor of Linux.

Assuming there are such, as it's currently being hit with a DoS. I think it's the first time a website has deserved a /.'ing. I can think of some others

SCO sells a linux distrobution. When you actually think about it, SCO is distributing GPL'd code right? Now regardless of it containing thier IP, they're calling the stuff they're selling GPL. I don't know exactly how the legalities of it would work though:

1) For the sake of arguement lets say that IBM take code out of AIX and put it into linux

2) IBM calls this code GPL'd

3) SCO starts selling the code that IBM put into linux, again, calling it GPL'd.

4) Here's where it gets fishy. What does SCO actually mean here, do they mean, under the GPL we should be allowed to use this code, SCO said so, right in the license they gave out with the software. So do they mean using the code is OK, you just can't use the IDEAS implemented in the code?

4) Now it looks to me, like SCO has accepted the fact that this code is fair game, they even sold it under the same license.

5) SCO decides, no, we were wrong and didn't actually KNOW what we were selling. Turns out it belonged to us the entire time, and although we said it was GPL'd, we actually meant something totally different and now we want money for it?

anywho to the rescue:

McBride, Darl C

1799 Vintage Oak Lane
HOLLADAY, UT 84121
801-424-2006

As my mom always used to say 'treat others as you want them to treat you'.
Caldera bought SCO and have had a linux distro for a long time, so while they have been profiting (or not) from distribution of software released under the GPL they decide to take a stupid stance on purchased IP.

What's the betting that somewhere in code distributed by Caldera was something that was ambiguously licensed enough for the author to sue them (and only them) for unauthorised use of their IP. Now wouldn't that make them look stupid?

Glass house, stones...

For more, check out the Caldera/SCO timeline from the horse's mouth.

http://www.caldera.com/scosource/ip.html

This contains links to the complaint and 5 exhibits. If you're going to write to SCO, you really ought to RTFDocs.

The behavior in question isn't "bundling", it's "tying". And there is a notable and telling litigation history against M$ in the area of anti-competitive tying of non-OS products to its OS. (See this nifty summary of the Caldera v. Microsoft case of 1996-2000.)

(There are those that argue that the "non-OS product"--Windows 3.1--is actually an OS component. Those folks are, of course, wrong. At the time of MS-DOS 5.0 and Digital Research's DR-DOS 6, Windows was no more a mandatory OS component than a 3 1/2" floppy drive was.)

So, Microsoft has made grabs at non-OS-space with its OS products. Yeah, I know, they settled without admission of guilt. The fact they settled is the moral equivalent of an admission of guilt, legal weasels notwithstanding.

Windows 3.1 was tied, for no valid technical reason, to Microsoft's MS-DOS. This solely to weaken competitive OS products. Sound familiar?

In fact, what you're saying is that EVERY MS product (from Flight Simulator to Age of Mythology) is tied to Windows because most are Windows exclusive. That is not what the courts had in mind.

The reason most M$ applications seem to be "Windows exclusive" is because they can't be run natively on other platforms. That's a valid technical reason for OS-exclusivity. However, if someone (e.g., the WINE Project) successfully engineers an OS or a compatibility layer which is API-compatible with Windows, and therefore makes the technical reasons for OS-exclusivity go away... then... M$ has no say in the matter. If the MS products can be run on non-M$ OSs, then M$ has no legal standing to prohibit that. M$ cannot legally mandate Windows in order to run M$ applications. THAT is illegal tying. And THAT IS what the courts had in mind.

PE is based on COFF and has a file header that specifies the machine the file runs on. I would assume that this means that only one machine per file.

It's not that I'm lazy and it's not that I don't trust the company to reply to my complaint, but I think it would be easier to saturate their toll-free sales phone line, or their web form, instead.

Caldera Product and Sales Inquiries
1-888-GO-LINUX
1-888-465-4689
http://www.caldera.com/company/feedback/

Incidently, here is the Canopy Group's contact information, but please be aware 801 is not a toll-free number, it's a Utah area code.
The Canopy Group
333 South 520 West
Suite 300
Lindon, UT 84042
phone: 801.229.2223 (not a free toll-free number)
fax: 801.229.2458
e-mail: info@canopy.com
http://www.canopy.com/aboutus/contact.htm

We are aware of the CERT CA-2003-07 sendmail issue, and are currently working on fixes for our supported distributions. We will announce the fixes via our normal channels:

Ah, so friend Google, who are the the Canopy Group? Aha. Ray Noorda. http://www.canopy.com

Ok, so here is some "blah" from their web site....

Canopy Group Overview :: Canopy Group has been categorized as a technology accelerator and a dynamic operating company. Funding and influencing emerging technologies and then providing shareable management resources across its portfolio of companies is what Canopy Group does best. Originally founded in 1995, Canopy Group continues to operate by founder Ray Noorda's vision of "co-opetition," where synergies across the portfolio are optimized at the same time that each company develops independent market success.

ie. Hit any in the Canopy Group and you hit'em all. ie. If SCO makes a sucess of this, the rest will share the "management resource".

So who is in the Canopy Group?

• Altiris--Intuitive Manageability. A complete line of web-enabled IT solutions used in managing the corporate IT resource lifecycle.
• AvenueMe--Personal Desktop Shopping. Select and deliver special offers and gift ideas tailored to your interests and gift-giving needs with Desktop Personal Shopper.
• Axiom Press--CultureGrams and More. CultureGrams and other publications focused on serving the needs of elementary, secondary, and collegiate educators and their students.
• Center 7--Host, Manage, Succeed. Managed hosting solutions and painless enterprise management with rapid-deployment solutions.
• Cerberian--Powering Internet-Enabled Products and Services. Internet management solutions that help businesses improve productivity, free up bandwidth, and control Internet access.
• ClearstoneHealth--Improving Healthcare. Technologies to improve healthcare through e-training.
• Cogito--Harness the Power of Your Knowledge. Making knowledge management the essential productivity tool in organizations with complex information systems.
• Communitect--Intelligent Mobile Messaging. Meeting the needs of an increasingly mobile population with simple-yet-powerful mobile management that delivers personal enterprise data to any mobile device
• DataCyrstal--Rapid Indexing of Video Content. Providing flexible solutions for advanced video analysis.
• DeviceLogics--Providing DOS-based solutions.
• Digital Harbor--Correlate, Collaborate, Cross Boundaries. Business front office integration that puts the focus on people, not infrastructure.
• DirectPointe--Managing Your Technology. Enabling businesses to leverage technology by making it simple, manageable, and affordable and allowing you to focus on managing your business.
• EBIZ--We're About Solutions. Providing multi-faceted computing solutions to customers nationwide.
• FatPipe--Low Cost, Highly Redundant Internet Access. Leading-edge technology that provides highly redundant, reliable, and high-speed Internet access for deploying mission critical applications over wide area networks.
• Geolux Communications-Enlightening The World. Geolux provides both enriching content and the learning platform to deliver it.
• Global Mechanical Monitoring
• Helius--Satellite Powered IP Networks.Efficient, secure, and reliable delivery of broadband IP over satellites and local area networks.
• HomePipeline
• iArchives--A New Page in Information Retrieval. The software application that makes finding the valuable details in your data almost effortless.
• Industrial Training Zone--Interactive Industrial Training. Content designed specifically for apprentices and technicians who lack the specialized training required to troubleshoot complex systems utilizing motion control devices.
• JanusLogix--Elevate, Integrate, Generate. Generating a new game by building a web services nanosystem that allows any application service to integrate, elevate, or generate application functionality.
• Linux Networx--Powerful Cluster Technology. Simplied cluster computing, with an end-to-end approach that makes cluster technology more powerful and easy to use for commercial and scientific high performance computing
• Luxul--The Wireless Wave. Patented solutions for indoor, outdoor, fixed, and mobile wireless computing.
• MaxStream--Smart, Wireless Connections. Wireless OEM modules and stand-alone radio modems that provide long range, low power, and advanced networking capabilities
• Mixerz, First Thursday is a national network of member entreprenuers, executives and investors. The organization provides a regular forum for the exchange of ideas, the formation of strategic partnerships, and the fostering of business relationships.
• Mi-Co--Handwritten forms for Mobile Professionals. Innovative end-to-end solutions enabling the wireless capture, storage, communication, and use of forms-based and free-form handwritten data.
• MTI--Innovations in Enterprise Storage. Reliable, integrated, enterprise-wide online storage and backup solutions for customers requiring mission-critical, high-performance storage.
• MyFamily.com--Connecting Families and Generations. The leading network and largest of its kind for connecting families and generations on the Web.
• North Face Learning--We provide students with a high aptitude for computer science a better, faster, and cheaper way to earn a degree.
• Perimeter Labs--Secure Data Solutions. Inventing and bringing to market information security technologies
• Planet Earth Tools--Compact, Versatile, and Powerful. Award-winning, patented handheld tool technologies.
• Power Innovations--The Standard for Perfect, Dependable Power. Committed to total power independence with alternative means of generation, energy storage, conversion, and management of perfect power
• SCO--Smarter. Better. Faster. Providing software solutions for small- to medium-sized businesses and replicated branch offices
• Smart Chip Technologies--Loyalty Program Management. Patent protected loyalty application for use in the smart card and wireless environment.
• SurfChina--Enabling eBusiness. Developing business solutions that help Chinese companies participate in global eBusiness.
• TrollTech--Software that Makes Sense. Enabling professional, efficient, portable and maintainable GUI applications quickly and easily.
• Tuglet--Marketing Powertools. Providing useful web-based communication tools for corporate marketing professionals and home based or small business people.
• Vultus--The Look of Web Services. Delivering web apps that are feature-rich, cost effective and platform independent
• WrenchHead--Automotive Operations Solutions. Providing innovative technology and services to the Automotive Market to further lower operating costs, enhance profitability, and accelerate growth

Oooh looky looky, Trolltech! So when are they going to be forced to sue for $1bn?

I know everyone hates Caldera/SCO around here, but Volution is solid, feature-rich, and made by a Linux company still actually in business. Monty

No Java, no JSP man. Simply use PHP for web development.
Forget Java man and go to PHP!

PHP is 4 times faster than Java technology 'JSP' (Java server pages).
This tallies because compiled "C" program is 4 times faster than Java.

Moreover, PHP is getting the object oriented features of Java language.

The real usefulness of Java is 'Java applets' which run on client browsers but on the server side you simply use PHP.

PHP is a very lightening fast object oriented scripting language. PHP is 100% written in "C" and there is no virtual machine as in Java. Nothing can beat "C" language ("C" is a language which never dies!!)

(Java is just another language. The PHP project needs millions of Java programmers who can add the Java's language features like inner classes, static, private, protected and others to PHP. PHP already has some of java' features).
Java programmers will really "LOVE" PHP as PHP class is identical to Java's class keyword.

Read the benchmars of Java JSP and PHP. PHP tops in the speed!!

Read the doc here and mirrors at [1], [2], [3], [4].

No Java, no JSP man. Simply use PHP for web development.
Forget Java man and go to PHP!

PHP is 4 times faster than Java technology 'JSP' (Java server pages).
This tallies because compiled "C" program is 4 times faster than Java.

Moreover, PHP is getting the object oriented features of Java language.

The real usefulness of Java is 'Java applets' which run on client browsers but on the server side you simply use PHP.

PHP is a very lightening fast object oriented scripting language. PHP is 100% written in "C" and there is no virtual machine as in Java. Nothing can beat "C" language ("C" is a language which never dies!!)

(Java is just another language. The PHP project needs millions of Java programmers who can add the Java's language features like inner classes, static, private, protected and others to PHP. PHP already has some of java' features).
Java programmers will really "LOVE" PHP as PHP class is identical to Java's class keyword.

Read the benchmars of Java JSP and PHP. PHP tops in the speed!!

Read the doc here and mirrors at [1], [2], [3], [4].

Linux is damn near there already, but I think the myriad of choices out there is confusing people.

I think the Linux movement at large should be concerned with having a filesystem hierarchy standard [linuxbase.org] and be working for more common implementations (ie: the Linux kernel and other utilities provided by the GNU Project are but a few). There is such a thing as too much choice. Even the two primary package manager formats (rpm and deb) could be unified with Alien [sourceforge.net], which could be intergrated in a Linux distribution. Linux has the installation [caldera.com] and GUI downpat IMO, but good multimedia/P2P programs are scarce, and even the ones that should work dependably don't (I just sent a bug report in to Real.com because RealPlayer 8 farted out on me). Collaboration on a few key projects might be the solution here.

Finally, when you install games - I have Quake III for Linux - I don't think I should have to spend hours finding the right drivers and libs just to run the damn thing in 640x480. I was looking for old Voodoo2 drivers (I'm broke so I need to work with what I got) and 95% percent of the sites which supposedly had it were no longer up-and-running. I guess when the tech bubble burst, alot of people gave up on the Linux movement (or so it would seem). So maybe the last point is there needs to be reliable and comprehensive resources on the net that newbies and seasoned /. geeks can rely on.

Linux deserves to be the defacto os, but it's going to take a coordinate effort to ever see this happen.

Linux is damn near there already, but I think the myriad of choices out there is confusing people.

I think the Linux movement at large should be concerned with having a filesystem hierarchy standard and be working for more common implementations (ie: the Linux kernel and other utilities provided by the GNU Project are but a few). There is such a thing as too much choice. Even the two primary package manager formats (rpm and deb) could be unified with Alien, which could be intergrated in a Linux distribution. Linux has the installation and GUI downpat IMO, but good multimedia/P2P programs are scarce, and even the ones that should work dependably don't (I just sent a bug report in to Real.com because RealPlayer 8 farted out on me). Collaboration on a few key projects might be the solution here.

Finally, when you install games - I have Quake III for Linux - I don't think I should have to spend hours finding the right drivers and libs just to run the damn thing in 640x480. I was looking for old Voodoo2 drivers (I'm broke so I need to work with what I got) and 95% percent of the sites which supposedly had it were no longer up-and-running. I guess when the tech bubble burst, alot of people gave up on the Linux movement (or so it would seem). So maybe the last point is there needs to be reliable and comprehensive resources on the net that newbies and seasoned /. geeks can rely on.

Linux deserves to be the defacto os, but it's going to take a coordinate effort to ever see this happen. And it can happen. *Ahem* I'm finished now.

Well, Tarantella is still alive and kicking. And on my UnixWare server I have (and often use) the highly useful Webtop.

I'd suggest that you take a look at Caldera's (now SCO, again) Volution Manager. It offers the same features for Unix systems, that M$ SMS offers for Windows. Plus, it can be integrated into larger enterprise management platforms like Unicenter and Tivoli should your needs grow so large. Also, if you are a Compaq/HP shop, Volution Manager integrates with Compaq's Insight Manager which is fabulous for hardware management.

I understand the following will not cater well to a developer community, as I am a developer myself. However, the following are to extremely important points in the business world, and I was surpirsed to find out exactly where SCO/Caldera is already at...

Take a look at their Partners and lots of success stories with customers across the board, including Small to Medium Business, Retail, and Enterprise customers, not to mention a strong reseller force.

Once you're in with these kinds of customers, you're usually in for the long haul.

I understand the following will not cater well to a developer community, as I am a developer myself. However, the following are to extremely important points in the business world, and I was surpirsed to find out exactly where SCO/Caldera is already at...

Take a look at their Partners and lots of success stories with customers across the board, including Small to Medium Business, Retail, and Enterprise customers, not to mention a strong reseller force.

Once you're in with these kinds of customers, you're usually in for the long haul.

Look at the logo again, brainiac. Here, I'll hold your friggin' hand...

• Advanced, scalable, full-featured Internet mail server
• Graphical, easy installation
• Easy to use graphical browser-based administration of mail services
• One click configuration for MicrosoftOutlook 2000 and Outlook XP clients via the easy to use Web-based interface
• Supports the following mail clients: Microsoft Outlook 2000, Outlook 98, Outlook Express, Outlook XP, Eudora(R), Netscape(R) Communicator 4.7, Netscape 6, KMail, and others
• Includes support for Microsoft Outlook busy-free calendaring
• Remote client support via POP3, IMAP4, and Web-based mail client
• Includes LDAPv3 based network directory services
• Unsolicited mail (SPAM) filtering capabilities
• Integration with popular third party virus filtering tools
• Powerful WWW Server via Apache - the world's most popular Web server
• Multi-domain mail server capabilities
• Base product includes 25 concurrent mail addresses; additional licenses available separately

UnitedLinux already is short one founding member.

Too bad it isn't the one we were hoping for.

Drop the vendor: they obviously haven't got a clue what they're talking about.

1) They should read their vendors' EULA's (and probably their own). No software these days is supported. ("This software is provided "AS IS"...).

2) Lots of free software is very much industry proven.

Perhaps you could try a little education.

Ransom gave this link for contributions from caldera: http://www.caldera.com/developers/community/contri b/ Lets take a look at these. AIM benchmarks: Well if you are not satisfied with cat /proc/cpuinfo now you can clock your system with benchmarking software that caldera has provided for you. Caldera Open Administrations System (COAS): these are supposed to be contributions to the entire linux community not a small crappy GPL'ed program they use to promote their own bastardized distro? CScope: it is amazing how they take credit for this, as SCO (Santa Cruz Operation) released this openly before Caldera had anything to do with them Java: Now you are taking credit for Java?!?!? Linux Kernel: and I quote "Caldera has contributed several Linux kernel enhancements, including Windows support, IPX support, NFS, and more". Well I know that I have excellent "Windows" support in my linux kernel, how about you. It looks as if the ipx support is genuine, but NFS has been around longer than caldera. Lizard: Yet another installation system. but this one seems to be very locked down, with not mention of OS licensing, or any available downloads. Again isn't this supposed to be contributions to the Linux community? Netscape: Well sure you saved netscape! OS is the only thing that has saved netscape to this point. NCPS for linux: more netware stuff. Well being that ransom did have a lot of dealings with novell, I guess contributing to this dying networking technology seemed like the right thing to do. NKFS: yet more dying netware support. OpenSLP: Well another BSD style license, for I program I'm sure everyone uses everyday. RPM: quote: "Working with Red Hat, we developed the first package manager." BS! The first and best package management system was the good old tarball. RPM has cause me more trouble than it has avoided me. Webmin: yet another BSD style licensed project "started" by caldera. WordPerfect 6.0: Well thanks for paying for the copy of WP for linux that I also paid for. (someone made a lot of money off this deal). WP for linux was so bad I had to revert back to staroffice after using wp for a week. some things are best not shown as a badge of honor. UDI: vaporware. looks like it was started back in 99, and 3 years later, it is still as un-heard of. So what we have here, is some loose attachments to BSD style licenses, and a bunch of programs written for the dying netware protocols. Ransom, look at what the linux community has actually DONE for you, such as what the foundation for your entire company is. and your ticked!! This guy dosn't stop, so he must be stopped.

i hope the eclipse looks like this...

then it will be worth watching :-/

the real question is,
who was the driver of the semi that fell on your face?

you really should sue him and give up on this rediculous charade...

What are you talking about?

As a faithful SuSE customer, I first appalled that SuSE would start charging per-user licensing fees. I noticed that many others felt the same way from the last Caldera, as long as I can remember, has charged per-seat. Thus, on the economic side of UnitedLinux, _nothing has changed_. The licensing is still the same. It's just that all the certified products are going to interoperate from the bottom-up (i.e., binaries, scripts, etc.).

duh

I really don't understand why every UNIX distribution isn't making these moves.

Some vendors started well before Sun.

IBM comes to mind. What do you think the L in AIX 5L stands for? HP has a different take but an interesting one for HP-UX 11i. Don't forget the company formerly known as SCO has Open Unix with LKP. Honestly I am sure Linux fits in with just about every other Unix vendor these days but you can do your own homework.

You might want to ease up on your Linux horse. I love the OS and spend most of my time there at home but it still has a ways to go before being truly competitive with Unix on the high end. HA clustering, Failover, Common Criteria certification, and widespread SAN vendor support are still lagging.

To pick on just one aspect of your RH tools + Solaris kernel theory, imagine adding heartbeat support to all those tools. Sure it's HA & Linux growing by leaps and bounds but it will take time.

Don't even get me started about CC.

It seems to me that all we'll ever be able to run on Wine is old Windows applications. Any cutting edge applications will not run unless the said app. maintains strict adherence to a old proprietary standard. This means that Wine will always be one step back.

Virtual Machines such as Bochs and VM-Ware will eventually be the only choice for running x86 applications.

Incedently VMWare and Bochs are not new concepts. SCO have had something called Merge for ages, which has allowed people to run Windows on Openserver for years now and more recently allowed Unixware users to do the same.

Wine's forking is a desperately sad attempt to remain as near to the cutting edge in legally grey DMCA infested waters. Virtual Machines and emulators are the way to go, DMCA be dammned.

I agree that Windows platforms are vulnerable due to the ubiquity of the OS and applications. However, I guarantee there's an exploit or twenty hidden in your Mac configuration.

Even mutt had a nice exploit a few months back, in the email address parsing! Not much an attachment-blocking scheme can do about that. I must have missed the Slashdot story regarding this :) (and I'm sure someone will followup with a link to the story if I did)

Just make sure you keep up with patches for whatever computer software you choose to run.

Also look at the Caldera Volution Messaging Server

Xenix ... is now trapped somewhere and will return some day.

Some day is now. Xenix became SCO UnixWare became Open UNIX 8.

Funny quote on that page from Unisys: "Through it, our customers can jointly run Open UNIX 8 and Windows applications, giving them the flexibility of multiple platforms handling diverse responsibilities." Guess they left out the part about "such as using tools that support GIF for all your bitmap image processing needs."

There needs to be ONE place for ALL information about each computer on a network. There needs to be a GUI tool for having a quick look at this information. Is there a better infrastructure already available than Ganymede? Ganymede may not be very close to being able to do this, but can you mention a better starting point?

Michael, if you want to see a system designed more along the lines I think you are suggesting, do take a look at Caldera's Volution network management product.

Which is a bad thing for businesses, because they cannot keep their training schedule up to date.

Seroiusly, who would remove a feature from their app?

It happens all the time, whenever the cost of maintaing the feature exceeds the revenue.

This should require little bandwidth Obviously for some applications it may, and for some organizations they may already have sufficent bandwidth. However there is no doubt at all that bandwidth is a concern that you must ensure is addressed if you are considering using an ASP.

ASPs do this... it is standard practice.

However with ordinary system, if the vendor decides not to do so, then the customer can choose a different organization to do the customization. This happens all the time. With the ASP model the customer has no possibility of doing this.

Ever heard of SSL? TLS

Only helps with client->server connection, if supported properly by the server. Once the data is on the server it's now up to the server to hold it securely.