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SCO's Roadshow Coming Soon

AndyFewt writes "TheRegister has an article on the latest form of SCO FUD, their Roadshow. Funded by HP and kicking off on Oct. 7, SCO users throughout the U.S. and Canada can get their chance to go show Darl just how much they "love" SCO. But of course, Linux users are free to attend."

4 of 439 comments (clear)

  1. What Does Darl Get Out Of It? by waitigetit · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I posted this in a previous SCO thread, but I'm reposting it here, because it's the best answer I can think of to explain SCO's "business model"

    What Does Darl Get Out Of It?

    Darl gets a big fat payoff if he can deliver four straight profitable quarters. Most of it is in stock, which means he'll have to keep up the fiasco for extra quarter or two to cash out.

    At that point, I think we can expect him to leave SCO -- if there is any SCO left to leave. Maybe the final legal showdown will be Darl v. Ralph, to be filed in late 2004 or early 2005. We all know how much Darl loves to sue his employers.

    Anyway, this means the SCO v. IBM case is not likely to ever make it to court because there's *no* motivation for Darl to go that far.

    In the meantime, he'll do whatever it takes to show profit on the next two or three 10-Q's. He'll slash personnel, support, anything, doesn't matter how it affects SCO's long term prospects, as long as he shows profits each quarter.

    He'll try to get people to pay for SCO IP in Linux licenses NOW, not after the case is resolved in court, because he doesn't care what happens that far down the line.

    He needs the money on the books and in the 10-Q next quarter and the following quarter. He's got two profitable quarters in a row now, though he probably wouldn't have made it this quarter without cutting personnel and associated costs. Two more to go, and he's golden.

    If he hasn't done it already, we can expect some *extremely* creative accounting over the next two quarters. Personally, I think that asset listed as "Goodwill" is just the start of SCO's attempts at creative accounting. Or maybe more money from MS. MS, according to the latest 10-Q (available at SEC), has apparently purchased those "expanded licensing options" that were mentioned in the April 30 10-Q.

    Darl's biggest fear is that something will shut down SCO and/or it's FUD machine within the next two-three quarters. If he sounds irrational and afraid, well, that's because he is. He can't pull any more profits out of Germany. Australia, Austria, and Poland are lining up to gag him in their countries. Red Hat's trying to do the same in the U.S. Of course, none of this matters much as long as no court decisions are reached within the next 3 quarters. Which means delay, delay, and delay will be SCO's legal strategy going forward.

    --
    I could care less, but not without a lobotomy
  2. Just what we need by SuperBanana · · Score: 5, Insightful
    But of course, Linux users are free to attend.

    Great. World's first physical DDoS- if enough linux geeks show up, everyone else will want to leave, either because they'll be obnoxious, or look like something out of a cross between an RMS-lookalike-contest and a anti-globalism protest- and smell like one(take your pick on whether tear gas is a curse or a blessing with that crowd).

    Here's an idea everyone- show up at these things impeccably dressed, clean cut, and be a perfect gentleman(or lady); wear only a small linux penguin pin like our lovely "patriots" in the US gov't are so fond of doing these days with the american flag pin. That will impress people far more than a freakshow, no matter how valid your ideas are. Rowdyness, immaturity, and messyness do not impress. They intimidate, scare, and irritate.

    Show the world we're serious, because folks- the linux "community",unlike a real community, we have yet to stand up for ourselves, especially those whose work is being whole-heartedly claimed by someone else- writing opinion pieces, open letters, etc is not "standing up". Legal action is what we need, but showing up in person is a step; we need a face, and we need one better looking and more tactful than RMS.

  3. How much Linux-friendly HP is ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Use of Microsoft products is still a 'political correct' inside HP (vide: dumping OpenMail for Exchange) - their attitude in this matter propably hasn't changed significantly for last few years. After seeing HP from 'inside' for some time (as a contract worker) I've noticed that their Linux support is limited to and only to sell more intel servers and protect their back in case of Microsoft' failure (ie. losing monopoly in OS market). The last thing they want is causing Microsoft angry. In other words, they won't bet on Linux unless they're forced to. And they'll do whatever they can to NOT let Linux gain a dominance in OS market, while being careful to not to lose their 'Linux friendly' PR image. It's definitely NOT the way, IBM has chosen. It's safe to treat them as (mostly) Microsoft shop.

  4. Re:Slashdot Press by Hugh+George+Asm · · Score: 5, Insightful
    > Nothing scares these kinds of lawyers like an organised and informed public!

    This is mearly posturing. The show itself is meaningless. Seats are limited to 50 people per show!! The point of the roadshow is to tell people who ARE NOT THERE what they missed, and to make SCO appear to be a big, vibrant operation that requires road shows. When they talk about it, they won't mention that it was a volkswagon bus with 1 stoned driver talking to 50 sleeping people. The'll make it sound like you missed the world if you weren't there.

    It's all an illusion, smoke and mirrors, because they're banking on the fact that most people are ignorant, and have no clue what a farce their company has become. Future customers--but especially future investors who don't know SCO-- might be impressed by this circus act.