Linux vs. SCO: The Decision Matrix

hexidec writes "Haven't seen this here yet, though I may have missed it. Anyway... A group of Australian techies have put together an analysis matrix of the likelyhood of each SCO Unix claim being true, and what outcome would most likely result if so. Puts a lot of the various recent suppositions in one handy place."

Comments

Mirror for the slashdot effect

[zubernerd]

Ahhh... I feel the slashdot effect. Since this doc has tables, I put a mirror up. http://mirrors.tatay.org/lnxsco.html Cheers y'all!

Re:Mirror for the slashdot effect

[Saint Aardvark]

And another, 'cos what the hell:

http://saintaardvarkthecarpeted.com/linux_vs_sco_m atrix.html

Re:Mirror for the slashdot effect

[Archie Steel]

I don't know...I do find the argument that SCO continued to distribute Linux after they knew (and, in fact, announced) that allegedly infringing code was in it to be quite compelling. The GPL is not just there for show, it is a license and as such is based on the same law as the one that makes other software licenses valid.

Now, SCO's argument is that even if they did distribute Linux, they weren't aware of their code allegedly being in Linux. However, and this is important, they continued to distribute it afterward - and not a day or two, but a full month after disclosure. In other words, they knowingly distributed the offending code under the GPL, therefore releasing it to the Linux community. Note that this has, in fact, not much to do with the lawsuit against IBM, which is a breach of contract suit. SCO seems to have acknowledged that they can't legally sue Linux companies, which would be a violation of the GPL, and therefore Linux will be unaffected even if SCO wins against IBM. In other words, they're saying "the genie's out of the bottle, we can't put it back in, but at least we'll sue the one who let it out." That's how I read it, anyway. IANAL.

The Google Cache

[_Sambo]

And here it is

http://216.239.37.104/search?q=cache:FOhL0ah_AIQJ: www.cyber.com.au/users/conz/linux_vs_sco_matrix.ht ml+Linux+vs.+SCO:+The+Decision+Matrix&hl=en&ie=UTF -8 Slashdot. The fastest crasher on the web.

Pointless effort

[Anonymous Coward]

Why host the page on your own site when google already HAS THE CACHE

Re:Preaching to the quire

[pongo000]

Linux has already been affected by companies who have shown increased sales since beginning to spew FUD about "stolen IP" in Linux.

So true. But companies won't come right out and admit to this -- makes them look foolish.

Case in point: I was all set to introduce our school district (>50,000 students, 9 high schools) to Linux as an economic alternative to Novell. Servers were purchased (ProLiant DLs with dual processors and 6-disk RAIDs), Linux was installed, testing was done, quotas set up, we were ready to roll -- and then SCO dropped their bombshell. A week went by...two weeks...I discovered that due to "security" concerns, the servers were to be converted to Novell servers.

"Security" concerns? Bullshit. I had already worked several weeks with the network gurus to put their security concerns to rest.

This is but one government entity. The damage SCO has caused is quite extensive, and those who deny it are hiding their heads in the sand.

Who would have thought that Linux (and open-source software in general) would be brought to its knees by an indirect blow? Here we were, thinking the battle was to be fought in Redmond, when in fact we were flanked by SCO and didn't even realize it until it was too late.

Such is the price of hubris and arrogance. "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle." (Sun Tzu, Art of War)

Re:That would be the worst thing for Linux

[jfinke]

Thank you. That is exactly what has happened at my company. My linux servers (which were soon going into production) are being formated with W2K as we speak.

For an actual relevent thesis of SCO vs. IBM...

[RALE007]

see the OSI's release on the suit: OSI's IBM vs. SCO Position

It is the most relevant and insightful material I have seen to date and I highly recommend reading it.