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SCO Will Pay You Not to Use Linux
Verteiron writes: "As if things weren't weird enough already, SCO is now planning to pay companies to migrate away from Linux.. even if it's not toward UNIX. According to the summary over at Groklaw, SCO will provide 'financial incentives and discounts' to users that switch to 'other operating systems that have a stronger IP basis than Linux.' This doubly amusing when considered together with the following statements straight from SCO's 8-K form filed with the SEC:
'...plans to expand SCO's intellectual property licensing program to allow for migration alternatives to end users... and continued efforts to protect SCO's UNIX intellectual property rights and SCO's belief that the private investment will enhance SCO's ability to pursue currently pending legal actions... SCO has a history of unprofitability and has only realized revenue from its SCOsource licensing initiative during the last two quarters...'"
RedHat's case rests on the allegation that SCO's actions are deliberately trying to damage RedHat's sales potential (as the #1 Linux distribution). This would seem to directly support that allegation.
The same could be said for IBM's counterclaim.
$8,000,000 according to the 8-K. And another large sum sometime prior to that.
End of lesson. You may press the button.
Here's an article from a UK source today, called Microsoft millions back SCO case. It also highlights Boies' et. al. backing of SCO. Just so there's no confusion about who it is that's scared of Linux.
Excuse me... but wouldn't offering financial incentives to not use a competetive product be illegal in some way?
I mean, it's legal to give incentives to use my product... but to drive a competitors business away...?
There was a South Park episode where gnomes kept stealing Kyle's(?) underwear. When asked why they explained their three step business plan:
1. Steal Underwear
2. ???
3. Great Profit!
First: Collect underpants The second step is unknown The third step: Profit!
This post is free (as in cheese in a mousetrap).
See more South Park's Investing Lesson
A religious war is an adult version of a fight over who has the best imaginary friend
"What if SCO *wants* to be purchased by MS? What would happen to Linux if MS owned the rights to UNIX?"
There seems to be lot of confusion over this. SCO does not own UNIX, and if Microsft were to buy SCO they would not own UNIX either. Novell holds the patents and the OpenGroup owns the trademark.
1> Microsoft Anti-Trust ("won" even though MS is still a monopoly and abusing it's power more than ever, and the settlement was a weak blow off at best)
to be fair, the failure of the department of justice to pursue effective remedies after the conviction of Microsoft isnt really Boies' fault.
Also, you are forgetting about the disbarment threat he's under in Miami as a result of legal shennanigans over litigation involving his girlfriend's landscaping company.
Darth --
Nil Mortifi, Sine Lucre
microsoft wasn't part of that investment deal, but they WERE the first to buy licenses.