SCO Threatens to Press IP Claims on Linux -$99/cpu

Tangential writes "New story on LinuxBusiness week says SCO is about to mount an effort to get all Linux sites to pay a per cpu license for so-called patent violations."SCO has been proposing to charge users $96 per CPU for a so-called one-time System 5 for Linux software license to protect their systems from SCO-enforced patent issues if they ante up as soon as demand is made." They've retained David Boies (DOJ prosecutor of Microsoft) to handle the legal issues." Note: I've been unable to substantiate this - which are fairly incendiary claims. Further updates as more is heard.

Comments

My date my be set wrong..

[metacosm]

I had no idea it was April 1st. But judging from the last 2 slashdot stories, it must be. This one and the "Science Project Quadruples Surfing Speed". Yikes!

Re:My date my be set wrong..

[swordboy]

"They've retained David Boies (DOJ prosecutor of Microsoft) to handle the legal issues."

This should read:

"They've retrained David Boies (DOJ prosecutor of Microsoft) to handle the legal issues."

Only in the US!

New SCO Publication...

[Spit]

How to win friends and influence people.

"Ransom" Love, indeed

[1010011010]

"Ransom" Love, indeed

Re:"Ransom" Love, indeed

[cdrudge]

Ransom is no longer a part of SCO or Caldera anymore and hasn't been for some time. He left shortly after UnitedLinux came into being. Apparently he appointed himself as the omnipotent ruler and spokesman of UnitedLinux without the input of any of the others. Because of this, he was quickly replaced with some lady who's name escapes me. Last I heard he was writing an autobiography or something called For The Love Of It.

Idiots think.

[ruckc]

We all most likely use SYSTEM 5 init scripts because they look so much prettier than BSD-style.

$99 or $96 per cpu?

[Anonymous Coward]

I was horrified to read that SCO was planning on charging $99 per cpu! Thats outrageous!!

You can imagine my relief when, reading further, I see that its $96/cpu.

Re:$99 or $96 per cpu?

[Anonymous Coward]

You can imagine my relief when, reading further, I see that its $96/cpu.

Yes, and for sufficently large values of cpu, it works out to be just pennies!

Context?

[saider]

Unconfirmed sources say that a confidential source, while taking a shit, heard an anonymous executive talking about a meeting with a person who will be unnamed (possibly Jenna Jameson), and at that meeting, the discussion was about the dire financial situation of the company ( the word 'fucked' was heard repeatedly ).

Or maybe someone was commenting about a movie he rented last night.

Re:of course

[Ponty]

If you steal them, they don't cost anything.

Uh-Oh! The Fearsome David Boies!

[occamboy]

Ooooooohhhh! How scary! The man who split Microsoft into two companies! And ensured that Albert Gore assumed the US Presidency!

Given Boise's track record, we can all sleep well tonight.

Re:of course

[cioxx]

Didn't your momma ever teach you - when committing theft, always reach for the 17" Powerbook first?

Re:Random Love still leads the company??

[Ponty]

Ransom Love. A little more predictable, but with more sinister implications.

Very good suggestion.

[Anonymous Coward]

And kids, if you're going to post the full text, post it as a/c for crying out loud.

Now that my Karma is Excellent, I will.

Re:Strike back!

[CommandNotFound]

How do we make SCO an example to the world that this is a very bad idea?

I know! From now on, nobody buy their products!

Oh, wait...

Re:of course

[Anonymous Coward]

The linux community has a long and sad history of abusing IP property rights. I'm glad that for this. Next I would like to see a $75(USD) fee for Xwindows implementations.

Re:Too Late !

[jenssoderberg]

This is when hurd steps in.

Re:Based on Slashdot comments

[carlos_benj]

SCO was dead, as Novell, so how a dead company do this?

It's really a zombie process.....

False alarm

[carlos_benj]

They've retained David Boies (DOJ prosecutor of Microsoft) to handle the legal issues.

Oh, then their suit will change nothing.....

Linux Business Week Runs On IIS & Access??

[wang33]

Is it just me or does something seem wrong with a linux site running IIS? here is the error i got Error Executing Database Query.
[MERANT][SequeLink JDBC Driver][ODBCSocket][Microsoft][ODBC Microsoft Access Driver]
Could not update; currently locked by user 'admin' on machine 'WEBSERVER'.
The error occurred in
E:\Inetpub\wwwroot\linux\articlenews.cfm: line 200
198 :
199 :
200 : cellpadding=0>
201 :
202 :
SQL
update linuxArticles SET hits = '616' where ID = 381
DATASOURCE
content
VENDORERRORCODE
-1102
SQLSTATE
HY000



Looks like access lasted longer than some sites with mysql db's there were 80 comments before i got this error. I have seen mysql go down stop accepting requests in under 50 comments.


Wang33

Re:Too Late !

[CableModemSniper]

screw HURD! FreeBSD here I come. And Linux is dying!

Re:Too Late !

[Anonymous Coward]

That might be a good idea anyway. This place is beginning to look like Jurassic Park - full of dinosaurs.

Hey, maybe this is all an evil plot by RMS to get us all to join the Hurd ;-)

Re:My date m(a)y be set wrong..

[Anonymous Coward]

=> May date my be set wrong?

Re:Duh!

[Hellkitten]

Is this really happening exclusive or is it early in the morning and I'm a sucker to a hoax?

Yes

I think you need to brush up your logic:

true xor true = false
true xor false = true
false xor true = true
false xor false = false

Will someone squash SCO/Caldera/whatever already?

[defile]

They're like the buzzing of an insignificant group of retarded flies who keep demanding attention when they have nothing noteworthy.

Here's a plan.

• SCO's current market capitalization is 215 million dollars, with no majority stakeholder.
• We Linux hackers start DEATH TO SCO, Inc. whose sole purpose is to destroy SCO.
• The company makes it very clear that when it has enough money, it will purchase a controlling stake of SCO on the market.
• People with a stake in Linux, instead of paying their patent, would donate to this company instead. I would never pay their $96/cpu license, but I'd consider $500 towards crushing SCO to be money well spent.
• The very existence of DEATH TO SCO, Inc. would drive down SCO's stock price, which would make it even easier to acquire.
• Once the company acquires a controlling stake in SCO, it liquidates it down to the fucking floorboards, and crushes all of its patents.
• SCO's accounts are transferred to SCO-to-Linux support companies who will migrate them over to a sensible Linux distribution.

Sounds like fun. I call dibs on the SCO Ethics Manual.

Is't Windows using the same IP Stack too?

[Anonymous Coward]

Linux, *BSD, Windows somewhat all same some part of the same IP Stack... I was beleiving that it was BSD that did most of the IP stack was based on, am I wrong on this???
Well anyway why don't we wait for Microsoft to deffend Linux because somewhat they infrige the Patent too? Or have Microsoft buyed Caldera/SCO and not told anyone?

Re:My date m(a)y be set wrong..

[lahi]

May. Or may not. There is no my.

-Lasse