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Are You Ready for the SCO Blitz?

eibhear writes "Over on Groklaw, PJ has a theory that SCO is about to embark on an astroturfing campaign, based somewhat on Darl McBride's repeated comparison of the Slashdot and Groklaw styles of blogging at the recent SCOForum conference. PJ reckons: 'an astroturf campaign depends upon a non-moderated site, which explains McBride's sudden fondness for Slashdot.' '" The whole thing is really fishy, but the story is really worth reading just to see the weird battle occurring between SCO and Groklaw now.

505 comments

  1. I like SCO by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    SCO is cool and stuff!

    1. Re:I like SCO by Ralph+Yarro · · Score: 5, Funny

      SCO is cool and stuff!

      Absolutely. As a completely unbiased and disinterested observer I have always found SCO's case immensely compelling. I have bought SCO Source licenses for all my friends at Canopy. They make great presents, especially while the low prices last!

      --

      The real Ralph Yarro posts as Anonymous Coward. Anyone else is an impostor.
    2. Re:I like SCO by sTalking_Goat · · Score: 1

      rofl. I can't wait to see Darl quoting you in a speech.

      --

      My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle...

    3. Re:I like SCO by SatanicPuppy · · Score: 2, Funny

      Heh. I'd say that the only way this would work is if the SCO people could manufacture a loyal userbase, but it's more likely that they'll just hire PR people to constantly post BS, which is about the sorriest thing I can think of. I mean, say what you will about Microsoft, but there are people who really like their products.

      I remember when SCO was a respected and trusted name. They did Unix, they did Linux, they were cool.

      I still keep my laptop in an old Caldera laptop bag I got at the convention where they got a standing O for announcing that they were changing their name to SCO. Bag's kind of ugly now because I hacked off all the logos with my pocket knife and burned them into a little pile of sludge in an ashtray outside a building where I pitched a system that did not involve even the smallest bit of SCO. I look forward to the day when the rest of SCO looks like those charred and melted logos.

      And, of course, it goes without saying that I'll be happy to post this and my many other anti-sco viewpoints 24/7 on any site they put up.

      --
      ad logicam Claiming a proposition is false because it was presented as the conclusion of a fallacious argument.
    4. Re:I like SCO by Tackhead · · Score: 1
      > Absolutely. As a completely unbiased and disinterested observer I have always found SCO's case immensely compelling. I have bought SCO Source licenses for all my friends at Canopy. They make great presents, especially while the low prices last!

      Hey! Wait a minute. I saw SCO's revenue figures in their latest quarterly filings. And based on my IT department's spending figures, that revenue couldn't have come from you -- because it came from me!

      Speaking as a completely unbiased and disinterested observer I have always found SCO's case immensely compelling. I have bought SCO Source licenses for all my friends at Canopy. They make great presents, especially while the low prices last!

      You must be one of them astroturfers!

    5. Re:I like SCO by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I hacked off all the logos with my pocket knife and burned them into a little pile of sludge

      Dude... that was a future collector's item!

    6. Re:I like SCO by vsprintf · · Score: 1

      Heh. I'd say that the only way this would work is if the SCO people could manufacture a loyal userbase, but it's more likely that they'll just hire PR people to constantly post BS, which is about the sorriest thing I can think of.

      Last I heard, SCO still had about 300 people. Say 100 are lawyers. That still leaves 200 with nothing to do except post on Slashdot. Some old timers may even have low UIDs. Has anyone ever seen a (non-funny) post from anyone who admits to working for SCO in the last couple of years? I'm not paranoid, but I know they're here - watching, waiting. :)

      If there isn't a band by the same name, I hereby copyright and reserve all rights to the term aSCOturfer.

    7. Re:I like SCO by tafinucane · · Score: 1

      OldSCO gear gives you street cred. I get (or at least imagine I get) weird looks wearing my SCO fleece vest at the San Jose airport.

      I worked at their last forum in Santa Cruz. In addition to manning a webcam, I was a SCO disc-tosser at the keynote speech/rally. Imagine the dropped balloons at a convention, except we were throwing blades (steeply angled, hard to catch frisbee throw) at a bunch of unsuspecting office workers.

      The whole event was a little sad because they had just been bought by Caldera. The powers in charge were trying to talk up Tarrantella and Linux, and the poor UnixWare developers were wondering whether anybody cares about them anymore.

      Anyway, the point is I grabbed a few dozen SCO freestyle discs to go with my attractive vest.

    8. Re:I like SCO by Proudrooster · · Score: 2, Funny

      Dude! SCO ROCKS!

      I can't wait for the next version of their killer O/S. It's very similar to that crappy FREE version called Linux. I am going to buy SCO stock as soon as the markey opens on Monday., they product is so good that everyone in the world is going to be licensing it by the truckload.

      I tried buying an older SCO product from CDW and it has been backorderd for over a month. Apparently, SCO is selling so much product that they can't even print the license keys fast enough.

      I am really looking forward to the next version of UnixWare and all the innovative OpenSource products that it will include that have been cleaned up, secured, and neatly organized by SCO software engineers. Without SCO repackaging Open Source software, we'd have it get it from all those loose cannon, non-professional programmers. I for one want to thank SCO for adding professionalism to software engineering world. Let's face it, you can't trust just any programmer to do a good job.


      Ok I can't take it anymore, I have to go throw up now......

    9. Re:I like SCO by Bush+Pig · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Don't forget that any pro-SCO post is liable to be moderated "Troll" or "Off Topic" in a heartbeat, so astroturfing won't work too well.

      --
      What a long, strange trip it's been.
    10. Re:I like SCO by yintercept · · Score: 1
      I remember when SCO was a respected and trusted name. They did Unix, they did Linux, they were cool.

      I've heard that SCO is getting back to its Santa Cruz roots. Didn't the SCO Provo office recently start allowing clothing optional Fridays?

      Of course, with the inbreeding of Provo, things get a bit awkward. I heard that several of the workers had a double take on the first clothing optional Friday when they discovered several of their co-workers had three nipples.

    11. Re:I like SCO by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't forget that any pro-SCO post is liable to be moderated "Troll" or "Off Topic" in a heartbeat

      Not true at all, it's a measure of their failure that for as long as I can remember now any pro-SCO post is moderated as funny on the assumption that it was humor. Sometimes subtle humor. Nobody takes SCO's claims seriously enough to believe that anyone believes them.

    12. Re:I like SCO by Abundantes · · Score: 0

      One thing is true:
      SCO and the according coverage has been the best source of entertainment in the FOSS area for a while...

      They and their puppets are even more funny than Austrian Politics (which are comedian to the boot IMHO).

      I say: More power to them, but they should really swap their business to standup comedy.
      Thats what they're good at.

      --
      This is good for nothing. Ignore it or send it to the Customer Care Dept.
    13. Re:I like SCO by FrankHaynes · · Score: 1
      OldSCO gear gives you street cred.


      CRAP! I just threw out a big box of real, live, gennywine SCO Xenix paper manuals, complete with Larry Michaels-era logos on the binders.

      I probably could have gotten serious dollars on eBay for them. :-(

      --
      slashdot: A failed experiment.
    14. Re:I like SCO by tehcyder · · Score: 1
      And so is Microsoft!!!

      ...oops, went a bit far there. Sorry.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    15. Re:I like SCO by SenseiLeNoir · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yes, SCO is sooo cool, in over one year, they have raised the profile of Linux, got untold number of normal (read NON-TECHIES) interested in Open, and Free software.

      They have raised the issues of copyright and brought it to a point where people are genuinely discussing it, and rationalising it by finding a middleground from the RIAA style "all bases belong.." and the typical anti RIAA "screw copyright"...

      They have shown a great example on how NOT to run a business.. (hint hint, Billy Boy, you do a SCO, and watch it..)

      It has shown the Linux crowd is not just a rabid mob of disassociated developers, but can motivate and rally together in a constructive manner. It has shown the accountability of Open Source development and its advantages over proprietary methods, and where faults did exist, it has been clearly highlighted, and resolved.

      It has show the commercial viability of Linux. Remember, if there was no Linux users in a commercial environment, how would SCO even be able to sue? How many of you knew that Autozone actually used Linux?

      The Issue with EV1 and their payment of licenses, followed by the public apology of the Director, shows how clients are demanding Linux, and the upset and anger expressed shows other business, don't mess with the community. What the community giveth, it may take away.

      SCO have raised the profile of Linux beyond our dreams. Those of you who have bosses saying "erm, Linux, doesn't it have issues?", remember a year ago, they may have not even known what Linux is in the first place. If the community can show a lot of maturity, and ride the publicity well, it would again be a gain for Linux.

      Talking about community, there is another myth, SCO helped to dispel. Before SCO, the Linux community was seen as a bunch of geeks, loosely associated with relatively new businesses like Red Hat and Suse. Since SCO, the linux community is now seen as a bunch of focussed geeks, strongly associated with large companies such as IBM, Novell, and even none tech people (such as PJ from Groklaw).

      It looks like SCO (and their puppetmasters, MS) have done more to raise Linux, than harm it. Those of you who say that their bosses are concerned about Linux

      THANK YOU SCO!

      --
      Have a nice day!
    16. Re:I like SCO by Destoo · · Score: 1

      I therefore suggest a new moderating flag.

      -1 SCO

      --
      Nouvelles de jeux et technologies en français. TC
    17. Re:I like SCO by iamacat · · Score: 1

      if the SCO people could manufacture loyal userbase

      With proper indoctrination, there is no problem for SCO employees to get their children to use UnixWare. Effective immediately, the company is hiring hundreds of female interns and putting curtains on cubicle entrances to maximize manufacturing productivity.

  2. Damnit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    When will SCO realize they're SOL?

    1. Re:Damnit by garcia · · Score: 3, Insightful

      SCO doesn't have to realize anything. The investors that keep pumping money into SCO are the ones that need to realize it and pull the fuck out.

    2. Re:Damnit by rampant+mac · · Score: 4, Funny
      "When will SCO realize they're SOL?"

      When SCO is DOA. RIP. IANAL, but IBM will send them out to BFE, ASAP. WTF?

      --
      I like big butts and I cannot lie.
    3. Re:Damnit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      OMGWTFBBQ!?!

    4. Re:Damnit by Mateito · · Score: 3, Informative
      keep pumping ... and pull the fuck out

      In Sydney they call that "getting off at Redfern".

    5. Re:Damnit by TopShelf · · Score: 1

      *eyes becoming glazed over*

      Why of course, SCO realizes that they are SOL, as in the Single Optimized Leader in the IT industry, the wellspring from which immeasurable intellectual property has sprung, and agent of change which is reshaping the operating systems landscape.

      IT consumers everywhere would be wise to scoop up those SCOSource licenses while they're going fast...

      *eyes return to normal*

      Trust me, dude, they are not just SOL, they are circling the toilet bowl. This astroturfing stuff has no chance whatsoever...

      --
      Stop by my site where I write about ERP systems & more
    6. Re:Damnit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You know, I'd move to Australia just to hear phrases like that. The euphemisms are just so boring here in the USA..

    7. Re:Damnit by Bush+Pig · · Score: 1

      It's not exactly a euphemism, as you'd realise if you'd ever seen Redfern ...

      I choose not to live in Sydeny, btw.

      --
      What a long, strange trip it's been.
    8. Re:Damnit by Daath · · Score: 1

      Frank told me to post this

      Is that a reference to Donnie Darko? :)

      --
      Any technology distinguishable from magic, is insufficiently advanced.
    9. Re:Damnit by Mateito · · Score: 1

      I lived in Redfern when I was a student at Sydney Union. 11 Hugo St. The back of our-house backed onto The Block.

      Interesting couple of years. Hammers through the window, back-yard full of wild kids, drunk women fighting in the street... but yeah... cheap rent. We never felt threatened, and locals didn't seem to care about us.

      From what I've seen in the news recently, its got a lot worse that it was when I was there.

      And, yeah, I also chose not to live in Sydney. :)

  3. SCO are great by captainclever · · Score: 1, Funny

    Groklaw lies..

    SCO are Great!
    SCO are Great!
    SCO are Great!
    SCO are Great!

    --
    Last.fm - join the social music revolution
    1. Re:SCO are great by Lead+Butthead · · Score: 2, Funny

      Sounded vaguely like "Allah is great..."

      --
      ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI!?
    2. Re:SCO are great by BarryNorton · · Score: 2, Funny

      If only posters could be modded incite-full...

    3. Re:SCO are great by Cpt_Kirks · · Score: 3, Funny

      "Allah is great..."

      SCO Akbar?

    4. Re:SCO are great by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


      (Score:1, Interesting)
      ... gotta get me some of that moderator crack...

    5. Re:SCO are great by Dehumanizer · · Score: 5, Funny

      There are no Groklaw soldiers in Utah! I triple-guarantee you!

      --
      The Tlog - a technology blog
    6. Re:SCO are great by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I like my Allah with cheese and a quarter pound of beef.

    7. Re:SCO are great by dgatwood · · Score: 1
      They can. It's called flamebait.

      Oh, and just to stay on topic, in Soviet Russia, atroturf SCOs you.... no, wait.... Imagine a beowulf cluster of astroturfers... no.... Ah, I've got it.

      SCO trying to promote their POV on /. is something akin to a Republican campaigning in northern California or a democrat in Utah. Sure, you might be able to convince people that you have a few supporters in those areas, but on the flip side, even Hitler had a few fans....

      Godwin would be proud....

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

  4. Pay Up Lusers! by Gatton · · Score: 5, Funny

    SCO is here and we are the rightful owners of Linux. So pay your licenses slashdotters or feel the wrath of Darl!

    Oh crap I'm not signed in am I?

    1. Re:Pay Up Lusers! by digitalgiblet · · Score: 3, Funny
      " SCO is here and we are the rightful owners of Linux. So pay your licenses slashdotters or feel the wrath of Darl!"

      Would that be Darth Darl?

    2. Re:Pay Up Lusers! by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Somehow, I think that a sudden SURRGE in satisfied SCO users would be an anomaly attracting attention...

      --
      "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
      Never been known to fail..."
    3. Re:Pay Up Lusers! by EvilAlien · · Score: 1

      He's more of a Darph Bobo, IMO.

      --
      perl -e 'print $i=pack(c5, (41*2), sqrt(7056), (unpack(c,H)-2), oct(115), 10)'
    4. Re:Pay Up Lusers! by Citizen+of+Earth · · Score: 1

      SCO is here and we are the rightful owners of Linux. So pay your licenses slashdotters or feel the wrath of Darl!

      Now just watch Darl invent anti-faux astroturfing. I suppose you can counter-anti-faux astroturf that, though.

    5. Re:Pay Up Lusers! by weapon · · Score: 0

      Darl Darl he is our man if he can't do it no one can!

      where is my check?

    6. Re:Pay Up Lusers! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > feel the wrath of Darl!"

      Would that be Darth Darl?


      You're getting your sci-fi mixed up. This one is more like "DHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARL!".

    7. Re:Pay Up Lusers! by ScrewMaster · · Score: 1

      Yeah. Darlth Vader. The real one had a really cool helmet though.

      --
      The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
    8. Re:Pay Up Lusers! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Would that be Darth Darl?

      No, it's Darl as in "I'm Darl and these are my brothers, Darl and Darl."

      Put a suit on them banjo strumming pump & dumpers and throw them into a tank of trial attorneys and you've got more fun than a case of Old Milwaukee and a bug zapper!

    9. Re:Pay Up Lusers! by mrchaotica · · Score: 1

      Hey, that gives me an idea for a new topic icon! It would go really well with Borg Gates.

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

  5. But .. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Can it still beat my Honda Hybrid ?

  6. Astroturfing? by kpansky · · Score: 4, Funny

    How could anyone accuse a reputable company like mine^h^h^h^h SCO of blatantly manipulating people like that.

    This is obviously an attempt by the administrators of this website to discredit SCO and avoid paying for their legally extort^w required license.

    --

    --Kevin
    1. Re:Astroturfing? by boarder8925 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Dear Slashdot reader,

      I thank you for your attempts at bringing honor back to the SCO name. In reward for your efforts, I'm willing to offer you a 1% discount when you purchase your Linux license.

      Sincerely,
      Darl McBride

    2. Re:Astroturfing? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


      This is obviously an attempt by the administrators of this website to discredit SCO and avoid paying for their legally extort^w required license.

      Hello.. 1 2 1 2 Is this thing on ?

      Yeah, and as I was^H^H^H^H^HÎ this guy was saying, I have never understood how people can accept the truth^H^H^H^H false statements made by this website towards my company.

    3. Re:Astroturfing? by u-235-sentinel · · Score: 1

      Dear Slashdot reader,

      I thank you for your attempts at bringing honor back to the SCO name. In reward for your efforts, I'm willing to offer you a 1% discount when you purchase your Linux license.

      Sincerely,
      Darl McBride


      Dear Darl,

      I just bought a mac. Send me the money instead.

      Sincerely,

      A previous SCO user.

      --
      Has Comcast disconnected your Internet account? Same here. You can read about it at http://comcastissue.blogspot.com
    4. Re:Astroturfing? by Dehumanizer · · Score: 2, Funny

      "A previous SCO user."

      Man, what have you done? Now they'll sue you!

      --
      The Tlog - a technology blog
    5. Re:Astroturfing? by killjoe · · Score: 1

      All kidding aside I wonder what the astro turfers will get paid. It might be a way to make a few extra bucks.

      Maybe the MS astro turfers can tell us how much they are getting paid so we know what to charge.

      --
      evil is as evil does
    6. Re:Astroturfing? by isorox · · Score: 1

      SCO Rules. Honest.

      Can I have that $6 up front?

  7. It wouldn't be beneath Darl by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    SCO news is never good.

  8. I don't know what you mean! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    SCO is an honourable company based upon a sound business model. The evil Linux hackers stole all of our..*cough* their code, and gave it away for free. Heathens!

    -Dar...Trollkore?

  9. Lies are still lies. by gsfprez · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I for one welcome our astroturfing overlords from Utah.

    (btw: wtf is in the water out there? SCO, Orrin Hatch, etc.)

    i welcome them because be it on Groklaw or on /., they still got jack shit in the "what is true" department.

    in fact - bring it on so that you can trial ballon every ounce of bullcrap here first, before putting it out in the press, so we can prep for it and practice beating it down here.

    --
    guns kill people like spoons make Rosie O'Donnell fat.
    1. Re:Lies are still lies. by blugu64 · · Score: 5, Funny
      --
      "Personal ownership is a hallmark of conservative capitalism. And I don't believe I am entitled to anything that I did n
    2. Re:Lies are still lies. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      (btw: wtf is in the water out there? SCO, Orrin Hatch, etc.)

      Salt, man. Lotsa salt.

    3. Re:Lies are still lies. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      naw theres salt in other places too, i think its the mormons

    4. Re:Lies are still lies. by stratjakt · · Score: 5, Funny

      It is the mormons.

      Apparantly through some twisted variation on natural selection, some of them lost an "M".

      --
      I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
    5. Re:Lies are still lies. by kpansky · · Score: 2, Funny

      Thats not how you spell 'morans'. Duh.

      --

      --Kevin
    6. Re:Lies are still lies. by hal9000 · · Score: 0, Redundant

      Mormon pee.

      --
      Look out honey, 'cause I'm using technology; Ain't got time to make no apology
    7. Re:Lies are still lies. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
      It is the mormons. Apparantly through some twisted variation on natural selection, some of them lost an "M".

      Oh no! The ormons are coming!

    8. Re:Lies are still lies. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Thats not how you spell 'morans'. Duh.

      I can't work out whether this mis-spelling is very very clever, or very very moronic.

    9. Re:Lies are still lies. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Joseph Smith wrote the book of Mormon, DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM!

    10. Re:Lies are still lies. by rainman_bc · · Score: 1

      ROFLMAO What's with the water:)

      We were visiting my better half's uncle in Salt Lake City, and he told us that Utah has the highest prozak prespription levels in America. He theorizes it's because Mormon's aren't aloud to drink or do illicit drugs...

      It's apparantly so problematic that their temples (?) are talking about it to the congregations.

      Maybe it's all the Prozak?

      --
      09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0
    11. Re:Lies are still lies. by rainman_bc · · Score: 0, Redundant

      some of them lost an "M".

      What's the big deal about being an ormon?

      --
      09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0
    12. Re:Lies are still lies. by PitaBred · · Score: 1

      I'd vote clever. Bad spellers usually know they are, and try to not bring the fact to light too much ;)

    13. Re:Lies are still lies. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It wasn't that funny an hour before you posted it

    14. Re:Lies are still lies. by linuxwebadmin · · Score: 0

      It's not the water. It is all the time on the trampolines in their youth. Ever notice how nearly every mormon family has a trampoline?

      --
      Show me packet captures and log entires, or it never happened.
    15. Re:Lies are still lies. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Four nearly identical replies.. my, are we obvious today?

    16. Re:Lies are still lies. by Xeth · · Score: 1

      What the hell are you talking about? Wtf is an Ormon?

      --
      If your theory is different from practice, then your theory is wrong.
    17. Re:Lies are still lies. by ScrewMaster · · Score: 1

      (btw: wtf is in the water out there? SCO, Orrin Hatch, etc.)

      I dunno, that's a good question. If this were Nevada I'd say it had something to with Area 51, but as it is I really can't figure it out.

      --
      The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
    18. Re:Lies are still lies. by sl3xd · · Score: 1

      wtf is in the water out there

      Well, considering it's quite literally Rocky Mountain spring water...

      Trace minerals, Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium, dissolved Oxygen, a bit of Chlorine for the larger municipal water systems, copper that leeches from the plumbing...

      And finally, "...the most monstrously conceived and dangerous communist plot we have ever had to face"

      Fluoride

      Although the Fluoride is less than 4 years old since its addition, and is still quite the controversy.

      --
      -- Sometimes you have to turn the lights off in order to see.
    19. Re:Lies are still lies. by mr_walrus · · Score: 1

      and if they didnt have a leg to stand on they be normons...

      could you handle a normon invasion?

    20. Re:Lies are still lies. by miniRMS · · Score: 1

      Don't forget Johnny Utah - He'll save the day! "UTAH stands and solemnly waits for the universe to deliver final justice. The cops are running clumsily across the sand, too late to stop Bodhi. Tyler steps up behind Johnny, and puts her hands on his shoulders." R

  10. All you slashdotters better recognize by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    SCO in the house! What! What! I'll post again shortly, after I mail off my first invoice to Darl.

  11. Mods? by einhverfr · · Score: 1, Funny

    hehe. If I had a mod point, I would rate you as funny. You have done an extremely good job of a parody of an astroturf campaign.

    --

    LedgerSMB: Open source Accounting/ERP
  12. Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting
    PJ reckons: 'an astroturf campaign depends upon a non-moderated site

    Which, thankfully isn't slashdot. Most readers probably don't know this, but the editors have full control over moderation, and can use their unlimited mod points to mod stuff over and over again. It doesn't show up publicly, but editors have been doing this for quite some time.

    By doing this, they can trigger IP bans and therefore thwart these nefarious astroturfing campaigns. I trust the good editors here to use their unlimited powers justly, to keep things ontopic, and relevant.

    1. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by stratjakt · · Score: 1, Funny

      As long as you dont badmouth the iPod or Tivo, you're safe around here.

      I keep making the mistake of mentioning what a ridiculous waste of money I think that both devices are.

      --
      I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
    2. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      As long as you dont badmouth the iPod or Tivo, you're safe around here.

      Actually, if you really want to unleash the full fury of Slashdot then try suggesting that MacDonald's should be allowed to serve their coffee hot.

    3. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Compholio · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      As long as you dont badmouth the iPod or Tivo, you're safe around here.

      That's the 'badmouth' list, the 'goodmouth' list contains SCO and Microsoft. Saying anything bad about people on the badmouth list or good about people on the goodmouth list is a good way to get modded -1.

    4. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      the 'goodmouth' list contains SCO and Microsoft. Saying anything ... good about people on the goodmouth list is a good way to get modded -1.

      ... and so it begins!

      --
      Grow, grow, grow your turf
      gently on the net
      Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
      Darl will lose his bet.

    5. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by sqlrob · · Score: 1

      So post the documents in this thread.

    6. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by gcaseye6677 · · Score: 1

      If you really want to lose some Karma fast, just post a conservative viewpoint on a hot button political issue. That post, along with several other posts of yours, will be modded -1 Overrated continuously.

    7. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by MrHanky · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Unfortunately, any post starting with `I know I will be modded down for this, but ...' will be modded +5, insightful in no time.

    8. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful
      If you really want to lose some Karma fast, just post a conservative viewpoint on a hot button political issue. That post, along with several other posts of yours, will be modded -1 Overrated continuously.

      And if you want to lose karma just as fast, post a liberal viewpoint on a hot button political issue. The same thing happens. Or try posting *any* political viewpoint. Sometimes it gets modded up, usually it gets modded down. There is no grand conspiracy. Large numbers of people mod political posts up or down. It only takes a few negatives in succession to drop a post below the radar of those who would mod it up. Of course, it is more hip to complain that you are being persecuted because of your beliefs.

    9. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by mefus · · Score: 1, Troll

      Oh goodness, I hope that trend continues into November. Please.

      --
      mefus
      In Open Society, GPL Software frees YOU!
    10. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're right! Happened to my Bush-bashing post just the other day. I didn't know there were so many drunken failures on /.

    11. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by jimicus · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Is that so? Let's put it to the test.

      I know I will be modded down for this, but:

      1. Windows XP is quite a good operating system, and '95 release A wasn't that bad.

      2. Apple are going to collapse within 18 months. Fact! You heard it here first!

      3. 2004 won't be the year of the Linux desktop. There will never be a year of the Linux desktop because (insert spurious reason here). This is in spite of the fact that I work for a company which, at one time, had probably the largest desktop Linux rollout in Europe.

    12. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by jedidiah · · Score: 1

      Pull up to a starbucks drivethru.
      Order their biggest cup of coffee.
      Pour in crotch.
      Repeat.

      --
      A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
    13. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hi there, Mr. Enderle! How ya doin'?

    14. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      You're right! Happened to my Bush-bashing post just the other day. I didn't know there were so many drunken failures on /.

      Bush-bashing is different to posting conservative/liberal viewpoints. The US may be have been split down the middle in the last presidential election, but the rest of the world is united. Almost all non-Americans hate Bush. /. is a global community, even if Americans are the biggest group, and so it is very likely that there is a higher percentage of people on /. who detest Bush than you would find in the general US population. Of course, /.ers tend to be more intelligent than the general population so that would push the percentage of Bush-loathers even higher!

    15. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by MrHanky · · Score: 2, Insightful

      That's not a proper test. Try in a different thread, so it's out of this particular context. Start the comment with `I know I'll be modded down for this, but' and add a UUEncoded mp3-file with fart jokes or perhaps even just farts. Voila! Free karma!

      Well, maybe not. But trolling the /. moderation system into +5 isn't difficult, you just have to post early, be somewhat resonable, and add the magic words.

    16. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Billy+the+Mountain · · Score: 2, Insightful

      If you really want to lose some Karma fast, just post a conservative viewpoint on a hot button political issue. That post, along with several other posts of yours, will be modded -1 Overrated continuously.

      Hmm, I don't think that well-defended conservative viewpoints get down-modded. However, moronic conservative viewpoints definitely get nailed.

      BTM

      --
      That was the turning point of my life--I went from negative zero to positive zero.
    17. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Bush-bashing is different to posting conservative/liberal viewpoints. The US may be have been split down the middle in the last presidential election, but the rest of the world is united.

      The rest of the world has hated America for almost a century now. It has nothing to do with who the President is... basically the rest of the world is jealous of our prosperity and freedom. Go ahead and mod me down, you know it's true.

    18. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Westech · · Score: 1

      "It's much worse on Groklaw. They delete posts time after time after time. I've presented court documents on Groklaw for their supposed unbiased review and had my posts mysteriously "disappear". I know first hand that Groklaw deletes pro-SCO points of view constantly, especially when I point out that the evidence shows in many cases that SCO might in fact be right. It's happened to me DOZENS of times, now. Hell, I'd be surprised if this post doesn't get shitcanned for daring to oppose the status quo of anti-SCO bias that is so prevalent in the rabid Linux/Open Source Zealot community."

      Shut up, Darl!

    19. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Bull999999 · · Score: 0, Troll

      I know I will be modded down for this, but ...

      --
      1f u c4n r34d th1s u r34lly n33d t0 g37 l41d
    20. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Alan+Hicks · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I think it's time they added a "-1 Just Plain Wrong".

      --
      Slackware, what else when it must be secure, stable, and easy?
    21. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      The rest of the world has hated America for almost a century now. It has nothing to do with who the President is... basically the rest of the world is jealous of our prosperity and freedom.

      Bollocks. Most people I know (in Britain) were generally pro-US on most issues half a decade ago. But _now_, I don't know a single person who is prepared to defend the US in any argument. Actually, I lie. I do know one person who still considers themself pro-US. But only one. Bush really is a complete wanker and has done considerable harm to your country and the way it is viewed by the rest of the world.

      People here don't hate Americans, but we hate America and all its government stands for. Unfortunately, Bush reflects very badly on the general population. After all, you did vote for him (well almost).

    22. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 1
      By doing this, they can trigger IP bans and therefore thwart these nefarious astroturfing campaigns. I trust the good editors here to use their unlimited powers justly, to keep things ontopic, and relevant.

      Dream on! It doesn't happen for the numerous Micro$oft astroturfs, so why should it happen to SCO turfs, when they come?

    23. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I did. I've been trying to post them for HOURS now, but everytime I do so, the post is first moderated down and then it mysteriously disappears. Like the original poster pointed out, slashdot IS a heavily moderated forum and anything that REALLY goes against the anti-SCO groupthink is being outright deleted. All this goes to show that the Linux community is as unethical and small minded as they portray members of SCO or Microsoft to be, only more so. Differing points of view are simply not tolerated by Linux users.

    24. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Who's a wanker? "People here don't hate Americans, but we hate America and all its government stands for." What an idiotic statement. If you hate our government and our country then you hate us. We are our country. Just admit it and get over it already. And next time, don't come crying to us when some crazed fundamentalist takes over Europe and comes a knocking at your door.

    25. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by ISPTech · · Score: 0, Troll

      CmdrTaco you forgot to log in!

      --
      This space intentionally left blank.
    26. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by k98sven · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yeah.. it has to be that.

      I mean, it couldn't possibly be that your posts were somehow lacking?

      Say offensive, stupid, rude, redundant, poorly formulated, poorly formatted or just plain offtopic?

      Get over yourself. If you don't like Groklaw or Slashdot or whatever, go start your own blog. Nothing is stopping you. If you really do have something of value to say, you'll get readers.

    27. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Brandybuck · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      The problem is that it's so hard to tell, what with all the moronic liberal viewpoints being modded up.

      --
      Don't blame me, I didn't vote for either of them!
    28. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You see, your problem is you think that anyone that who doesn't bash Bush is a drunken loser. I have found that the majority of political posts that get modded down are unreasonable or flamebait, on either site.

      Your comment here clearly demonstrates you distain for people who disagree with your point of view. Since you are posting as AC, I can't see any of your previous posts to confirm this, but I think it would be a safe bet.

    29. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 0, Troll

      Dude, PJ has stated that Groklaw isn't a public forum, and you keep posting? I had a post deleted once, was told that my critical views weren't welcome, and I let it go. I don't read the posts or post there anymore.

      You've had 12 posts deleted and you're still at it? Can't you get it into your head that they don't want you in their little club? If you've got valid info, post it here or start your own site.

      I still find groklaw to consistently be the best source of news on all things SCO. I just don't want to 1) post where I am not welcome, nor 2) join a cult.

      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
    30. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nope, you get ignored because you're a small minority that doesn't vote as a block on tech issues. Whereas seniors, for instance, will vote as a block over social security and medicare.

      If under 25s were smart, they would vote as a block considering the possibility of a return of the armed forces draft.

      But geeks are too busy being worried about how they're going to pay for the next generation of toys.

    31. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      Try another one saying anything about the iPod or Apple and you will get the same thing.

      EX:
      I like the iPod because it just works

      Or:
      I can do that with my G5.

    32. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by nolife · · Score: 1

      Dude, you posted this same thing four different times in a one hour period. Every one of them using your +1 bonus...

      The parent of this post, here,here, and here.

      --
      Bad boys rape our young girls but Violet gives willingly.
    33. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Geoffreyerffoeg · · Score: 0, Troll

      I'll probably be modded down for this, but I don't think that's true.

    34. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by ewe2 · · Score: 0, Troll

      I, for one, welcome our new editor overlords!

      --
      insecurity asks the wrong question irritation gives the wrong answer
    35. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by no+reason+to+be+here · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      In fact in British English, it is correct to use the plural verb form with so-called collective nouns, like the names of companies, names of rock bands, etc. I remember the first time I encountered this as a teen, watching a show about the band Queen, and hearing someone say "Queen are a band..." Brits emphasise the fact that the collective is made up of several individuals, while in the US (and maybe Canada, too. I'm not sure) the emphasis is put on the group being a single entity, which is probably why our corporations have so much (way too fucking much) power over the way things work here; they're been given the same legal status as individual people as well as the same linguistic/syntactic status.

    36. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1

      And your problem with that is what exactly? I'm saying what I felt needs to be said, and what I think people need to hear. I could care less about losing a few points because of redundancy or because some member of a cult feels threatened and wants to label me a troll.

      If you disagree with me, say so, and say why.

      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
    37. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1

      Sorry, but unless lots of questions marks and profit!! are involved, I'm not going to do it.

      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
    38. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by nolife · · Score: 1

      Well obviously we disagree in principle but I feel everyone can read the entire thread and article comments. Posting the same exact thing multiple times seems a little odd.
      I have absolutly no issue or doubts about the content of your post and I believe it is important and very relevent, I am just pointing out that you posted the same exact thing four seperate times, that IS the definition of redundant and the fact it was posted so many times would fit many peoples definition of troll regardless of the content. Imagine the noise if everyone went on that mission for everything they thought was important. No tin foil hats here, there is no cult trying to silence your facts. Some people just do not want to read them over and over again as it makes any followup or logical discussion about the topic hard to follow when they are spread across four completely different threads.

      --
      Bad boys rape our young girls but Violet gives willingly.
    39. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Of course they do, it is their site. Their dutch clone, http://www.tweakers.net, is even worse, trust me.

      Slash is by far the most evenly balanced of the modded sites.
      And actually I think the old adage applies everywhere.. if you don't like it, get the &^%^ out...

    40. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1

      Point taken. I was overly zealous. And I understand the comment about using my Karma Bonus now. My intentions were good, but my frustration got the better of me.

      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
    41. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by jedidiah · · Score: 1

      Sorry, profit won't be involved.

      Starbucks makes their coffee to be consumed and enjoyed, not to optimize shelf life.

      --
      A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
    42. Re:Non-Moderated, not Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ok suite yourself. Don't come crying in another 5 years.

  13. You know you're a 2nd-rate litigious bastard when by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    When you focus equal attention on a multi-billion dollar company and a paralegal's weblog, you're probably screwed...

  14. Groklaw is obviously violating by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...the government's copyright to "law." Maybe it can charge each citizen a $600 license plus upgrade fees in order to use the law. That would quickly wipe out the deficit -- Congress changes the law several times per year, so at a couple hundred bucks an upgrade you are talking real money.

  15. I'd be really worried if they had any money by winkydink · · Score: 1

    These guys can't afford grass seed, let alone astroturf

    --

    "I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey

    1. Re:I'd be really worried if they had any money by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Although there may have been some grass smoking involved...

    2. Re:I'd be really worried if they had any money by sTalking_Goat · · Score: 1

      and what makes you think Uncle Microsoft wouldn't foot the bill?

      --

      My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle...

    3. Re:I'd be really worried if they had any money by winkydink · · Score: 1

      I think Microsoft will launch a frontal assault against Linux once they finally figure out what they want to do.

      --

      "I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey

    4. Re:I'd be really worried if they had any money by escher · · Score: 1

      Although there may have been some grass smoking involved...

      Smoking "grass" generally leads one to the "opposite mindset" that Darl and "SCO" follow. I think "drinking" would be a more appropriate "word" choice.

      After reading the above sentences I find I have this urge to stand on my desk and repeatedly scream, "IN A VAN, DOWN BY THE RIVER!".

  16. Re:Jedi mind tricks? by blogtim · · Score: 1

    Remember, always two there are, a master and an apprentice...

    --
    Visit Tim's Journal, yes?
  17. Easy fix... by FyRE666 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Simply auto-moderate all comments by UIDs > 700000 down to -1 ;-))

    1. Re:Easy fix... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What about my UID? ;-))

    2. Re:Easy fix... by mooingyak · · Score: 5, Funny

      700000 is just too round of a number. It should be something like, (picking a number at random) anything greater than 720677. It's a good prime number.

      --
      William of Ockham had no beard. The most likely explanation is that it was chewed off by squirrels every morning.
    3. Re:Easy fix... by mcmonkey · · Score: 1

      Good plan!

      Alhtough it should be all UIDs > 96054

      =)

    4. Re:Easy fix... by FuzzyBad-Mofo · · Score: 1

      Don't trust anyone over 300,000. ;)

    5. Re:Easy fix... by SpaceLifeForm · · Score: 1

      Well, 500000 may be more accurate. But actually, if that auto-moderation were to occur, the forces of truth would be less able to refute the FUD because they wouldn't see it.

      --
      You are being MICROattacked, from various angles, in a SOFT manner.
    6. Re:Easy fix... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey, watch it, this 700000+ UID has mod points today... =P

    7. Re:Easy fix... by FyRE666 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Hey, watch it, this 700000+ UID has mod points today... =P

      Heh! The reason I chose 700000 was that statistically speaking, more people under that number than over it are likely to have mod points. If I'd gone with 300000 I think I'd have been beaten down to -1 much faster ;-))

    8. Re:Easy fix... by isorox · · Score: 1

      Don't trust anyone over 300,000. ;)

      Dont trust anyone over 200,000, they're all bad, trust me.

    9. Re:Easy fix... by JudeanPeople'sFront · · Score: 1

      Who reads posts from people with such ID anyway :)

  18. There are benefits! by lukewarmfusion · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It looks convincing.

    No matter how good it looks, astroturf is NOT the real thing.

    Which is why I assume that anyone saying anything good about my enemy is just my enemy in disguise.

    1. Re:There are benefits! by abionnnn · · Score: 1

      I would have thought that they were doing this for a long time... hiring a bunch of shills to argue for them.

    2. Re:There are benefits! by AragornSonOfArathorn · · Score: 1

      Which is why I assume that anyone saying anything good about my enemy is just my enemy in disguise.

      Dubya called... he wants his worldview back.

      ;-)

      --
      sudo eat my shorts
    3. Re:There are benefits! by FuzzyBad-Mofo · · Score: 1

      I think MS has been doing this for some time. Heck, you can't throw a stone on the alt.os.linux.* newsgroups without hitting a half-dozen astroturfers. (And Slashdot's got it's fair share as well)

      I really wonder what kind of person is willing to become a paid shill. How could a someone with any self-esteem at all be willing to express corporate views, solely to make a buck?

    4. Re:There are benefits! by YU+Nicks+NE+Way · · Score: 1

      I'm interested. Why do you think that there are Microsoft shills here? There are several of us here who work for the company, but I haven't seen anyone that I'd think was secretly supported by MS. So would you enlighten me with some examples, please?

  19. Re:Color by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I like the color.

  20. Luckily for Slashdot... by SunPin · · Score: 1

    they sell Astroturf by the square yard.

    I'm sure OSDN and SCO will find a way to do business.

    --
    Laws are for people with no friends.
  21. please read by boisepunk · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Always remember:

    SCO is BAD.
    Linux is GOOD.
    The GPL is life.
    Darl McBride is EVIL.

    There's nothing new.

    --
    main(0)
    1. Re:please read by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Linux may be GOOD, but Windows is THE BEST!

      Mwahahahahah!

      Score: -50, Against Slashdot Ideology

    2. Re:please read by WormholeFiend · · Score: 1

      but what about:

      Apple is ________
      Steve Jobs is _______
      Microsoft is _______
      Bill Gates is _______

    3. Re:please read by jonfelder · · Score: 1

      Hmmm...and I thought "victory is life"

    4. Re:please read by thebes · · Score: 0

      Eminem? *bzzt* My name is *bzzt* my name is...

    5. Re:please read by thephotoman · · Score: 1

      Apple is idealistic.
      Steve Jobs is the guy who invented the Apple.
      Microsoft is Hell.
      Bill Gates is Satan.

      --
      Haec merda tauri est. Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
    6. Re:please read by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Are you just retarded, or just stupid. I was stupid for posting in the wrong place, but your stupid for responeding with gibberish.

  22. what's next? push polling? by stonebeat.org · · Score: 5, Interesting


    what's next? push polling???

    Enterprise Linux users would be called up by SCO employees and asked:
    "Would you be more likely or less likely to install Linux as a Server OS if you knew Linux has copied source code from SCO?"

    1. Re:what's next? push polling? by marika · · Score: 0

      It's funny that Darl McBride can't be found on dinsinfopedia.com

      --
      This is totally insecure, but very convenient.
    2. Re:what's next? push polling? by grendelkhan · · Score: 1
      "Would you be more likely or less likely to install Linux as a Server OS if you knew Linux has copied source code from SCO?"
      Judging by the quality of their code, less likely.
      --
      Wu-Tang Name: Half-Cut Skeleton Get your own Wu-Na
    3. Re:what's next? push polling? by scsirob · · Score: 1

      Simple.. Less likely, as the 'source of the source' would cast serious credibility doubts on the stability of the kernel.

      Nah, can't be. Linux works too well to contain SCO code. ;-)

      --
      To Terminate, or not to Terminate, that's the question - SCSIROB
    4. Re:what's next? push polling? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      mu

    5. Re:what's next? push polling? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      what's next? push polling???

      Would YOU vote for George Walker Bush if you knew that he is gay?

      I can tell you, I wouldn't.

      I wouldn't even do so if the people told me that he had sex with Darl McBride, and Darl's boy friend was so unhappy afterwards. (anus too wide)

    6. Re:what's next? push polling? by Aerion · · Score: 1

      Counter-push poll!

      "Would you be more likely or less likely to purchase SCO products if you discovered that SCO are litigious bastards?"

  23. Here's an idea.. Prevent the astroturfing campaign by stratjakt · · Score: 5, Interesting

    By not posting SCO stories unless there's actual news. Like a final judgement that actually means something.

    Everytime one of their lawyers cuts wind theres a /. story about it.

    Don't give them the chance to astroturf. Simple enough. Just regurgitate more marketing text about the awesome power of the iPod or Tivo instead. It all goes to the same place.

    --
    I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
  24. Well, that explains that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I have been wondering why so many people here doing Kerry Bashing and lieing about Bush Record. They were simply getting ready to help Darl.

  25. Lets make it easy to identify any astroturfing. by Jailbrekr · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you work for SCO, or are affiliated with SCO in any way, please reply to this message.
    Failure to do so will result in (insert any patent or copyright threats here).

    --
    Feed the need: Digitaladdiction.net
  26. This doesn't deserve any coverage! by johnny_sas · · Score: 1
    It doesn't even deserve the Chewbaka Defense!

    1. Re:This doesn't deserve any coverage! by sTalking_Goat · · Score: 1

      Chewbacca, dude. Chewbacca.

      --

      My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle...

  27. So your the one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    who posted the head of his wife on a pornstar's body. It's when the attacks get personal that really hurts.

  28. A Hearty SCO Endorsement from Joe Public by Andy+Mitchell · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think SCO are really good, they make the best, err, Unex, er Unax, Unix I mean. Loonux isn't Unix 'cause its not the real thing.

    Hey, can we move the autocue a bit nearer?

    Using a free Unix rip off is like being a communist and me and my buddies at the steel mill don't like commies.

    </Astroturf>

    1. Re:A Hearty SCO Endorsement from Joe Public by Xyrus · · Score: 1

      I couldn't tell if you were making fun of SCO or doing A G.W. Bush imitation.

      ~X~
      "My advice is never keep anything that comes from an asshole."

      --
      ~X~
  29. Little did they know... by cyanobyte · · Score: 0

    Secretly Linus has taken to wearing Dr. Evil silver 60's outfits and has been orchestrating the whole maneuvering for SCO in a bid to regain control of his own source code!! More to come... Cyanobyte Baby the other white meat.

  30. SCO's side by spellraiser · · Score: 5, Funny
    Quoth Groklaw:

    And he [McBride] predicted that "open blogs" like Slashdot will start to tell SCO's side of the story, and then the media will get to understand what is really going on.

    Allow me to be the first to 'tell SCO's side of the story, then (Slashdot style, of course):

    1. File lots of lawsuits
    2. ???
    3 Profit!

    Sorry, that was just too good to miss :P

    --
    I hear there's rumors on the Slashdots
    1. Re:SCO's side by lspd · · Score: 4, Interesting

      And he [McBride] predicted that "open blogs" like Slashdot will start to tell SCO's side of the story, and then the media will get to understand what is really going on.

      Been there, done that...

      The problem is that SCO built their business model around maintaining the status quo rather than fixing any legal problems that may or may not exist. Their ultimate goals hinge on SCO code existing in Linux and REMAINING HIDDEN SO THAT IT CAN'T BE REMOVED. Since SCO is betting on this legal catch-22 game and has refused consistently to provide the information necessary to fix the problems they claim exist, it doesn't make any sense to play along.

      If SCO decides to drop the catch-22 game and focus on recouping damages from the people who donated the code improperly, I for one would be happy to examine their side of the story. They talk and talk and talk about how they want to fix this stuff, and they never ever make the slightest baby step toward following through. Accusations, innuendo, and vague references to "millions of lines of code" do not constitute working with the free software community to fix problems.

      At this point though, even if SCO changed course and worked with the community....would you really believe their intentions were honest? Without new management, I couldn't.

    2. Re:SCO's side by lakeland · · Score: 1

      I believe the first ? gets replaced with W; the second with i; and the third with n. But don't tell SCO...

  31. I, for one, ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Would like to reaffirm my commitment to Linux. I am not now, nor have I ever been, a SCO spy disguised as a slashdot user. Nope. Not me. Definitely.

    1. Re:I, for one, ... by BigBuckHunter · · Score: 1

      Dude,

      After you create the account on slashdot, you're supposed to "sign in"

      BBH

  32. Obligatory by Carnildo · · Score: 0

    In Soviet Russia, Astroturf SCO You!

    -----------------

    1) Astroturf
    2) ???
    3) PROFIT!

    -----------------

    Netcraft confirms: SCO is Astroturfing!

    -----------------

    Sad news ... Stephen King, dead at 54

    I just heard some sad news on talk radio - Horror/Sci Fi writer Stephen King was found dead in his Maine home this morning. Apparently, he died of an overdose of SCO Astroturfing. I'm sure everyone in the Slashdot community will miss him - even if you didn't enjoy his work, there's no denying his contributions to popular culture. Truly an American icon.

    -----------------

    Now, how can I fit something about Natalie Portman, hot grits, and SCO Astroturf in here?

    --
    "They redundantly repeated themselves over and over again incessantly without end ad infinitum" -- ibid.
    1. Re:Obligatory by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You've forgot to tell us that Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are the real coders of the Linux kernel! (or are they the members of the GNAA?)

    2. Re:Obligatory by aiabx · · Score: 1

      All your astroturf are belong to SCO!

      I really can't believe even SCO would be stupid enough to astroturf here. More likely, it will be on some business related websites like Forbes or fastcompany, where there are rich but technologically unaware people to be fooled.
      -aiabx

      --
      Just this guy, you know?
    3. Re:Obligatory by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I wouldn't be too sure. I don't think Darl was praising slashdot but tossing out a well known name.

      It smells to me like a SCO backed 'independent' pro SCO blog is about to appear and be well marketed errr mentioned as proof of facts and support in SCO press releases.

  33. SCO would never do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    A reputable corporation like SCO would never engage in this kind of activity. It seems very strange to me that PJ would even mention this, because I do not recall Darl saying this in his speech at SCO Forum.

    What is going on here? Has Groklaw suddenly decided to use accusations in an attempt to damage SCO's case instead of logical arguments. This isn't like PJ, and seems unprofessional.

    1. Re:SCO would never do this by wolfemi1 · · Score: 1

      And so the astroturfing begins..... :)

    2. Re:SCO would never do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I asked the crowd on the Yahoo SCOX board if they thought that PJ was losing the plot and all hell was let loose.

      "I'm still not a troll"

    3. Re:SCO would never do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Was that a confession?

    4. Re:SCO would never do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Look, look! The Astroturfing begins! (See parent)

    5. Re:SCO would never do this by absurdist · · Score: 1

      Oh good, the astroturfing has already started!

    6. Re:SCO would never do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Look, look! The Astroturfing begins! (See parent)

      My parents are dead.

    7. Re:SCO would never do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      "Look, look! The Astroturfing begins! (See parent)"

      My parents are dead.


      But are they visible?

  34. Interesting... by Mysticalfruit · · Score: 4, Funny
    McBride's sudden fondness for Slashdot.

    McBride and slashdot are technically oxymorons, are they not?

    That's like saying he likes having his tiny nuts bitten by badgers.

    It has been said that the difference between gutsy and foolness is very thin. However, picking a fight with an active community of highly intelligent zealots who have a product that's years beyond your current product goes under the foolish cateygory.

    --
    Yes Francis, the world has gone crazy.
    1. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny
      That's like saying he likes having his tiny nuts bitten by badgers.

      Yes?

    2. Re:Interesting... by Lumpy · · Score: 2, Funny

      McBride and slashdot are technically oxymorons, are they not?

      you are close, you're just reading in way too much.

      get rid of the oxy and that will prefectly describe mcBride if he is even toying with the idea.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    3. Re:Interesting... by Aerion · · Score: 1

      McBride and slashdot are technically oxymorons, are they not?

      No, an oxymoron is a single internally inconsistent phrase, usually only two words long. "Slashdotter Darl" is an oxymoron. However, "McBride" and "Slashdot" are not separate oxymorons. They're probably better described as antonyms or as being mutually exclusive.

    4. Re:Interesting... by nemexi · · Score: 1

      an active community of highly intelligent zealots

      Ummmm, we're on slashdot, right?

    5. Re:Interesting... by Fred_A · · Score: 1

      "However, picking a fight with an active community of highly intelligent zealots who have a product that's years beyond your current product goes under the foolish cateygory."

      True, however we were speaking of Slashdot.

      --

      May contain traces of nut.
      Made from the freshest electrons.
  35. A new Moderation Category? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...

    -1 Flaimbait

    -2 Astroturf

    1. Re:A new Moderation Category? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      ...

      -1 Flaimbait

      -2 Astroturf


      and -3 Spelling

    2. Re:A new Moderation Category? by WuphonsReach · · Score: 1

      -1 Flaimbait

      -2 Astroturf


      -3 Spelling Nazi

      -4 Fanboy

      --
      Wolde you bothe eate your cake, and have your cake?
  36. Re:You know you're a 2nd-rate litigious bastard wh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Common tatic of wimps. Act like a bully; and if you get beat up with problems too difficulty (IBM, The Economy) find someone smaller than you and start beating on them.

  37. In the water by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    (btw: wtf is in the water out there? SCO, Orrin Hatch, etc.)

    A lot of it is seige mentality. Don't forget it wasn't /that/ long ago that Utah was at war with the United States of America (and no, we're not talking about SCO vs. IBM). On top of this, throw in the whole persecution of Mormons and you'll get a bit of cultural paranoia. I've worked with a lot of people of the Jewish faith and some will share that a few thousand years of persecution tends to orient the survivors towards paranoia (remember, the ones who weren't paranoid in Germany and didn't flee didn't get to stick around to pass along their genes).

    Granted the Mormons are a much younger microculture, but the defensiveness and inwardness is there. This often helps grow Mormon businesses, but tends to remove criticism and skepticism over false claims by a church member. Much of this defensiveness is still somewhat limited and not an embedded cultural practice - yet - but church leaders need to recognize this reactionary trend and correct or remove members that practice it.

    Still, Mormons have done much to contribute to society. In fact, I'm perpetually amazed that so many don't condemn the SCO parasites and call them what they are as it goes so much against church teachings of open-paradigm systems. Remember, each new family that arrived in the valley was not regarded as another mouth to feed from a finite pie, but rather a new producer to make the pie bigger for everyone. If you have read "Seven Habits," "First Things First", or any other Steven Covey works, much of what you've read is a secular version of Mormonism applied to the business and personal domains. One of the legitimate heirs of the claim to "founding dot-com", Bill Washburn (executive director of the Commercial Internet Exchange, who fought against the NSFNET's plans for an Internet monopoly grant to the regional Bell operating companies and ANS, an IBM and MCI venture) and many other Internet leaders all hail from this open thinking, progressive faith (of which I am not, but have a great deal of respect for).

    Open source shares much philosophically, so it is ironic that one of the greatest haters of open paradigm thought is Senator Hatch, and one of the greatest pump and dump anti-open paradigm companies (new SCO) both hail from Utah. Then again, we all have crooks we have to deal with in our respective faiths and communities from time to time.

    Wake up Utah friends and throw these imposters out!

    1. Re:In the water by grasshoppa · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Wish I had a mod point for you. Your view may not be shared, but it definitely was informative.

      So, take a raised glass and some karma instead. :)

      --
      Mod me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!
    2. Re:In the water by ElForesto · · Score: 1

      In a word: Wow. I don't see many apologists outside the Church who write such artful defenses. (And you can probably guess that I'm Mormon.)

      I have to fight with members all the time that are political nitwits that haven't the first clue about anything. So long as they stay out of it and leave it up to me... *deflates ego*

      And yes, I think Hatch is a twit.

      --
      There is a difference between "insightful" and "inciteful" other than spelling.
    3. Re:In the water by althalus · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Actually, most of the people around here are against SCO. Like you describe, most people detest the tactics they have used, because like the other 'mormon traits' you described (and rather well I'd say), most mormons detest litigation. Also, look at Novell. Most people here love Novell, because most everybody here has a relative working there. Now they now that Novell is against SCO, and so they should be too. Believe me, SCO does not have many friends here.

    4. Re:In the water by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So, take a raised glass and some karma instead. :)

      He may raise a glass in reply, but it will probably be filled with decaffeinated herbal tea.

    5. Re:In the water by menscher · · Score: 1
      I noticed that the first three books of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke) tend to relate most of the same stories. Pretty twisted to think those three apostles copied ideas from each other. Must be a Christian thing.

      Yes, I'm making fun of the parent, for those who can't tell.

    6. Re:In the water by scoove · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Wow. I don't see many apologists outside the Church who write such artful defenses.

      Hope I didn't come across as a Mormon apologist! I just hoped to share some observations I've had as someone who is outside of the faith who has worked with a few people from it. I spent a few years working with one of the largest retailers in the state, as well as some technology people, and had very positive impressions on how much the open paradigm was embraced.

      In fact, at a late night coffee with Bill Washburn one night (at a conference we were both at), I asked him if he had read much Covey (as he was clearly one who practiced the concepts). He nearly dropped his coffee cup and immediately asked me why I made the comment. Turns out he grew up with Covey, and from the following dialog, it became more clear how the early open-system influence affected the culture.

      Certainly, I've had non-Mormon friends flee Salt Lake City due to what they perceived as the career limitations applied to those outside the faith, and there probably is some truth there as well.

      I guess my primary motivation was letting the /. crowd know that there's much to be appreciated and painting Mormons as all being like dear Darl is rather false. Pros and cons to everything, as always - take the best from each if you can!

      And yes, I think Hatch is a twit.
      Many do. Appears the only ones who don't write big enough checks, and Hatch must do the right things for him. Think of him as a terribly overpriced call girl and that'll help understand his role in society.

      *scoove*
      (ok... i won't hide anonymously on this thread!)

    7. Re:In the water by daperdan · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Those books found aren't written word for word spanning multiple chapters and each book contains discrepancies. This is a good example of a straw man defense. Bravo.

      Another note: Authorship of the New Testaments is not known. What is know is that they are of Greek origin and were written at least 100 years after the death of the Jesus Christ. Similarities may indicate authorishp by a single individual or a close knit group of authors.

    8. Re:In the water by grasshoppa · · Score: 1

      Or very very watered down beer.

      I was out there for a conference ( Salt Lake ), and very dissappointed in the local nightlife ;)

      --
      Mod me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!
    9. Re:In the water by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Open thinking, progressive faith. Yes, I guess Joseph Smith being handed golden tablets and special glasses to read them with by aliens/angels/whatnot means it is progressive.

      BTW, do the Mormon faithful still believe that the men that die & go to paradise still get to be their own demi-god of a harem planet?

    10. Re:In the water by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I've worked with a lot of people of the Jewish faith and some will share that a few thousand years of persecution tends to orient the survivors towards paranoia

      Anyone who has endured a few thousand years of persecution, doesn't have my sympathy. The way I see it, they broke even. Sure, they were persecuted. But they are also apparently immortal. I may not be persecuted, but I bet I'll be dead in a hundred years. I'll never even have the opportunity to be persecuted for thousands of years.

    11. Re:In the water by Zordak · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I am a Mormon, and I unfortunately live in Utah (had to follow the work, but I'm leaving in Feb), so I feel like I am qualified to say that SCOX, Darl McBride, Orrin Hatch and Hatch's idiot son are all, in Slashdot terminology, "teh suck." I think that the view on SCOX is shared by most tech-aware Mormons, though I'm not sure what these people are thinking in continuing to elect that troll Hatch. I know everybody wants to vote Republican, but that's what primaries are for -- you can get a candidate who is both Republican and human. [NOTE: I am already anticipating your Republican/Human jokes, so please don't think they make you clever]

      --

      Today's Sesame Street was brought to you by the number e.
    12. Re:In the water by daperdan · · Score: 0

      Not to mention the progressive stance on race. People have dark skin because their ascestors were evil. Black prohibbited from holding the priesthood till 1978. The church's stance that homosexuality is a sin close to that of murder. I'd say they're almost as progressive as the KKK.

    13. Re:In the water by Jodka · · Score: 2, Funny

      >(btw: wtf is in the water out there? SCO, Orrin Hatch, etc.)

      >>...On top of this, throw in the whole persecution of Mormons and you'll get a bit of cultural paranoia...

      What's wrong with persecuting them, don't they derserve it?

      Oh.... Mormons

      --
      Ceci n'est pas une signature.
    14. Re:In the water by donnz · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I'm not quite clear why critiques of SCO's actions should be prefaced with what schism of the Christian (or other) faith one belongs to. No one, as far as I'm aware have asked Bill Gates fellow church goers to speak out a criticise him. BTW I belong to no faith but am just confused by this constant call for Mormons to stand up.

      Please explain?

      --
      -- Free software on every PC on every desk
    15. Re:In the water by thephotoman · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      But that's just it...the Rebublicans voting in the primaries don't want humans in office...they want the reptilians that actually get elected.

      --
      Haec merda tauri est. Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
    16. Re:In the water by thephotoman · · Score: 1, Informative

      I wouldn't consider Mormons to be Christians in the current sense of the word. They quote texts as canonical that were never even considered by any council, nor do they believe in the triune godhead. It's nitpicking, I know, but there are various issues in the underlying belief systems that are too different to consider them one and the same. It would be better to describe the Mormons as a Christian-informed religion, though not a sect within Christianity.

      --
      Haec merda tauri est. Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
    17. Re:In the water by Guppy06 · · Score: 1

      "I have tried to do that, but that position tires my hands quickly."

      Meh. Both books of the Bible are in the public domain by now. Same with the Book of Mormon.

      Speaking of which, I wonder if Hatch knows that? Would the knowledge change his opinion of copyright laws?

    18. Re:In the water by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Think of him as a terribly overpriced call girl and that'll help understand his role in society.

      But a call girl gets a disgusting disease and only she and her immediate customers are infected. Hatch is trying to inflict syphilis on the entire country.

    19. Re:In the water by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "He nearly dropped his coffee cup"

      I thought Mormons were not allowed to drink coffee nor any other form of coffeine.

    20. Re:In the water by sl3xd · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You know, there are more than a few of us in Utah that DO want these 'imposters' out.

      That being said, I'm not quite sure what you mean by imposter; they don't seem to be pretending at all. They're bald-faced crap weasels.

      Hatch doesn't pretend to be free of special interests. But he gets re-elected because he is nevertheless a force to be reckoned with on Capitol Hill, whose name is well-known throught the country. Excepting Ted Kennedy, I'm not sure there are many other senators whose names hold the public interest for more than an election campaign or news scandal. He's the head of the Senate Judiciary Comittee, as I recall -- a position of no small importance. Couple that kind of influence and position with the cultural paranoia -- as you put it, and you have a guy who the people will continue to support in spite of his flaws.

      The land in the Western US is largely Federally controlled -- not privately or locally governed. This means that the Federal Government often has more say about what goes on with the land here than the citizens of Utah do. It's a big deal: There is a continual struggle between environmental groups who want to make Utah into a giant wilderness area (leagal definition of wilderness), a definitive tourist hiker's paradise (meaning that all motorized access is prohibited -- Even airlines can't fly over the area at 40,000 feet), and the groups that want to make a living from the land more directly, whether it be cattle ranching, or farming, or by developing the land -- mining, etc. The point is that the citizens of Utah CANNOT make these decisions; as a result, the people of Virginia often have more say about Utah's economy then Utahns do. This causes no small amount of resentment.

      Case in point: We see hundreds of jobs and millions of tax dollars dissapear when then President Clinton declared about 3.2 million acres to be a national monument as an election year gesture to environmental groups. (Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument)

      Whether it was a good decision, economically, environmentally, etc. isn't the point. The point is that the whole thing happened without any public input, without congressional approval (and in fact in spite of opposition), and definately without the approval of those who actually lived there. It was an election year ploy to get votes from people OUTSIDE Utah, and to hell with those people who live there.

      So it's seen as a good thing to have a powerful Senator like Hatch, a man who heads the Senate Judiciary Committee. If any 'new' guy ousts him, Utah starts back at square one, with a much weaker voice in national (and indeed local) politics. With Hatch there, the state gets a louder voice; without it, we get rolled over. So Hatch gets re-elected. Any corruption (perceived or real) is a moot point. Suffice it to say, there are a great many of us who don't appreciate our Senator either; and we vote(d) against him. So what?

      The fact remains: He's a powerful man on capitol hill, and still watches out for Utah's interests more often than not; and that is a fair sight better than a man with no influence on capitol hill who watches out for Utah's interests more often than not.

      On the other hand, Darl seems to be acting quite consistently with the behavior of an arrogant, wealthy (by the general standard of US living), greedy man. This arrogance is quite universal in every part of the world, so I don't see how geography or local culture really applies.

      It's really easy to envision Darl as an exec for a major record label; same arrogance, same desire to take what is not his, same everything. Nobody voted for them either, but we have to deal with them.

      --
      -- Sometimes you have to turn the lights off in order to see.
    21. Re:In the water by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0



      You come across as a stock fraud artist and people are starting to talk ...

    22. Re:In the water by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It may be a subtle point, but Ted Kennedy's whole career is sort of an extended scandal. Most people remember or know about Mary Jo Kopechne, which--along with the scandalous shadow of his brothers and family--informs people attention.

    23. Re:In the water by CountBrass · · Score: 1

      Because AFAIK no other state in the Union is dominated by a single church in the way that Utah is dominated by the Mormons.

      --
      Bad analogies are like waxing a monkey with a rainbow.
    24. Re:In the water by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Personally I'm to the point where I'd consider supporting an initiative to restart nuclear testing with the test site being SLC, Utah. I'm kind of curious to see a modern video of the shockwave blowing through SCO's HQ.

      Is Darl 1/2 as resilient as the cockroach he resembles... enquiring minds want to know.

    25. Re:In the water by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I've worked with a lot of people of the Jewish faith and some will share that a few thousand years of persecution tends to orient the survivors towards paranoia (remember, the ones who weren't paranoid in Germany and didn't flee didn't get to stick around to pass along their genes).
      Paranoia is hereditary? Damn.
    26. Re:In the water by fazookus · · Score: 1

      Thank you for your insights.

      Faz

  38. Just a reminder... by GillBates0 · · Score: 5, Informative
    that Rob Enderle is a Microsoft lapdog and apologist. Some of his choice articles such as:

    Microsoft Apologist Apologizes for Microsoft
    Rob Enderle Announces Death of Bluetooth
    and
    Enderle's Ferrari Laptop
    have appeared on Slashdot in the past.

    This "technology analyst" is also the author of In Defense Of the Microsoft Monoculture and ranted and raved in an "informative" Eweek article about his Windows Ferrari theme and gushed happily about how his colleagues were impressed by it's cool shutdown and startup sounds.

    --
    An Indian-American Hindu committed to non-violent thought/speech/action alarmed by the global explosion of radical Islam
    1. Re:Just a reminder... by Veridium · · Score: 4, Informative

      I think his keynote address at the SCO forum is his best piece of shi, I mean work...
      http://www.sco.com/2004forum/agenda/Enderle_keynot e_SCO-Forum2004.html
      not complete without a logical analysis done of it...
      http://fallinggrace.com/article.php?story=20040811 015739829

      And I think Bruce at Technocrat said it best http://technocrat.net/article.pl?sid=04/08/10/1742 206&mode=thread

      --
      Think for yourself, destroy your television.
    2. Re:Just a reminder... by sdcharle · · Score: 2, Funny

      This can not be repeated enough. Rob Enderle is so profoundly worthless as both a technology analyst and a writer in general that I urge anyone to do a quick Google search to see for yourself how you'd be better off getting your technical news and information from, well, I don't know, Courtney Love.

    3. Re:Just a reminder... by twocents · · Score: 1

      I'm sorry, but is this person just totally crazy? This keynote by this fellow is the stuff of a raving idiot. Since when do you use the subject of shotguns and relationships to lead into your support of a company?

      I checked out their site, and it's little more than links to rants and ravings. Even SCO should know better than to post this junk on their site. Blech! Disgustingly stupid!

      There must be a serious drug problem going on over at the SCO camp, and I'm talking the heavy stuff...

    4. Re:Just a reminder... by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1

      She wrote the Love Virus right? After killing her husband?

      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
    5. Re:Just a reminder... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The troika of Microsoft lapdogs:
      Thurrott, Enderle and DiDio

    6. Re:Just a reminder... by Veridium · · Score: 1

      It doesn't neccesarily have to be the heavy stuff, we could be dealing with people who have simply smoked pot every day for the last 10 years, throughout every waking hour. I mean, you don't take a break from that stuff once in a while to clear your head, you can start thinking bizzare things, like you own Linux for example.

      --
      Think for yourself, destroy your television.
    7. Re:Just a reminder... by FatTux · · Score: 1

      Maybe it's time to a new googlebomb. Say with me:

      microsoft shill

    8. Re:Just a reminder... by lahi · · Score: 1

      Although obviously there's no substance to analyse, so all that can be analysed is the rhetoric, I still don't understand why anyone would bother doing such an analysis. That "logical analysis" you link to is just about as pointless as the keynote itself. Fun, but pointless.

      Or is it just the way law-people think? "If there's nothing else to attack, attack the rhetorics".

      -Lasse

    9. Re:Just a reminder... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      lol, I saw that ferrari theme article. that has to be one of the biggest wastes of my time. reading /. is a much better use of my limited lifespan for sure! ok I suck at trying to be funny and truthful at the same time. if technology keeps progressing i might just be around a lot longer too eheheh.

    10. Re:Just a reminder... by Veridium · · Score: 1

      We're nerds, sometimes we do pointless exercises of intellect for fun. I once devised a Prime number compression algorithm for fun. It was never as tight as all the current popular ones, but it was fun.

      On the other hand, public discourse can be used as an insidious tool. SCO uses it to trash everyone against them every chance they get, why not refute it publically by pointing out the nonsense in a logical manner? Folly that goes unchallenged or unquestioned can become "common sense" real quick.

      --
      Think for yourself, destroy your television.
  39. SCO vs. Groklaw by moexu · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I think Groklaw is the biggest thorn in SCO's side. The media has been pretty content to just print whatever random press release SCO throws at them without doing much (if any) verification at all. Groklaw has been consistenly documenting SCO's actions, court filings, and contradictory statements to the press, which makes it much harder for SCO to try their case in the media rather than a courtroom.

    Groklaw is also something that SCO could never have forseen because it's never been done before. Hundreds of volunteers donating their time to get court procedings and transcribe them, research and debunk questionable claims to the press, and write thoughtful articles explaining the technology being used so those who don't have the background can understand what's going on. It's the power of the open source model applied to law. It's anti-FUD, and it's been the worst possible thing for SCO's media campaigns. Go PJ!

    --
    "Seek first to understand." - Socrates
    1. Re:SCO vs. Groklaw by donnz · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It's worse than that now. The "media" is very aware of Groklaw these days and very seldom prints straight SCO press releases (I know because I will call and email journalists if I think they have mis-represented a point).

      Obviously rather than tell the truth (that they are were lying) SCO have only one recourse - discredit the most thourough analytical source.

      This, to SCO and MS, is now even more urgent as Groklaw (and others) are turning their attention to IP laws and I predict this will have the same public impact as it has had on the credibility of SCO's case.

      PS Still looking for a "+5 Astroturfer" on this thread, comeon SCO.

      --
      -- Free software on every PC on every desk
  40. SCO angry because no one listening to its spin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As in politics, corporations do not like it when they fail to control the "message" and public discourse on the message. The fact that sites like Groklaw exist and flourish is one of the few things that gives me hope these days. Sure, Groklaw has a point-of-view. But it is also chock full of raw legal documentation of a lawsuit that is near and dear to us all. I don't need to read SCO's "spin" on their latest court filing. I can read it in all of its raw legalese and see directly that it's full of sh*t...

  41. Re:You know you're a 2nd-rate litigious bastard by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But that's one heck of a paralegal.

  42. darl, darth or dark? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    darl wants to think he's a successful version of darth vader... but in reality he's coming off more like dark helmet

  43. Have you Meta Moderated recently? by foo23 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Anybody out there desperately trying to get mod-points?

  44. Re:Here's an idea.. Prevent the astroturfing campa by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Everytime one of their lawyers cuts wind theres a /. story about it.

    Groklaw is way worse. Consider yourself fortunate.

  45. Re:Astroturfing by boarder8925 · · Score: 5, Funny
    And everyone knows that anonymous posters never get modded up.
    Well, you didn't, anyway ... =P
  46. For those of you not up on your jargon (like me!) by Abraxis · · Score: 5, Informative

    ... and who don't feel like googling in the middle of reading Slashdot posts:

    astroturfing: n. The use of paid shills to create the impression of a popular movement, through means like letters to newspapers from soi-disant `concerned citizens', paid opinion pieces, and the formation of grass-roots lobbying groups that are actually funded by a PR group (astroturf is fake grass; hence the term). This term became common among hackers after it came to light in early 1998 that Microsoft had attempted to use such tactics to forestall the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust action against the company. This backfired horribly, angering a number of state attorneys-general enough to induce them to go public with plans to join the Federal suit. It also set anybody defending Microsoft on the net for the accusation "You're just astroturfing!".

  47. Astroturfing Definition... by Cheesewhiz · · Score: 2, Informative

    For all those who are wondering what "astroturfing" is -- like myself -- here is the Wikipedia definition quoted towards the bottom of the rather verbos Groklaw post:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astroturfing

    --

    -----
    "Cogito Eggo Sum: I think, therefore, waffle."
  48. if WE own linux... by ernstp · · Score: 2, Insightful

    And they have 6 figure revenues from licenses for something WE own.. ..shouldn't WE get all the money?!

    Seriously, if SCO looses all thier court battles, all the money from SCOSource should go to OSDL or something.

  49. They already tried a blitz. Didn't work. by Animats · · Score: 4, Insightful
    SCO has been issuing press releases at a considerable clip lately, trying to make their legal losses scroll off. It's not working. SCOX is down to $4 again.

    They have $61 million in cash, no debt, and a market cap of $62 million. Think about that. If they just shut down and paid out their cash, stockholders would be right where they are now. The stock price is so low that it indicates the market assumes management will blow the cash doing something stupid. Given management's behavior over the last year, that's a reasonable assumption.

    1. Re:They already tried a blitz. Didn't work. by Skiron · · Score: 1

      I presume you know finance crap - I don't. Can you elaborate further? Nick

    2. Re:They already tried a blitz. Didn't work. by Animats · · Score: 2, Insightful
      The market capitalization is the stock price times the number of shares outstanding. Most companies have a much higher market capitalization than assets, reflecting the value of an ongoing business. Microsoft, is considered "cash-heavy", but their market cap is 5x their cash. VA Software (Slashdot's parent) is about 3x. Autodesk, a successful old-line software maker, is about 12x.

      SCO is about 1x, and with no debt. That's very unusual. The problem, of course, is that all their legal activity is expected to burn up all that cash.

    3. Re:They already tried a blitz. Didn't work. by Aerion · · Score: 2, Informative

      The market cap is typically considered the "value" of a company. That SCO's market cap is nearly equal to SCO's cash on hand indicates that the market sees no value in SCO other than in its cash reserves.

    4. Re:They already tried a blitz. Didn't work. by DickBreath · · Score: 2, Informative

      I'll have a cry at it.

      Investors (i.e. bagholders -- the ones left holding the bag, sort of like the one left standing in musical chairs), they seem to believe that SCO is worth only $62 million. The price determined by the share price and number of shares.

      If investors collectively thought the company would be worth more in the future, as they buy and sell shares, the share price would rise to the level that "the market" believes the company is worth (i.e. SCO is worth $500 Gazeeelion Dollarz!).

      SCO has $61 meeelion in cash. No debt. Probably some other assets, such as Darl's office chair.

      As I said, the share price indicates that investors believe SCO is worth $62 million. (Cash + yard sale price of office furniture)

      If SCO were to just liquidate and pay out the shareholders, they would be in exactly the same position they are today. Instead of holding X shares at $4.00 per share, you would be holding X times $4 of cash. No change in your net worth. The reason an investor would generally rather have a $4 share than a $4 cash is because they believe that the price will go up above the $4 they paid for the share so they can sell it.

      I'm not a finance guy. My rambling probably has you throughly confused now.

      --

      I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
    5. Re:They already tried a blitz. Didn't work. by yipper · · Score: 1

      So is it actually possible to liquidate and distribute the cash?

      How would that be done?

      It's interesting that no other company would but them outright at 1X. I guess maybe their thinking there might be future liability for the lawsuits?

    6. Re:They already tried a blitz. Didn't work. by yipper · · Score: 1

      grr

      buy them outright
      buy not but :-(

    7. Re:They already tried a blitz. Didn't work. by Rich0 · · Score: 1

      Actually, IBM would do well to offer to pay the book value of the company. They could then just liquidate the whole thing, absorb the copyrights that are being troublesome, and hire any good developers that they have left.

      For IBM to pay a premium would be a big mistake - that would cause millions of other dinky companies to sue in order to get a buyout.

      However, to pay just book value offers no compensation to the company at all, and doesn't enrichen the officers of SCO. They'd just get book value for their shares - and they can get that by liquidating the company themselves.

      Now, nobody else would buy them but IBM. Otherwise there would be the liability issue. IBM would only do it if they had a gentleman's agreement with Novell, Chrysler, etc not to countersue...

    8. Re:They already tried a blitz. Didn't work. by Animats · · Score: 1
      So is it actually possible to liquidate and distribute the cash?

      How would that be done?

      The voluntary liquidation of a company with assets is rare, but it happens. A common case is where the business is no longer profitable but the company owns something of value, like real estate. The best course may then be to shut down the business operations, sell off the assets, pay off any creditors, issue a dividend equal to the amount of cash left, and dissolve the corporation. It's downsizing all the way to zero.

      SCO can't liquidate without settling the lawsuits first. Remember, this may end with them owing IBM, Novell, and Red Hat money. Of course, they could probably settle all of those out of court without paying any money just by offering to give up.

    9. Re:They already tried a blitz. Didn't work. by rtb61 · · Score: 2, Interesting
      You can't liquidate all your liabilities. SCO's slanderous comments and questionable legal behaviour transfers to the company that buys them. Should any company with significant assets (IBM, Microsoft etc.) buy them, they would be immediately subject to civil suits for the past and currently continuing abuses of SCO.

      SCO bears enormous risks of class action law suits (Globally), the only thing preventing this from happening now is that everybody knows that they would be a burnt out husk of no value before you could finalise the law suit.

      No company can afford to buy SCO, it has become an inevitable bankruptcy waiting to happen with the liquidators being the ones to sell what little value is left in SCO's supposed IP. With support from the beast drying up as the publicity campaign has backfired it looks to be happening sooner rather than latter.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    10. Re:They already tried a blitz. Didn't work. by Galuvian · · Score: 1

      Don't forget that if they get bought out, the lawyers get 20%...

  50. Re:Here's an idea.. Prevent the astroturfing campa by Otter · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Yeah, I liked that part of "sudden fondness for Slashdot". As though getting endless free coverage from the obsessive Linux media hasn't been part of their plan from day one. I'm still not sure if people like the Slashdot editors simply don't realize they're being played like fish or if they just regard controversy as a win-win situation for both themselves and SCO.

  51. Re:Astroturfing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It was a joke. Oh well.

  52. Don't trust anybody over 30... by moojin · · Score: 4, Funny

    But in Slashdot's case, "Don't trust anybody with a Slashdot ID Number > 800000."

    --
    Why did I lurk so long before registering for a Slashdot account? I could have had a Slashdot ID of less than 100000.
    1. Re:Don't trust anybody over 30... by gnawph · · Score: 1

      Heh. Here come the flood of comments saying that somebody COULD of registered years ago but were too scared/busy/forgetful/whatever. Personally, I was scared. ;) Now that I see your /. id gives you more virtual sausage length I couldn't resist.

    2. Re:Don't trust anybody over 30... by DG · · Score: 1

      That "sausage length" ain't virtual Sonny.

      DG

      --
      Want to learn about race cars? Read my Book
    3. Re:Don't trust anybody over 30... by talks_to_birds · · Score: 1
      Whoa!

      Three digits!

      Don't see many of them anymore...

      t_t_b

      --
      I'm on PJ's "enemies" list! Are you?
    4. Re:Don't trust anybody over 30... by starling · · Score: 3, Funny

      And especially don't trust anyone with a /. id less than 50000.

      They're the puppet masters behind the original conspiracy.

    5. Re:Don't trust anybody over 30... by Anthony+Boyd · · Score: 1
      Don't trust anybody with a Slashdot ID Number > 800000.

      You can actually do this, or get close. Login, and click the "Preferences" link on the left side of the page. Then click the "Comments" tab. One of the options on that page is a "New User Modifier" with 2 menus. Set the first to about 10% and the second to -1. That should penalize the newest 10% of users with a -1 to their mod scores. In my case, I actually have it set to 80% -- with a number that large (and because I browse at a threshold of 4), what I end up with is that anyone with a low UID sort of "rises" out of the din. My own posts are penalized, as I don't consider even my own UID to be low enough. :)

    6. Re:Don't trust anybody over 30... by pipingguy · · Score: 1


      Slashdot ID Number > 800000."

      That reminds me - any predictions when the 10 millionth Slashdot post will be? Will the lucky winner get a free T-shirt?

    7. Re:Don't trust anybody over 30... by Pasc · · Score: 1

      Pfft... three ain't nothin.

    8. Re:Don't trust anybody over 30... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Isn't registering a /. account paramount to legitimizing this lunacy? Why I never....

      AC forevah!!!!!1

    9. Re:Don't trust anybody over 30... by panda · · Score: 1

      Shhhh, starling (26,204)! You're giving all our secrets away.....

      --
      Just be sure to wear the gold uniform when you beam down -- you know what happens when you wear the red one.
  53. Message from SCO by binaryDigit · · Score: 3, Funny

    Dear Mr Jail Brekr

    We wish to inform you that it has come to our attention that large portions of your post have been determined to have originated from our copyrighted Post base. If you wish to continue posting, you must arrainge a license agreement with our legal department as soon as possible. Failure to do so can lead to legal action against both you, and any who reply to your post with any part of it quoted, thereby also infringing our copyright. For those users who have posted after the original offending post, but before the posting of this post, you will be given the option to obtain a Posting License for a very minimal and reasonable fee. Please contact our legal department as soon as possible.

    Have a nice day (c)

    SCO Legal

    1. Re:Message from SCO by Ikester8 · · Score: 1

      All your copyrighted Post base are belong to us

      --
      That's the last time I run code posted in somebody's sig...
  54. Legal clarification by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    If I don't reply to this post, does it count as entrapment?

  55. What's in Utah's water? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    btw: wtf is in the water out there? SCO, Orrin Hatch, etc

    Salt, yes. But more importantly: Sea Monkeys!

    Yes, Utah's origional "not quite what it seems" business comes from the primary life form of the Great Salt Lake.

    Remember the joy and excitement as you read the testimony on the back of your comic book about ordering and caring for your very own Sea Monkey family - no, kingdom! For only $24.95, you could be the god of a small world of miniture water people, kept in a tank in your bedroom.

    How many of us raced our order down to the post office and waited each and every day for our little world to show up in the mail. The anticipation and expectation was tremendous. And could you ever forget the brutality of our crushed dreams when we discovered these little water people were... brine shrimp?!!! How could they do this to an idealistic child?

    Yes, SCO has so much in common with its Sea Monkey marketing kin. The false claims. The hype. The dreams. The promise of owning the Linux world. Only to be dashed by painful realities. Worse yet, the commonalities in the executive qualities and mental dynamics of the two entities leaders is downright terrifying.

    Oh, the horror of the Salt Lake's hollow promises!!!

    1. Re:What's in Utah's water? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Please don't besmirch the good name of Sea Monkies by equating them with the residents of Happy Valley, the Most Homogenous Place On Earth!(tm). Besides, you can't raise an intellectual propery army by adding water to some vile powder; it takes years of careful inbreeding and a cultivated respect for dopy authority.

      They know the Secret of the Bees!

  56. Bring it on by Progman3K · · Score: 1

    All the lies they've told so far have been disbunked to great effect in public forum just like Slashdot, so this'll just end with them getting turfed-out.

    --
    I don't know the meaning of the word 'don't' - J
  57. I wonder why the bloody net... by Skiron · · Score: 1

    ...was slow tonight. /. slashing Growlaw slashing /.

    Bah Humbug!

  58. Re:For those of you not up on your jargon (like me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Um, "astroturfing" was defined in TFA. Didn't you read it?

  59. More from... by Xeth · · Score: 1

    Draal McBride, controller of the great SCO FUD Machine?

    --
    If your theory is different from practice, then your theory is wrong.
    1. Re:More from... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Enough with the B5 references ;-)

      Next you'll quote Londo, then we'll all be done for

  60. Damn I thought this was a new game! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm a big fan of NFL Blitz, and when I saw this I thought there was something new for us to play.

  61. Sample Astroturf Message by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    When it comes to the Intellectual Property issues, Darl McBride is demonstrating genuine leadership. The SCOSource Licensing initiative takes the IT industry in the right direction by accelerating the successful adoption of properly licensed Linux installations, providing clarity and guidance on Copyrights, Trademarks, and Patents for USL Unix and derivative Systems, and providing incentives for individuals and small businesses to save and invest for future Unix Systems adoption.

    Contrary to the FSF-sponsored communistic rhetoric attacking the USL business model, the proposal helps every business which utilizes Linux in their Enterprise, especially the Small Business Class. This year alone, 92 million Linux Users will receive an immediate benefit averaging $1,083! That's not pocket change for a family business struggling through uncertain economic times. Combined with the initiatives to help the Corporations protect their IP assets, this plan gets people back to work and helps every sector of our economy.

    (blatantly ripped off Astroturf from the GOP)

    1. Re:Sample Astroturf Message by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, that certainly sounds a like like the GOPs stuff.

      I love the 'average' crap they throw in there. It's like saying that a group of 50 people have an average net worth of a billion dollars, when it's just Bill Gates visiting a homeless shelter.

  62. How do you Astroturf *SCO*? by smclean · · Score: 3, Insightful
    I don't understand how SCO hopes they can do any "astroturfing" of their cause. How can they create an impression of a grass-roots campaign from where they stand? What "little guy" gives a damn about SCO and their stupid IP lawsuits?

    Does anyone have any ideas on how SCO can hope to create the impression of grass-roots support for them? I don't see any feasible ways that someone could come along and post something which would make me, or any informed person see SCO as anything but a company exploiting IP and the legal process to extort companies out of money.

    It's amazing to me that it's even legal for them to offer Linux licenses before establishing in a court that Linux in fact contains their IP. It's like selling the Brooklyn Bridge.. and having it be legal, because the buyer didn't bother to find out if you owned it.

    --

    "'Yrch!' said Legolas, falling into his own tongue."

    1. Re:How do you Astroturf *SCO*? by johnny_sas · · Score: 1
      "It's amazing to me that it's even legal for them to offer Linux licenses before establishing in a court that Linux in fact contains their IP."

      And watch the lawsuits file against Darl ('cause SCO will be gone already) once it is determined that it's not legal... Now that would be fun to watch!

    2. Re:How do you Astroturf *SCO*? by smclean · · Score: 1

      Right! If I wasn't so lazy, I'd go look up the wording of SCO's Linux License to see if it in fact grants you license to their IP, or just indemnifies you in the case that Linux does in fact contain their IP. I woulnd't be surprised if it were the second claim, it being more defensible in the case SCO loses their court battle.

      --

      "'Yrch!' said Legolas, falling into his own tongue."

    3. Re:How do you Astroturf *SCO*? by puzzled · · Score: 1



      You astroturf on groklaw by posting a message that is emotionally appealing to Linux fans without legal training ... but utterly wrong and/or irrelevant.

      Groklaw is important because its accurate and diligent ... something uncontrolled astroturfing could easily ruin.

      --
      I am very easy to get along with, but I don't have time to waste being nice to people who are being stupid. -Theo
  63. is it me... by SQLz · · Score: 5, Informative
    Or does Darl look like some kind of nasty porn star?

    Check it out!

    Nasty isn't it?

    1. Re:is it me... by Blublu · · Score: 1
      --
      meh
    2. Re:is it me... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      404. Is someone reading? It should get the photoshop phriday treatment on www.somethingawful.com

    3. Re:is it me... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, but in a good kinda way.. almost like you'd want to be in that movie...

    4. Re:is it me... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      +5 ok, whatever, but with 100% underrated??? is this a conspiracy or what?

    5. Re:is it me... by RdsArts · · Score: 1

      Personally, I always though he was a zombie or vampire. So form of undead, at least.

      I mean, have you ever see video of him? I've been around computers for over 15 years, and I've never seen someone that pale. Dark rings around his eyes in every photo. A aversion to all things holy. All the signs are there.

    6. Re:is it me... by istewart · · Score: 1

      Eww. 404. Nasty.

    7. Re:is it me... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is it me or is his left eye lower than the other? Looks like frankenstein!

    8. Re:is it me... by BCW2 · · Score: 1

      Those red eyes seem to prove that the root of all this is in his pipe.

      --
      Professional Politicians are not the solution, they ARE the problem.
    9. Re:is it me... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He looks like a mix between Hawk from WWF's Tough Enough and Dolph Lundgren from Punisher.

  64. You Missed A Spot... by DLWormwood · · Score: 1

    Oh, and you must not forget all about SCO astroturfing... In Japan!

    --
    Those who complain about affect & effect on /. should be disemvoweled
  65. I wonder if... by talks_to_birds · · Score: 3, Insightful
    ...Pamela is really just getting closer to her own inner troll?

    She starts off with this self-referential, circular narative about "blows != violence", but then brings up "sending Enderle over the top" and then she mentions guns and how she really wants to keep Enderle calm, and then she comes full circle and no that's not what she means and suddenly she's *really* talking about "blowhards" and "step-by-step".

    Why bother with the entire prologue, except that it makes good "press" when written by someone who's now a "journalist".

    And she ends up with a long monologue about how poor Groklaw (center of the known universe) is about to be astroturfed (the latest "attack!" "attack!") by that dreadful SCO.

    All this angst really comes from the ongoing facts that:

    1. Pamela remains *very* uncomfortable with her awkward relationship to OSRM, but doesn't want to talk about it (shall we deflect discussion *away* from OSRM and Pamela? There's an idea).
    2. Pamela absolutely will not compromise on "it's my damn blog and I'll censor^W delete posts^W^W run it like I want" despite how it plays to any larger audience outside of Groklaw itself
    3. there are still a whole bunch of people who are still worked up about these issues; see the Yahoo! Finance SCOX board, where the discussion about all of this continues unabated after a full week since the OSRM study popped up
    4. fewer and fewer people are even bothering to try to discuss *any* of this at Groklaw itself, so Pamela's "Groklaw's being attacked" "Groklaw's being attacked" meme is succeeding

    So, Pamela's got issues, and a lot of people have issues with Pamela, but to hear her tell it it's all Enderle's and McBride's and SCO's fault.

    Pamela's backed herself into a corner. Period.

    As for SCO itself, fuck 'em.

    SCO clearly isn't going to get anything past anyone here, and anyone (Pamela included..) who thinks that /. is going to be fooled by any such BS from SCO is smoking something I don't want any part of...

    Finally, no, I'm not an SCO astroturfer:

    http://www.finchhaven.com/TSCOG/index.html

    I've done my work in the trenches; have you?

    t_t_b

    --
    I'm on PJ's "enemies" list! Are you?
    1. Re:I wonder if... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thanks for all you have done with regard to the SCOG situation.
      I can understand why you are pissed. She IS getting to be too full of herself.

    2. Re:I wonder if... by sneakers563 · · Score: 2, Insightful
      I still find groklaw to be a good site to get the latest news in the SCO soap opera, but I've long since learned to tune all the "analysis" out. What I find particularly offensive is that she won't link to documents or sites she disagrees with, but doesn't hesitate in the least to paraphrase and comment on them. In other words, don't bother to read it for yourself, I'll tell you what it means.

      A good case in point was the Enderle speech. In my opinion, Enderle's a hack, but her description of the speech (sans link, of course) was not a fair characterization. "The language was so filthy, it is not fit for Groklaw?" Because he used the word BS? Was it professional? No, but to worry about what effect it will have on children (oh, the children!) And speculating that he was drunk? Come on.

      My favorite part of today's entry was the implication that anyone who disagrees with her is working for SCO. It's ironic, isn't it? She rips into Enderle for talking about "Groklaw spies" but then warns everyone to be on the lookout for SCO moles. She ridicules Enderle for complaining about physical threats but keeps her own identity a secret.

      In short, I don't think Pamela and Enderle are so different - she just happens to be on the right side.

    3. Re:I wonder if... by gral · · Score: 2, Informative

      There is not a direct link from her article "Blow by Blow", but there is links to his Keynote from Joe Barrs article, which is what she is in turn talking about.

      There is also one from the Line By Line analisis done by the Law Student. So, she did link to them indirectly.

      One of her main points, was that Enderle claimed Groklaw had people posted in the audience to misrepresent what he said, when there was no "Posting" of his speech directly on Groklaw.

      A least that is what I got from the article.

      --
      Scott Carr
    4. Re:I wonder if... by sneakers563 · · Score: 1
      Perhaps I could've made it clearer that I was referencing two recent Groklaw postings. In the "Enderle Misunderstands Free Software and Swears a Lot" article she stated that she would not link to the keynote address and would "never suggest anyone read it." The fact that there are indirect links is, of course, beyond her control. I think her comments make it clear she would rather there were no links to it at all.

      I'd say your last comment supports my point.

    5. Re:I wonder if... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'd have to say I agree to an extent in the critique, but I'd phrase it differently:

      Number one: PJ is taking this stuff way too seriously, and way too personally.

      You have to remember that at the end of the day, this is just a small matter. A last-ditch attempt by a bunch of unimaginative exects in order to get their company bought-out.

      Personal attacks and cheap-shots at SCO are strongly distasteful to me, however badly they are behaving. SCO is wrong and they are spreading lies.

      It's a simple rule of debate: When people do that, you don't get upset. You show patience and calmly and factually point out why they are wrong and why. Getting all angry and zealous only serves to discredit yourself. People don't listen to two people arguing.

      Credibility comes with being calm and factual, not with mud-slinging. The basic attitude is "If you have the facts on your side, there is no point in getting angry".

      I used to read Groklaw more than I do now. It seems to have become infested with zealots and fanboys.. And it's lead to what was the most valuable part: Semi-qualified legal analysis of the facts of the case to be drowned out in what seems to be an increasingly personal crusade of sorts..

      Oh, and yes, I've contributed too.

    6. Re:I wonder if... by Elwood+P+Dowd · · Score: 1
      I'm glad someone said it. I hate PJ's commentary. She is overly partisan. She is obviously taking a flying leap to suggest that SCO is going to start astroturfing, for example.

      I don't think they could afford to do it. Not successfully, anyway. It's as if PJ is paranoid.

      Whenever she says something worthwhile (not totally uncommon), it shows up in the /. comments too. Basically anytime anyone on the internet says anything even slightly insightful about SCO, it shows up on /. too.

      And /. is moderated. If you're reading at -1... astroturfing by SCO is the least of your concerns. For my purposes (I want to only read semi-interesting comments about SCO), Groklaw is unmoderated.

      That said:
      shall we deflect discussion *away* from OSRM and Pamela? There's an idea
      I read some of your stuff on the subject, and... who cares?

      Anyway, one entertaining comment on Neil's site shows one example of the threats against Mr. Enderle.
      --

      There are no trails. There are no trees out here.
    7. Re:I wonder if... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not successfully, anyway. It's as if PJ is paranoid.

      Look, she IS paranoid. She got introduced to the world of IT through this SCO thing, so now she certain that every press release or bit of industry rag bullshit is part of some International Anti-Linux conspiracy.

      Everytime someone from Sun opens their mouth, she goes absolutely apeshit. Well, Sun is fucked up, but generally they're one of the good guys, and not at all deserving of the snarky line-by-line deconstruction that McBride gets.

      Like most Linux Loons, she's also in love with the word "FUD". Recently she accused a lawyer of "FUD" because he came to the conclusion that the GPL is a pretty good licence, but legal documents shouldn't be numbered from 0. WTF?

      Furthermore, the comments section of groklaw is mainly a bunch of slavish asskissers, and anyone showing two independant, non-PJ-controlled braincells is branded as a "troll" ( or now, a SCO "astroturfer"). This of course just contributes to her siege mentality.

      Prediction: within 1 year, Pamala Jones has a mental breakdown.

    8. Re:I wonder if... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      i am a Groklawyer, and i call TROLL.
      what you have just written is exactly the sort of thing that PJ said would be written. she has had to put up with so much already (it was not easy being a paralegal), and now that she is a journalist she has to cope with professional jealousy as well. it really is too bad. PJ you should delete this astroturfers post right now!

      hehehehe

    9. Re:I wonder if... by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 4, Interesting

      And /. is moderated. If you're reading at -1... astroturfing by SCO is the least of your concerns. For my purposes (I want to only read semi-interesting comments about SCO), Groklaw is unmoderated.

      No. PJ deletes posts arbitrarily. I had a post deleted that was sligtly critical of some of her editorial histrionics (remember when she compared Linus to a baby seal?) I tried to be humorously chiding, not overtly negative, because I do find much value Groklaw. I just find the over-the-top editorializing to be. . . embarrassing.

      It's unfortunate that what is otherwise a great source for SCO news has also become something of a cult, and that the cult leader embraces this role and seeks to consolidate it by making paranoid accusations.

      There's something Stalinesque about the whole thing. "Let's all pull together for the good of OSS by rooting out the SCO moles in our midst" is kind of chilling.

      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
    10. Re:I wonder if... by CustomDesigned · · Score: 1

      SCO replaced the original obscenity laced speech on their web site with an edited version.

    11. Re:I wonder if... by Kalak · · Score: 1

      The SCO web version is a written version of a live speech. I don't know many people who write swearing into their speeches. They put it in when they feel like it. I hardly cal about 4 swear words laced with obscenities, but I'm a Nevy brat, so my swearing standards are on the more liberal side.

      --
      I am, and always will be, an idiot. Karma: Coma (mostly effected by .hack)
    12. Re:I wonder if... by nmos · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Why bother with the entire prologue, except that it makes good "press" when written by someone who's now a "journalist".

      Most of those comments were making fun of Endrel's speech. If you havn't read it I can see how PJ's prologue might seem a bit bizzarre.

      #1 Pamela remains *very* uncomfortable with her awkward relationship to OSRM, but doesn't want to talk about it

      What other choice does she have?

      #2 Pamela absolutely will not compromise on "it's my damn blog and I'll censor^W delete posts^W^W run it like I want" despite how it plays to any larger audience outside of Groklaw itself

      Not to state the obvious but it IS her damn blog. BTW this thread would have been removed had it appeared on Groklaw because of the word "damn" and no doubt someone would assume it had been deleted for other reasons.

      #3 there are still a whole bunch of people who are still worked up about these issues; see the Yahoo! Finance SCOX board, where the discussion about all of this continues unabated after a full week since the OSRM study popped up

      No doubt. The position paper and the product being sold by OSRM actually seem pretty reasonable to me but the marketing has been horrible. I had hoped that they would issue a clarification and clean up their marketing act when this first blew up but the longer they let this sit the more it stinks.

      #4 fewer and fewer people are even bothering to try to discuss *any* of this at Groklaw itself, so Pamela's "Groklaw's being attacked" "Groklaw's being attacked" meme is succeeding

      Pretty much everything has already been said.

    13. Re:I wonder if... by nmos · · Score: 1

      Did you ask her why your post was deleted and if so what did she say?

    14. Re:I wonder if... by Fnkmaster · · Score: 1
      From personal experience, she is inclined toward paranoia and hysterics, yes. We had a bit of a dispute over the "groklaw" name (I was the original registrant of groklaw.org, which I registered before her Groklaw blog re: SCO fiasco ever existed - rather, I think she had a blog, but hadn't really started doing any analysis on the SCO case, and hadn't used/registered any of the groklaw.* domain names). She got herself in a bit of a tither and implied that I had squatted on the domain name or that it was presumptuous of me to use the name for anything when she had popularized it so much (of course, I had registered the domain name first).


      She sort of ignored the obvious evidence of the date of registration in the WHOIS records. I had registered it for my own blog, which I ended up putting up at a slightly different address, which I preferred to the more limited groklaw.org domain. Anyway, not like she threatened me legally or anything nasty, just had a somewhat arrogant and paranoid attitude about her.


      I was originally inclined to just give it to the non-profit she claimed she was setting up at the time, in exchange for some sort of token something or other - credit, kudos, etc. (didn't really want money for it), but her attitude left a really bad taste in my mouth, despite my respect for the work she's done on the SCO case (when she first contacted me, I had only seen her groklaw site once or twice, this was before the groklaw stories on Slashdot were a daily occurance).


      In any case, I put it off, forgot about it, and the domain ended up expiring and ended up in a squatter's hands. Oh well, at least now I don't have to worry about figuring out what to do with it.

    15. Re:I wonder if... by nathanh · · Score: 1
      There is also one from the Line By Line analisis done by the Law Student.

      Except he isn't a law student. He posted a reply in the Groklaw comments section pointing out that he's an IT student who is considering changing his degree to law in 12 months time.

    16. Re:I wonder if... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      SCO replaced the original obscenity laced speech on their web site with an edited version.

      No they didn't. I read the SCO speech before PJ wrote an article about it. It hadn't changed. There was a meme started in the Groklaw board that it had been "sanitised" after PJ had read it but before everybody else had. Not true.

    17. Re:I wonder if... by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 3, Insightful

      She herself posted to the thread from which my post was deleted that public criticism was not welcome and that Groklaw was hers and she could do as she saw fit. She likened herself to Linus and Groklaw to Linux, saying that Linus has had to reject many contributions to protect Linux, and so she must delete certain posts to protect Groklaw. And that we were welcome to start up our own sites if we wanted. Fair enough, though the comparison to Linus was a bit much.

      It was a while ago, so I might not be remembering everything, but that's the gist of it, as I remember it.

      Interestingly, I read the last piece she wrote on Enderle tonight, and managed to catch sight of the first thread in the comments section. It was entitled "Trolls here please". So I posted before I went out for the evening, voicing my criticism of the deletion of posts, thinking that it would be safe to post in that thread. At least two others felt the same way. When I returned from my evening out, my post and the the two other posts I had noted had been deleted.

      So, it was an interesting experiment, but nothing much has changed in the Groklaw comments section. It'll be a while before I read any comments again or post my own.

      And oddly enough, it made me appreciate the slashdot moderation system. I get very irritated with retarded mods here, but really, the system works fairly well. It's not perfect, and perhaps there might be ways to improve it, but over the long run, it works.

      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
    18. Re:I wonder if... by Elwood+P+Dowd · · Score: 1

      No. PJ deletes posts arbitrarily.

      All I mean is that in my opinion, the groklaw comments are a giant sea of boring crap. And I don't care if she deletes the anti-groklaw comments. I just care that she doesn't delete the boring ones.

      --

      There are no trails. There are no trees out here.
  66. Darl McBride is not a child molestor by MarsDefenseMinister · · Score: 0, Troll

    Anyone who has been saying that Darl McBride is a child molestor would not be telling the truth. There is currently no evidence that Darl McBride molests little girls.

    I repeat, there is no evidence that Darl McBride has molested any little girls this week. Don't believe any reports you may hear.

    --
    No weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men.-Ronald Reagan
    1. Re:Darl McBride is not a child molestor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I repeat, there is no evidence that Darl McBride has molested any little girls this week. Don't believe any reports you may hear.

      Quite right. And, indeed, when I was an 11 year old boy Darl McBride definitely did NOT come into my bedroom late on an autumn evening with the wind gently blowing in the window and the moon gently caressing my face with it's silvery light.

      Darl absolutely did NOT slide his hand into my tighty whities and fondle my testicles while I turned my head away and entered a dissociated state where I developed several separate personalities and a penchant for masturbating after visits to the doctor's office.

      Without any doubt whatsoever, Darl did not then penetrate my tiny puckered pink love box and inseminate the inside of my colon with his hot, creamy manseed.

      No siree, I cannot say it enough times: Darl did NOT molest me when I was a little boy. And the fact that everytime I see his face in the media I wet myself and choke back my own bile and plunge into a suicidal depression has nothing to do with any fictional molestation I definitely did NOT suffer at his hands as an 11 year old boy.

  67. Just a reminder. Groklaw does.... by i_want_you_to_throw_ · · Score: 1

    cheerfully accepts donations. PJ has done lots of hard work. Dig deep folks!

  68. A pretty absurd theory from PJ by SimianOverlord · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I don't know if she's noticed but Slashdot is moderated. And also, again I'm not sure if she's worked it out - SCO aren't popular around here. So an astroturfing campaign is likely to be moderated to oblivion. (Well, oblivion is a bit harsh. Actually one post will be modded down, then the subnet IP ban will kick in, preventing any other posts, and also preventing the entire eastern seaboard of the USA from making anonymous posts as collatoral damage. Nice one CT.)

    A more likely motivation for McBride's praise of Slashdot is that it was an attempt to slime Groklaws system of deleting posts. Trying to suggest some suppression of legitimate viewpoints. In other words, more FUD.Here be post deleters.

    I always figured McBride had a screw loose somewhere, after all he is probably headed for what is technically known as a federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison, but to actually praise Slashdot? If I were an investor I'd be breaking into a cold sweat. I wonder if he also eats his own excrement now, and hums tunelessly to himself while rocking back and forth.

    --
    Meine Schwester ist sehr, sehr reizvoll - Nietzsche
    1. Re:A pretty absurd theory from PJ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      HAHAHAHAHAHA you said slashdot is moderated... hhhehehehhehe you deserve a +10 funny mod cookie for that.

    2. Re:A pretty absurd theory from PJ by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1
      A more likely motivation for McBride's praise of Slashdot is that it was an attempt to slime Groklaws system of deleting posts. Trying to suggest some suppression of legitimate viewpoints. In other words, more FUD.Here be post deleters.


      Well, the only system PJ seems to employ is to delete anything critical of her or Groklaw. That doesn't take away from Groklaw's value as a purveyor of SCO news, but it does curtail it's value as a venue to discuss the issues.

      And re: Mcbride and his loose screw. What you're seeing is what happens when you leave a screw loose for too long. Eventually the whole contraption shakes apart.
      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
    3. Re:A pretty absurd theory from PJ by shadowbearer · · Score: 1

      A more likely motivation for McBride's praise of Slashdot is that it was an attempt to slime Groklaws system of deleting posts. Trying to suggest some suppression of legitimate viewpoints. In other words, more FUD.Here be post deleters.

      Exactly. Trying to create dissension between the various groups/allies of your enemy is a common propoganda tactic, one that Darl - at least so far - seems to be very incompetent at. I'd guess that SCO is getting a bit desperate. :)

      If I were an investor I'd be breaking into a cold sweat. I wonder if he also eats his own excrement now, and hums tunelessly to himself while rocking back and forth.

      Darl: I was once important! I nearly defeated Open Source! *rocks back and forth*

      Nurse: Yes, Darl, now be nice and take your medication, you'll feel a lot better, I promise. *makes note to increase meds*

      Cheers,
      SB

      --
      It's old. The more humans I meet, the more I like my cats. At least they are honest.
  69. And just exactly why do you think that their astroturfing campaign would be anything more than a source of great amusement for us? There are no good no philosophical or moral (and probably no legal) reasons for anyone to take SCO seriously, and anyone here who tries will either be modded funny or flamebait, depending on how thick they layer on the bullshit.

    In the end, SCO realize that BS only works on real grass.

  70. Depends by Skiron · · Score: 1

    If you are honest with yourself. If you think what you do, sobeit. Nick

  71. Re:Here's an idea.. Prevent the astroturfing campa by sTalking_Goat · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    dude why are you so obessed with iPod and TiVO. I swear everytime iPod and Tivo are mentioned I look up and see your login.

    --

    My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle...

  72. Re:first post by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Oh my lord, the magnitude of your failure . . . sickens me . . .

  73. Easily done for real by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You actually can pretty much do this, if you want. On your comment options page, the "New User Modifier" option allows you to apply bonus/penalties for comments posted by users in the newest X%.

  74. Slashdot Blitz! by Agent+Green · · Score: 4, Funny

    And Darl in the back said, "Everyone attack!" and it turned in to a slashdot blitz...slashdot blitz...

    --
    // Agent Green (Ian / IU7 / KB1JQO)
    // IEEE 802.3: All 10base Are Belong To Us
    1. Re:Slashdot Blitz! by zzen · · Score: 1

      And then like.. my Slashdot did beep, beeep, and it was all gone...

      Which sux. It was a really good Slashdot.

    2. Re:Slashdot Blitz! by Penguinshit · · Score: 1


      That post was so SWEET....

      (I used to have Desolation Boulevard on LP, until an old roomie sold all my vinyl for a bag of weed...)

    3. Re:Slashdot Blitz! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I hope you flushed his weed and then sold his kidneys.

    4. Re:Slashdot Blitz! by weeboo0104 · · Score: 1

      I'll try to see if I can find my copy. I got Desolation Boulevard when some stoner traded me a stack of LPs for a bag of oregano and catnip.

      --
      It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. -Frederick Douglass
    5. Re:Slashdot Blitz! by Penguinshit · · Score: 1


      Nope.. but he never did figure out why his motorcycle engine seized up a couple of weeks later. It took him almost a year to replace it on his minimum-wage job.

  75. Re:Here's an idea.. Prevent the astroturfing campa by lambent · · Score: 1

    How exactly do you play a fish?

    And for goodness' sake, what the hell are slashdot personals? If've been wondering for a long time, everytime you post.

  76. No, he's beginning to Get It. by Short+Circuit · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Community-driven news sites like Groklaw and Slashdot are where a lot of his FUD gets shredded.

    I suspect he's trying to drive a wedge between them, to get them to focus and fight each other. He probably doesn't realize that, in terms of a registered user base and commonality of views, they're tied together pretty tight.

    1. Re:No, he's beginning to Get It. by Darth23 · · Score: 2, Funny
      We are /.

      We are Groklaw

      resistance is futile.

      ;-)

      I think Darl's main goal is to drive the stock price of Slashdot and Groklaw so low that they will cease to function - after the insiders have sucked the companies dry of any cash they have left

      No wait, that's his main goal for SCO.

      --

      -------- In Soviet Russia, "Soviet Russia" sigs hate Slashdot.

  77. What I really want to know is... by rsilvergun · · Score: 4, Funny

    a) If Darl Eats beans
    b) If Darl would like to see a movie staring George Wendt
    c) If Darl would like to see George Wendt Eating Beans in a movie.

    Obscure references are the best

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
    1. Re:What I really want to know is... by talks_to_birds · · Score: 1
      What I really want to know is, is Natalie Portman still into hot grits?

      t_t_b

      --
      I'm on PJ's "enemies" list! Are you?
    2. Re:What I really want to know is... by Josh+Booth · · Score: 1

      1. Ruin the suspense by telling /. that the reference is from Animaniacs.
      2. ???
      3. Profit!

  78. these people by A_GREER · · Score: 0

    these SCO guys are so fake, most people would call it a grassroots movement, they call it astroturf...

  79. Re:Here's an idea.. Prevent the astroturfing campa by lone_marauder · · Score: 1

    What could they possibly hope to attain by astroturfing? I mean, the case is unwinnable, they have no industry esteem left. The only thing they could try to do is take attention off of...

    Ooo - You're good.

    --
    who are those slashdot people? they swept over like Mongol-Tartars.
  80. Don't be so hard on them! by daem0n1x · · Score: 1

    After all, SCO is just trying to make a decent living. Aren't we all? Those evil Free Software evildoers are the ones who are causing harm, imagine giving away for free important stuff that took years to develop at SCO: A reliable, robust operating system.
    SCO is righteous, you are evil, /.
    Shame on you!

    Garl Mc Tribe

  81. /usr/dict/words by DickBreath · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think that what SCO Legal meant was that most of your post contained words, which are a copyright violation of the /usr/dict/words file, which is part of Linux, which SCO owns.

    --

    I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
  82. OT: bad karma by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    And mod all comments by UIDs 700000 up to 5 so I can actually get good karma again?

    Your journal entry seems to be closed so I apologise for cluttering up this discussion but this needs to be said.

    You might stand a better chance of getting good karma if you come up with interesting or insightful thoughts. How many of your posts have even two paragraphs? How many of your posts add a new (and relevant) dimension to the topic under discussion. Oh, and remember that funny doesn't earn karma - you have to prove that you have something worth saying before you are considered humourous.

    And there isn't a hope in hell of you getting modded up significantly while your posts and sig whinge about moderation. Your karma is not interesting to anybody else. Your lack of karma is even less interesting.

  83. What if lots of us bought 1 share of SCOX? by jyoull · · Score: 2, Informative
    So... with the stock now trading at $4, and Sharebuilder.com available to make it super-cheap to buy and hold small numbers of shares ($4 for an "automatic" purchase of any number of shares, but selling is priced more traditionally, around $15 for most people)...

    would it be interesting for lots of people with an interest in the SCO v. Linux matter to individually purchase single shares of SCOX?

    Market cap is $62M, shares at $4 and change, that's about 15M shares outstanding... per Yahoo, over 75% of the shares are tied up in big holders, so individuals could not attain a controlling interest (http://finance.yahoo.com/q/mh?s=SCOX)

    but... being an owner of even one share of stock makes the company accountable to the shareholder, with the attendant expense of keeping track of the shareholder, and responding via shareholder relations to shareholders' inquiries.

    Shareholders also have the right to nominate directors at the 2005 annual meeting, and to introduce shareholder resolutions to be considered at the annual meeting. Note that as of the 2004 annual meeting, the next meeting was expected to happen around April 19, 2005, and that such proposals are due WELL in advance (4 months anyway)

    From SCO: 2004 Proxy statement, including 2005 shareholder meeting info

    No proposals have been submitted by stockholders of the Company for consideration at the Annual Meeting. It is anticipated that the next annual meeting of stockholders will be held on or about April19, 2005. Stockholders may present proposals for inclusion in the proxy statement to be mailed in connection with the 2005 annual meeting of stockholders of the Company, provided such proposals are received by the Company in writing no later than November6, 2004 and are otherwise in compliance with Securities and Exchange Commission regulations regarding the inclusion of stockholder proposals in company-sponsored proxy materials.

    In addition, the Company's Bylaws permit stockholders to nominate directors at the annual meeting by providing advance written notice to the Company. In order to make a director nomination at a stockholder meeting, a stockholder must notify the Company not fewer than 120days in advance of any meeting of stockholders called for the election of directors. Similarly, the Company's Bylaws permit stockholders to cause other business to be conducted at any meeting of stockholders by providing advance written notice to the Company. In order for such business to be conducted at a stockholder meeting, a stockholder must notify the Company not fewer than 120days in advance of the meeting of stockholders. Assuming the date of next year's annual meeting is April19, 2005, any notice required under the Bylaws as described in this paragraph must be received by the Company no later than December20, 2004 in order to be timely for next year's annual meeting. In addition, the notice must meet all other requirements contained in the Company's Bylaws.

    A stockholder may contact the Corporate Secretary of the Company at its headquarters for a copy of the relevant Bylaw provisions regarding the requirements for making stockholder proposals and nominating director candidate



    Caveats as follows:
    The author is not an investment advisor, attorney, or accountant. He's not even wholly qualified to write the letters "SCOX" in a public place. Investing carries risks of all kinds. Owning shares of stock may create tax liabilities and reporting overhead that doesn't exist if you don't own shares of stock. Consult someone who knows what the hell they are talking about before doing anything this stupid.

    1. Re:What if lots of us bought 1 share of SCOX? by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1

      Nice idea in theory, but as you said, most of the stock is held by a few hands, most notably The Canopy Group. The name Ralph Yarro might ring a few bells.

      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
    2. Re:What if lots of us bought 1 share of SCOX? by jyoull · · Score: 1

      The underlying idea wasn't to take over the company (it'd feel dirty anyway) but to be in a position to exact some attention from its management. Was just a thought, that's all.

    3. Re:What if lots of us bought 1 share of SCOX? by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1

      It's not a bad thought, really. It's just that in this case there is a Dr. Evil, (or two) behind the scenes who will pay very little attention to any sort of dissent.

      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
  84. Oh! by ucblockhead · · Score: 0

    So THAT'S where the ormans come from!

    --
    The cake is a pie
  85. /. user_id for sale? by pohl · · Score: 2, Informative

    If SCO or Microsoft (you _know_ they have shills here too) wants to pay me $$$$ to push their agenda, I'll consider the offer.

    --

    The "cue the foo posts in 3, 2, 1..." posts will commence with no subsequent foo posts in 3, 2, 1...

    1. Re:/. user_id for sale? by hsoft · · Score: 1

      They would have to be able to delete this very comment to use your account for astroturfing...

      --
      perception is reality
    2. Re:/. user_id for sale? by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1

      It's too late. They've already shopped it out to the GNAA.

      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
  86. More Enderle Gems by reptilicus · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Don't forget, this is the man who predicted Apple would switch over to all Intel processors before the end of 2003, and of course, that the iTunes Music Store would never fly with Windows users, because it was arriving after hugely successful Windows music stores like BuyMusic.com.

  87. Animaniacs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Would you like to take a survey?"

  88. SCO deserves a fair chance to AstroTurf here by DickBreath · · Score: 1

    If Microsoft shills can regularly AstroTurf here, then SCO should be allowed equal opportunity to do the same.


    Now imagine this argument applied to: Hey, if they can pollute the air and water, then we deserve an equal opportunity to do so!

    --

    I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
  89. Ahhh.... SCO Licenses by WarMonkey · · Score: 5, Funny



    Ahhh.... SCO licenses...

    The toilet paper of choice for those who don't find $20 bills ostentatious enough for the task.

    Do they come in two-ply?

    --
    -- I could tell right away that she was impressed with my HUGE Slashdot Karma.
    1. Re:Ahhh.... SCO Licenses by ChairmanMeow · · Score: 2, Funny

      Do they come in two-ply?

      Yes, but you have to buy the Business Version for 10 Users, which is $1400.

      But really, is two-ply worth sharing it with nine other users?

      --
  90. Re:Here's an idea.. Prevent the astroturfing campa by sdcharle · · Score: 1
    Keep posting the SCO stories, keep the Astroturfers busy and confined.

    It's kind of like a honeypot for astroturfers. I stopped reading SCO stories around when the stock dropped below $5. They are so doomed. Let the astroturfers turf away in these stories the rest of us can ignore.

  91. Re:You know you're a 2nd-rate litigious bastard by gotem · · Score: 0

    got you Groklaw! you are astroturfing too

  92. maybe... by SQLz · · Score: 2, Funny

    Maybe SCO will hire the same astro-turfers that tried to pump up the Nokia N-gauge. I heard they rock.

  93. ./ is dead today at the age of 6 by w1r3sp33d · · Score: 1
    Just one month short of its seventh birthday, ./ suddenly and unexpectedly died today of bad karma.

    One bewildered passerby speculated that the problems origin could be a flaw in the /code not being able to compensate for the potential risk of a ./er not knowing who Chewbacca is, or how to spell his name.

    In response to these questions a man claiming to be a senior naval official made the following statement: "It isn't our fault that ./ died today, six years ago even the improbability drive could not have calculated the odds of a "geek" not knowing EVERYTHING about Star Wars. More confusing yet was absence of a follow-up post apologizing to Peter Mayhew and George Lucas... inconceivable!"

    1. Re:./ is dead today at the age of 6 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      More confusing yet was absence of a follow-up post apologizing to Peter Mayhew and George Lucas... inconceivable!"

      Who is George Lucas?

    2. Re:./ is dead today at the age of 6 by pyrrhonist · · Score: 1
      More confusing yet was absence of a follow-up post apologizing to Peter Mayhew and George Lucas... inconceivable!

      Hold your tongue! We do not mention the name of the Defiler of Great Works here!!!!

      --
      Show me on the doll where his noodly appendage touched you.
  94. Re:For those of you not up on your jargon (like me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That reminds me of those fake "Switch" ads Microsoft made to lash back at Apple--except that Microsoft's were made up (couldn't find any real testimonials, I guess). After the egg on their face was made public, they pulled the ads.

  95. MOD PARENT UP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    -- great sig

  96. It could backfire though by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think sco is cool and my brother he is SUCK A GEEK. He put LINUX on his computer and i can't even get in, i have to log in but I can't, so how am i supposed to use aim with that? I bet SCOW will let me use aim to talk to my friends and stuff like that. I vet Clay Aiken would bever use linux. Also he is NOT GAY! Stop saying he is GATY! Love, Ashley

  97. The Hatch-SCO Connection by cyberformer · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's more than just coincidence that SCO and Hatch seem to have similar agendas. Hatch's son is actually SCO's lead attorney in the state courts.

  98. Re:Here's an idea.. Prevent the astroturfing campa by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    I stopped reading SCO stories around when the stock dropped below $5.

    ... but carried on posting?

  99. Interesting view of NSFNET, CIX history by jgs · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This is pretty far offtopic, but this calls for a response:

    the Commercial Internet Exchange, who fought against the NSFNET's plans for an Internet monopoly grant to the regional Bell operating companies and ANS, an IBM and MCI venture

    The part of my brain this history is stored in hasn't been accessed for a while, but suffice it to say that the above is only one, fairly debatable, perspective on Internet history.

    Here's a half-decent capsule history of the NSFNET which provides a different (more accurate, from my keyhole) spin. The tag line of the article is "The National Science Foundation's enlightened management of the NSFNET facilitated the Internet's first period of explosive public growth." Which is pretty accurate as happy-talk goes.

    The NSFNET was a good thing. The CIX was (in retrospect) a good thing. Figuring out how to move the Internet from being largely taxpayer-funded to being primarily commercial was a good thing. It certainly wasn't painless or without friction, but it was driven mostly by people of good will, not smoke-filled rooms where evil government bureaucrats were plotting to grant monopolies to their bell-head cronies.

    The CIX, at the outset, wasn't a "fight against a monopoly". It was a way for folks to move commercial traffic between their networks without making inappropriate use of the taxpayer-funded NSFNET.

    1. Re:Interesting view of NSFNET, CIX history by scoove · · Score: 1

      The CIX, at the outset, wasn't a "fight against a monopoly".

      On the surface, very true. But the reality of the politics of NSFNET regionals, engaging in NSFNET connectivity, etc. was very different. All had the perspective of demanding the door be closed after they joined the club.

      Many regionals operated commercial traffic in complete disregard to AUP. Rather than pay for their leased circuits to which they serviced commercial and educational accounts, they often required their higher ed clients pay for the circuits (at state taxpayer expense). They made use of university faculty, university office facilities, university health care insurance and benefits, university computer staff, university operations facilities and university computers and routers. All while selling commercial service. I actually sat with a client once listening to the regional's pitch: "Of course, you're not supposed to use this for commercial use. But nobody will notice!"

      Forcing connectivity to the NSF often resulted in the complete opposition by your respective regional. They did not want competition while they expanded into the commercial sector. In our case, it took a well connected US Senator and several school district customers to force the NSF to comply with its rules (and this still took nearly a year to deal with every hurdle the NSF would discover on the very last day of each deadline).

      Read up on the NSF's NAP proposal in case you have any doubt. This was an attempt to give the regional Bells the monopoly on running peer points (with real competitive advantage to the RBOCs on the retail side). Of course, my perspective is from working for a university that was a supplier for a regional, as well as building one of the first competitors to our regional and participating on the CIX side. I'm sure my perspective has some bias, so take that into mind!

      *scoove*

    2. Re:Interesting view of NSFNET, CIX history by georgewilliamherbert · · Score: 1
      Read up on the NSF's NAP proposal in case you have any doubt.
      There were a lot of issues with the NAPs as originally conceived, but they came about long after the CIX was formed.

      CIX initially had nothing to do with NSFNet. It was all about letting all the various commercial ISPs exchange traffic in a reasonable manner, and lobbying for the ISP industry in general.

      By the time of the NAPs, it was evident that any attempt to uniquely monopolize peering points was going to die a horrible death, because the pool of people who knew how to build them had reached critical mass and the demand for them was high enough that people were already talking about doing them completely commercially if the government did not. There were already commercial alternatives, and those continued to grow and diversify after the NAPs came into existence.

      Some people at regionals and NSF thought differently, but they were already far behind the growth curve at that point, whether they realized it or not.

      It wasn't until later when money and politics caused some ISPs to stop wanting to peer profligately that the demand for open peering points started to drop off...

    3. Re:Interesting view of NSFNET, CIX history by jgs · · Score: 1

      Seems to me that the majority of your message supports the premise that the NSF did pretty much the right thing. They got out of the general-purpose network business, which is much of what your message complains of. Some might argue that they did it late, but that's up for debate and the fact remains that they did it. The NAPs were a way to try to ensure that the Internet (which was, at one point, pretty NSFNET-centric) didn't break during transition. It may look a bit Mickey Mouse ten years later, but at the time, it represented responsible stewardship. The Internet didn't break; one may view this as success.

      Read up on the NSF's NAP proposal in case you have any doubt.

      I was at Merit working in the NSFNET engineering group when the NAP thing was going on. Somewhat later, I worked (briefly) at an RBOC subsidiary (AADS) that had responsibility for operating one of the NAPs. From my perspective I didn't see a great deal of cronyism at work. (Even if there had been, if the goal had been for the RBOCs to secure some kind of Internet monopoly, the strategy wasn't very effective, was it?)

      This was an attempt to give the regional Bells the monopoly on running peer points

      Only two of the four NAPs were operated by RBOCs (SF and Chicago, by PacBell and AADS respectively). The other two were operated by Sprint (Pennsauken) and MFS (MAE-E). At the time, there were not that many players both able and willing to offer the facilities required for an exchange point, so if anything the number of RBOCs involved seems low.

  100. His Best Strategy is Obvious and Weak. by FlutterVertigo(gmail · · Score: 1

    i.e., if he we were smart & understood /.

    He's obviously aware Slashdot is not a moderated resource and knows it would lose its value if it were to change. Consider what would happen if people decide to "infiltrate" and gradually start to post information which isn't necessarily blatant advertising as that would be too obvious. But little-by-little...

    Anyway, you get the picture.

    Now, I know everyone's going to jump on that and claim noone could get away with it, but I'm just pointing out that if he really wanted to use SlashDot for a campaign of some type, that's about the only way he could do it. If it became obvious, Anonymous or not, we know they'd be mod'ed down, and if they used a userid, it'd almost become policy for anyone who had points to knock them down pretty hard to the point of where they wouldn't be seen by anyone unless they changed their filters to -1:: or 0::. So then it becomes a mission of them creating new names every time they're discovered.

  101. Futurama has forseen it! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Well, in those days Mars was just a dreary uninhabitable wasteland...
    much like Utah. But unlike Utah, it was eventually made livable..."
    -Professor Farnsworth

  102. Open thinking by scoove · · Score: 1

    religion is anything but "open thinking"

    I should have chosen my words more carefully! I have little to no reference points on how progressive the church is on dress codes, social rules, etc. (though I can tell you there was a pretty decent microbrewery in SLC, as well as no shortage of good coffee loaded with caffeine, so I think it depends on who you're talking with per that whole side).

    And any time you start talking about how free or liberal one is in their thinking, you're setting yourself up for a futile argument. My family comes from Amish country in Ohio and those folks are some of the most free people in some respects, while extremely restricted in others. I think a lot has to deal with priorities as to where you place the structure and restriction in your life.

    So please don't take my limited outsider perspective to be any statement on church freedoms. I'll go back to my small country church and keep my trap shut!

    *scoove*

  103. Groklaw has bugged me for a long time. They tend to wear rose colored glasses when looking at things like how good Linux is on the desktop. They're Linux users, but if you s/Linux/MacOS X/g, you could put most of the posts on a Mac forum and no one would look twice. In most places (like /.), you've got a healthy mix of people that use all kinds of OSes. Even if it takes zealots from the other camps (Mac, BSD, etc) to balance things out, they do eventually get balanced most of the time. Or failing that, at least you get another side presented, like the people whose transition to Linux stalled because something didn't work.

    A few months after it got started, Groklaw turned into this orgy of groupthink with respect to issues of Linux technical and usability merit. Let's not turn Slashdot into that. It happens here on occasion, but it's well below critical mass. People do have legitimate problems with Linux, and there are technical reasons that it's not always the best choice.

    The only thing we can take for granted is that SCO is full of shit.

    --
    I rarely criticize things I don't care about.
    1. Re:Uhg by Foofoobar · · Score: 1

      Hmmm sounds like Darl has started the astroturfing early this season. :)

      --
      This is my sig. There are many like it but this one is mine.
    2. Re:Uhg by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1

      Groklaw is still a great source of news about SCO shennanigans, etc., so long as you take the sometimes hyperbolic editorializing with a grain of salt.

      I stopped reading the comments after I had a mildly critical comment deleted. I realized that this was a group that wasn't willing to enngage in self-criticism, and as such, was not a group to which I wanted to belonng. And it's a pity, because amongst the self-congratuulatory crap, there are generally pretty good posts from lawyers, programmers, and others that are just good thinkers.

      At the time my post was deleted, I was told by PJ that public criticism was unwelcome, that as Groklaw was not a public forum, but her own private thing, she could do as she saw fit. So, whatever. I took the option open to me, and stopped reading posts and psoting. I still read the news there, as they still have the best coverage, and the best analysis (when you ignore the strident editorializing).

      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
    3. Re:Uhg by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 3, Insightful

      "Groklaw turned into this orgy of groupthink with respect to issues of Linux technical and usability merit."

      Really? Every time I go there, it's entirely about the law and how stupid SCO is. I don't think I've ever read anything about "Linux usability" there. Maybe I didn't look hard enough, since I don't read *every* post.

      "Let's not turn Slashdot into that."

      Not likely. Too many Windows trolls post here. Especially the ones that act like they really like Linux, "it's just that Linux [fill in the blanks about usability, installs, and other ruminant evacuation.]" Sorry, these morons fool no one.

      --
      Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
    4. Re:Uhg by ArbitraryConstant · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "Really? Every time I go there, it's entirely about the law and how stupid SCO is. I don't think I've ever read anything about "Linux usability" there. Maybe I didn't look hard enough, since I don't read *every* post."

      One of the other replies to my post said it better. They're not willing to engage in self-criticism. Thus, when anything at all gets said about Linux itself, it's positive.

      Perhaps things have changed. I haven't read Groklaw (except for the odd linked article) for almost a year.

      It was sufficiently annoying that I'm not going to be giving it another shot.

      "Not likely. Too many Windows trolls post here. Especially the ones that act like they really like Linux, "it's just that Linux [fill in the blanks about usability, installs, and other ruminant evacuation.]" Sorry, these morons fool no one."

      See, this is the attitude I'm talking about. Your attitude is that these criticisms are necessarily false. Anyone who disagrees must be a troll. They must have an agenda.

      --
      I rarely criticize things I don't care about.
    5. Re:Uhg by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 1

      Not quite.

      It's just that statistically speaking, most of the anti-Linux comments I've read are not only false, they are known by the speaker to be false. This is detectable because the speaker invariably has nothing specific to say to prove his point, but relies on generalities.

      If somebody presents a specific problem with Linux, such as that Linux has trouble getting drivers written for it by hardware manufacturers, nobody can really deny this is true. OTOH, the issue is how bad is this problem overall. If you assume it is a show-stopper, without considering other factors such as the type of user you're referring to or the effect of pre-installation, etc., you're simply wrong and if you then IGNORE these other factors, you become a troll.

      The trolls are easily detectable because they make bullshit arguments such as that Linux is not "usable", or that Linux is not "learnable", or other general statements which simply aren't true regardless of the type of user. I know they aren't true because I had to learn Windows and Linux from scratch over the last three years and I see no difference between them in that regard.

      I also see no evidence for the usual pro-Windows assertion that Windows is more "intuitive". What I have discovered is that NEITHER OS is particularly "intuitive". So anyone who asserts this as a certainty is necessarily a Windows troll with an agenda (or simply a moron - I suppose we must distinguish between morons and trolls, but I really get tired of trying to bother, especially since it doesn't seem to take much for a Windows moron to turn into a Windows troll - and Windows trolls are by definition morons.)

      My standard statement remains true:
      1) Windows is CRAP.
      2) Linux is ALSO CRAP (whether it is EQUALLY crap is another issue - given the difficulty of writing a virus for it and its renowned stability, I think not.)
      3) Linux is FREE crap.

      It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that Linux wins that comparison. It does take a Windows troll to state that statement one is not true, statement two is true, and then ignore statement three.

      If you do that, you are either a moron or a troll - or both. You're a moron if you actually believe that stuff, and you're a moron and a troll if you knowingly present statement two while deliberately ignoring statements one and three.

      The bottom line: there are people who claim to like Linux except for [insert defect here] but who are KNOWINGLY lying about their like for Linux. That's the people I was referring to specifically.

      And like I said, they're usually easy to detect simply by the fact that they telegraph their dislike BY saying "I like Linux but..." That's an OLD liar's game that fools no one - but liars always seem to need to continue using it.

      The real bottom line: who cares? If Linux can't compete, IT WON'T. If it can, IT WILL. A third option is Linux AND Windows AND the Mac will be replaced by something else in ten or twenty years.

      So anybody's opinion isn't worth the bandwidth to transmit it.

      But this is /. - and opinions are the stock in trade here.

      --
      Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
    6. Re:Uhg by Stephen+H-B · · Score: 1

      I like linux but... (ducking now, you may stone when ready)

      --
      Sick of WoW? Try the thinking man's MMORPG: EVE Online
    7. Re:Uhg by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Too many Windows trolls post here.[snip]Sorry, these morons fool no one."

      Hey, I'm an Apple user, and I think Linux is too esoteric for production/home use.

      I demand to be called a moron too!

    8. Re:Uhg by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nice, well-reasoned response...

      You must be new here :)

    9. Re:Uhg by ArbitraryConstant · · Score: 1

      "My standard statement remains true:
      1) Windows is CRAP.
      2) Linux is ALSO CRAP (whether it is EQUALLY crap is another issue - given the difficulty of writing a virus for it and its renowned stability, I think not.)
      3) Linux is FREE crap.
      "

      What bugged me was people asserting that it wasn't crap. As in, no one who is making an honest attempt to use Linux can have problems. It's possible they were responding to trolls, but they were just as wrong as trolls, and just as annoying.

      --
      I rarely criticize things I don't care about.
    10. Re:Uhg by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 1

      Well, some people view Linux as having "problems", but not being "crap".

      In my view, Linux (and Windows) are crap because they are both based on primitive windowing/mouse and other "low" technology. I think both of them could be much better designed. And no, I don't think having reversible windows or writing on the edges of windows or storing files in XML form is a significant improvement.

      However, while Linux has "problems", they are only significant to the more naive user base. They are nothing that some training and some willingness on the part of the user to learn something new couldn't fix. In other words, these "problems" are social, not technological (except in the sense that ALL such "problems" are technological as per my previous paragraph.)

      Most of Linux "problems" are merely the result of being different from Windows and the lack of willingness of people to learn something new. Anybody who ignores this is obviously a troll.

      As far as the overall design of Linux, obviously it is superior to Windows where it counts - in security and reliability. Anybody who ignores that is obviously a troll. While the current incarnation of Windows (2000 and XP)is clearly superior in reliability to its previous incarnations (9x), it's still nothing to write home about. I had 2000 installed for less than two months, and a third party program ruined the Registry, and then after that reinstall, 2000 hosed the Registry all by its lonesone for no discernable reason, requiring another reinstall.

      As for security, forget about it. Since at least 1997, Gates has been promising Windows will be secure "next time".

      Which is why people who complain about Linux "problems" such as "usability" are merely trolls.

      Yes, there are Linux trolls. But if for no other reason than that there are fewer Linux users, there are a hell of a lot less Linux trolls than Windows trolls. Of course, if you judge that by visiting Linux newsgroups, you might get a different impression.

      Slashdot STARTED as a Linux/OSS promoting system. So what do you expect? Bill Gates to be welcomed here? To suggest that is to be a troll on the face of it.

      Groklaw is the same - a promoter of OSS (although from the standpoint of legal issues, not technology). Do you expect everybody to welcome Windows trolls?

      If you have an HONEST appraisal of Linux problems, which happens to be wrong partially or completely, that's one thing. To just sling uncritical generalities about "usability" is being a troll.

      I can be - and have been - a Linux troll at times, just to bug the Windows trolls. That comes under the heading of "fun", not serious. I suppose some people I think are Windows trolls do the same thing. So maybe both sides should just shut up and let the market decide.

      --
      Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
    11. Re:Uhg by ArbitraryConstant · · Score: 1

      I'm not advocating Windows over Linux. You'd have to pay me to use Windows (my company does, I'm continuously reminded why I don't use it at home).

      "However, while Linux has "problems", they are only significant to the more naive user base. They are nothing that some training and some willingness on the part of the user to learn something new couldn't fix. In other words, these "problems" are social, not technological (except in the sense that ALL such "problems" are technological as per my previous paragraph.)"

      I don't think that's accurate. I have technical issues with Linux with supposedly supported hardware (Intel PRO/100 network chipset, Matrox G550 video card) that I have not been able to solve, yet I am not a naive user. I think it's likely that these are bugs introduced through a lack of regression testing, because a number of out of date versions of Linux distros work fine (as well as FreeBSD), yet newer versions of the distros that I've tried don't work.

      --
      I rarely criticize things I don't care about.
    12. Re:Uhg by ArbitraryConstant · · Score: 1

      Incidently, I decided to give Linux one more shot before giving up. I downloaded SuSE 9.1. The onboard network interface still doesn't work, but again, I don't care because the gigabit card does work. The video card works fine. Therefore, I'm satisfied.

      --
      I rarely criticize things I don't care about.
    13. Re:Uhg by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 1

      I didn't say there were NO technical issues, I said most of the complaints about Linux aren't about technical issues. And I don't count bad drivers as actual "technical" issues, they're more "distro competence" issues or issues related to lack of industry support - which is indeed a problem for Linux but is not Linux's fault. The driver issue is also one that, as I indicated, varies by user depending on their hardware. I've read people complaining that their AC97 onboard audio doesn't work with Linux - mine works fine with ALSA.

      And, yes, I wouldn't be surprised if regression testing was lacking in most of the distros.

      The bug with parted and the 2.6 kernel disk geometry reporting would have been caught if somebody had regression tested a Linux install in a dual boot environment. Supposedly the Fedora people claimed none of their testers dual boot with Windows - a seriously lame excuse. They KNOW a lot of people dual boot, and they KNOW the kernel geometry reporting changed, and they KNOW (or should at least suspect) that parted was affected, and they KNOW installation is the most difficult time for Linux users, so a thorough testing of the partitioning process in a dual boot environment should have been done.

      --
      Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
    14. Re:Uhg by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 1

      Good for you.

      Another "distro competence" issue, apparently. SUSE has a rep for being more "cutting edge" on hardware support.

      Why the other distros don't simply watch what each other does and then do the same is beyond me. Some "Not Invented Here" human bullshit, I guess.
      After all, the point of open source IS to be able to use what somebody else does and make it better.

      --
      Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
    15. Re:Uhg by ArbitraryConstant · · Score: 1

      From my perspective, if none of the distros can do it out of the box, it can't be done. If it requires me to figure out some local hack, it's passed the threshold where I'm willing to put in the effort. The kernel may not be at fault (sometimes it is), but my stuff still doesn't work.

      I'm as far from a naive user as you can get without being a kernel hacker, and I still have these problems.

      Anyway.

      I think there's a lesson in this. That lesson is to never post on slashdot when you've just come home from a bar.

      --
      I rarely criticize things I don't care about.
    16. Re:Uhg by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 1

      Heh, heh.

      Fortunately I don't drink.

      Of course, as a Bruce Sterling character said once, "I don't need drugs. I have my power fantasies."

      --
      Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
    17. Re:Uhg by goatan · · Score: 1
      I stopped reading the comments after I had a mildly critical comment deleted. I realized that this was a group that wasn't willing to enngage in self-criticism, and as such, was not a group to which I wanted to belonng. And it's a pity, because amongst the self-congratuulatory crap, there are generally pretty good posts from lawyers, programmers, and others that are just good thinkers.

      It's begun... already

      if there are good posts why did a few stop you reading? And what self congratulating crap Groklaw hasn't done anything to congratulate themselves over.

      --
      Saying Apple is better than MS is like saying Botulism is better than rabies.

    18. Re:Uhg by goatan · · Score: 1
      One of the other replies to my post said it better. They're not willing to engage in self-criticism.

      So there no diffrent from any other forum.

      --
      Saying Apple is better than MS is like saying Botulism is better than rabies.

    19. Re:Uhg by Thuktun · · Score: 1

      In my view, Linux (and Windows) are crap because they are both based on primitive windowing/mouse and other "low" technology.

      You are seriously misinformed about Linux architecture if you believe that. Most Linux distributions ship with GUI frameworks, but those are separate products that simply run on the Linux kernel.

    20. Re:Uhg by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 1

      You've misunderstood me.

      I'm quite aware of how Linux is constructed.

      I was referring to the overall user interface as well as the overall design of OS's - which by the way does indeed include how the kernel interacts with the user interface level.

      --
      Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
  104. No kiddin. by Hanna's+Goblin+Toys · · Score: 1

    Slashdot is far from un-moderated, quite the reverse. Take a look at my signature!

  105. goats by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nor does he fuck goats. There is no truth whatsoever in any goat-fucking related rumours

  106. Oh, come on... by Shoten · · Score: 2, Funny

    Is SCO really all that bad? I mean, they're just some hardworking company...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!

    Sorry, Darl...here's your money back, I just couldn't pull it off with a straight face. :)

    --

    For your security, this post has been encrypted with ROT-13, twice.
    1. Re:Oh, come on... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You should not pull it off at all! It is very bad for your eyes.

  107. oxymoron? by Wm_K · · Score: 1

    In the case of Darl McBride i bet that should be an oxymormon

  108. Re:Here's an idea.. Prevent the astroturfing campa by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well you play a fish if you go fishing:

    How to fish 101

    You cast out your line with a hook on the end and some bait - maybe a worm, or maybe the hook is actually a fishing fly.

    Then when a fish (eventually) bites and gets hooked, it will try to get away. At that point you "play" the fishm i.e. you wind in some excess line and keep your rod tip up so that the fish is forced closer to the surface. You keep the fish working in this manner until it is tired, then catch it in a net and land it.

    Then you usually remove the hook, take a stupid photo of yourself with the fish, and either put it back or hit it on the head and take it home for supper.

  109. SCO quarterlies due soon by geomon · · Score: 1

    The 2003 third quarter results were posted on September 15, 2003.

    Here's the last quarterlies.

    Maybe that's what the recent increase in SCO astroturfing is in anticipation of. Perhaps they will attempt to drive up stock prices just ONE MORE TIME before they release the data showing they are hemmoraging money.

    --
    "Rocky Rococo, at your cervix!"
  110. Re:Here's an idea.. Prevent the astroturfing campa by k98sven · · Score: 1

    Agreed. In the past 3 days, we've seen 3 SCO stories.

    First: "Novell Poised To Strike On Slander Of Title Claim"
    The most newsworthy of the bunch. Novell files for dismissal with prejudice. With some good arguments. But that doesn't matter. What matters is what the judge thinks. Wait for the ruling instead.

    Second: "SCO Linux Licenses Could Increase In Price"
    That's not news. SCO has been repeating this "Better buy now, prices will rise reeeaaal sooon" mantra for a year now.

    Third: This one. "SCO might start astroturfing"
    That's not news either. There can be no doubt SCO is out to slander Linux and Open Source and just about everybody who doesn't give them money*. But until an actual, obvious campaign starts. It's not news, it's a rumor.

    *Ironic really, considering that open source does give them money. UnixWare is full of OSS.

  111. My contribution to the Astroturf campaign by Big_Monkey_Bird · · Score: 1

    To paraphrase Kelly Preston: SCO Rocks!!!

  112. It's not the editors getting played by rd_syringe · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The editors don't give a shit if they're getting played. They know every SCO article generates thousands of page hits and hundreds of posts of discussion from loyal Slashdotters, which means more advertising revenue for OSDN.

    That's right. Slashdot is a corporate-owned site. That very fact when placed alongside the various philosophies Slashdot typically espouses is very amusing and contradictory. It is the users here who are getting played, every time they excitedly click "Read more" on an SCO article so they can post their knee-jerk response and see another ad in the process, they add another hit to the site logs for Rob Malda to report back to OSDN, so they can use them when shopping for more advertisers. This site is a business now making money off a lot of gullible people. Why should they care if they're getting played by SCO's media schemes?

    Note--if you disagree, fine, but reply and tell me. Don't mod me down for it.

    1. Re:It's not the editors getting played by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually the hit counters don't mean as much as the focus of the stories. Advertising is sold in blocks to niche markets. There is a very complicated process behind advertising on OSTG; this is not just pell-mell "let's sell everything to anyone."

    2. Re:It's not the editors getting played by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Trolling with your .sig line--how original.

      Plz die, thx!

  113. i'm ready by trendescape · · Score: 0

    i'm ready. i didn't feel like reading another SCO article but i'm ready for whatever this article is about.

    --
    irc.enterthegame.com #linux
  114. Push polls and creative advertising by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    These SCO push polls are pretty creative, actually. I just got off the phone with one - the question that got me thinking was: Did you know that Linus, the thief who stole SCO UNIX code and made the bastard Linux OS, is a direct descendent of Karl Marx? Pretty frightening, I'd say!

    Of course, the thing that will really convince the PHBs at the office are the new SCO posters I saw at the computer store today. You can't miss them - they all have catchy slogans, like:

    • Closed Source Shall Set You Free.
    • Be Safe: Be a Paranoid Narcissist.
    • Loose Source is Noose Source!

    (credits to Terry Gilliam's Brazil - but I'm sure SCO and Mr. Boies will discover some Copyright to the quotes in a formerly undisclosed AT&T memo)
  115. Groklaw vs. SCO, no contest by wardk · · Score: 3, Interesting

    SCO seems to have this fondness of picking on those that can thoroughly kick it's ass. but then again, it's fights are obviously chosen by others who are too chickenshit to fight themselves.

    Darl's is obviously a puppet, aparently this Enderle creep is too. Amazing what can be found under rocks if you are up to scraping away enough slime.

    yep, MS found a couple of real specimens in these two. funny, I recently sent a very similar specimen to my septic tank. MS may want to use some soap when they're done.

    gee, maybe SCO can print grassroots articles with photos of "real people" that totally agree with their bullshit story...photos that will be immediately found in common clip art libraries. MS has set a great example for such bozo tactics.

    the trailer park has certainly gone downhill since Darl & company moved in. but nothing an IBM tornado can't clean up.

  116. On Enderle and his detractors by crucini · · Score: 0
    I had a look at the annotated keynote speech. While I see a lot of problems with Rob Enderle's thinking, I'm not very impressed with Neil, the analyst. He constantly complains of Enderle using "loaded language." For example, Enderle writes:
    It just makes you a villain in your own life story.

    Neil responds:
    Villain is a loaded word.

    Yes, Neil. That's why he used it.

    Neil also complains a lot about lack of "evidence". Keynote speeches aren't legal pleadings. They express the viewpoint of the speaker. I think Neil's "lack of evidence" complaint is an objective-sounding way of saying "I disagree".

    Oddly, this page made me feel some sympathy with Enderle. I have no doubt that Groklaw attracts a certain pathetic type of person who enjoys being a mob member and throwing stones where the mullah directs. The majority of posts on Groklaw are just breathless fanboyism, along the lines of, "Oh can I pull off the infidel's nose with red-hot tongs, pretty pretty please?"

    In the end, though, I think that Enderle and the Groklaw crowd deserve each other. (Note - I don't include the very few who transcribe court proceedings or offer insightful arguments in that "crowd" catchall.)
    1. Re:On Enderle and his detractors by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >(Note - I don't include the very few who transcribe court proceedings or offer insightful arguments in that "crowd" catchall.)

      Why not? When we pay you to astroturf, we expect you to cover them all.

  117. Re:Astroturfing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Show me a woman, on the internet, who doesn't have a horde of loser hng's lusting after her.

    PJ is running a good advocacy, not news, site and the drooling fans will lap anything she says up.

  118. maybe they have been.... by zogger · · Score: 1

    ....accumulating slashdot logins by the scads over the past year, almost like script kiddies with zombie machines. ...in fact .... looks around, lowers voice..... "we don't know who we can trust now...it could be anybody!"

  119. I always liked.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... the bald headed chick on that show. Is it still on?

  120. Darl and McCarthy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You know, it's getting easier with every passing day to compare Darl et al. with Senator McCarthy.

    McCarthy claimed to have a list of 205 members of the Communist party who were also employed by the US State Department. Darl has claimed "millions" of lines of infringing code in Linux. McCarhty ran a televised witch hunt that destroyed the careers of many in the entertainment industry. Darl is running designed-for-the-media lawsuits in order to ruin Linux and the OSS community.

    Web sites like Slashdot and Groklaw are the best way to expose Darl and his tactics. Attempts to "poison" these sites will only backfire, proving just how despicable his ilk are.

    Bring 'em on.

  121. SCO Linux IP Good News by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Dear SCOsupporter and potential stock holder,

    As you know, SCO achieved SCOsource revenue last quarter of approximately $11K.

    While this may seem in a decline as compared to previous quarters when we recorded millions of SCOsource revenue from Sun and Microsoft. Those millions from Sun and Microsoft, were in fact for other Unix licenses, and not SCO Linux IP licenses.

    Thus $11k in fact represents a record for SCO: 16 Linux IP licenses sold in a single quarter.

    Furthermore, as we believe there 2.4 million servers running Linux, this gives us great potential for the future revenue. We have a market of potentially 2,399,984 servers remaining!

    If we sell each of those users a license at $699, we will achieve revenue of $1.67bn!

    However, do not let that limit your vision! As our friends at CNET and CRN recently recommended, we should raise our Linux IP license price. Just imagine how much revenue we'd generate if our price was $699,000 per Linux server.

    In short, SCO is great, please buy our stock! Now!

    Yours sincerely

    Bought Young
    SCO CFO

    P.S.
    I'd appreciate if nobody read this page:
    http://www3.scofacts.org/~alpetrof/scofacts /

  122. Confession by scarletire · · Score: 2, Funny

    I accuse myself of the following crimes:

    I have seduced computer users of both sexes.
    I have been to the porn sites.
    I deliberately contracted the Sasser worm in order to spread the worm to my wive and other computer users.
    Together with other agents I have counterfeited web certificates, hacked commercial websites, added copyrighted code to the linux kernal, and coordinated denial of service attacks against SCO by means of PGP encrypted emails.
    I stand here a victim of the influence of Linus Torvalds, guilty on all counts.
    I'm glad I was caught.
    I was mentally deranged.
    Now I am cured.
    I ask only for you to accept my love of Darl McBride.
    I ask only to be shot while my computer is still clean of copyright infringed software.

  123. Well... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Considering that M$ has recently started doing this on Slashdot, I don't see why SCO wouldn't be taken lessons from them. Notice, how anybody who criticises M$, now gets a barage of Anonymous Cowards trying to drown him out?

  124. It's all a lot of hooey by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1
    If SCO decides to drop the catch-22 game and focus on recouping damages from the people who donated the code improperly[*], I for one would be happy to examine their side of the story. They talk and talk and talk about how they want to fix this stuff, and they never ever make the slightest baby step toward following through. Accusations, innuendo, and vague references to "millions of lines of code" do not constitute working with the free software community to fix problems.


    *If that is the case.

    Seeing as how they have had a year to prove their case by revealing just a tiny bit of real infringing code (not the erno crap), I don't believe a word coming from the SCO camp. It would take more than a management change to make me want to give them a listen. They'd have to put their cards on the table, something they should have done long ago. The only reason they haven't is that they're holding nothing. Not even a busted flush or an unfilled inside straight. They got nothing. What you are calling a catch 22 is really just a bluff that didn't and could never have worked.

    But meanwhile, while we've all been distracted by the poker game, someone has been robbing the bank. And while that was going on, the big cattle baron has been trying to buy up all the water rights and scare other ranchers into only using proprietary software.
    --
    It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
    1. Re:It's all a lot of hooey by lspd · · Score: 1

      What you are calling a catch 22 is really just a bluff that didn't and could never have worked.

      Well, yes, it's possible (likely even) that SCO is just being criminally deceitful. I get the same gut feeling, even if I'd like to believe McBride and Co have some ethics.

      I'd rather not discount them on the basis that they're liars until it's proven in court though.

    2. Re:It's all a lot of hooey by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1

      Do you mean you're waiting for them to perjure themselves in court or that you're waiting for them to be caught in a lie in the course of an actual trial?

      Outside of that there are almost too many examples for someone to just pick one. How about them claiming that the Posix specification was their intellectual property (remember erno.c?)? That's off the top of my head. It's early in the morning and I'm too tired.

      Seriously, if you look at all of SCOs utterances since this all began, you'll see a pile of deceit. How about Darl's statement that they only decided to sue IBM when IBM announced at Linux World that they'd begin using linux to directly compete with SCO's product. In actuality, the record shows that SCO had already hired David Boies. So, from the start, the very start, SCO has been deceitful.

      I understand your caution, but if Darl or Blake told me that the sky was blue, I'd go check anyway.

      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
  125. MOD UP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Someone had to point out that blatant fallacy.

    1. Re:MOD UP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It was a joke. So are you.

  126. SCO's userbase by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'd say that the only way this would work is if the SCO people could manufacture a loyal userbase,

    Ha! Customers are sooooo 1990s. You know, all that quality improvement mumbo jumbo crap. Hell, I'd bet you're one of those "customer is always right" freaks too.

    The progressive business model is definitely anti-customer. We learned this from the dot-com experience. You see, marketers put up perfectly brilliant companies, distribution channels and products. Think of winners like Pets.com (come on, anyone who doesn't love the Sockpuppet is a Nazi and outta be insulted by a pack of PETA freaks), Flooz.com (as if anyone could not buy something with Whoopi as a spokesperson!), DigitalConvergence (home of the CueCat and a huge excess of keyboards with way too many :::: keys) and other winners.

    These companies were introduced to consumerspace and what happened? Customers didn't buy like they were supposed to. Losers! Countless VC firms realized that customers were the weak link in the chain and when a VC makes a radical discovery like this, the business world listens. So customers were out.

    Naturally, employees became sorta lame too and nearly a million telco employees had to be thrown out the window. But this has much more to do with needing good storage space for all the products that didn't get sold than anything else. No hard feelings techies - if we could have stored all that unsold junk in India, we would have. It was just easier to move your jobs

    1. Re:SCO's userbase by Thuktun · · Score: 1

      These companies were introduced to consumerspace and what happened? Customers didn't buy like they were supposed to. Losers! Countless VC firms realized that customers were the weak link in the chain and when a VC makes a radical discovery like this, the business world listens. So customers were out.

      Sounds like Breatharianism applied to business.

  127. Darl McBride = villan++ by Phazz666 · · Score: 0

    Who does Darl McBride think he is. SCO and all of its subsidiaries must be lining the governments pockets if it really thinks it can get away with everything they are doing. Its that or they are all smoking crack. Darl McBride has to be the most vile, repulsive, slimey, sleazy person to every be given power of any company. If he is a supposed fan of slashdot then let I hope he enjoys this post.

  128. Crab Grass Turfing by lildogie · · Score: 1

    While we're modding down the SCO propaganda, maybe we should mod up the anonymous trolls on the SCO stories.

  129. ATTENTION SLASHDOT READER by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Dear Slashdot Reader/Participant/Moderator:

    It has come to our attention that you have made an unauthorized use of our copyrighted work, "Astroturf" (the "Work"), in the preparation of a slashdot post derived therefrom. SCO has reserved all rights in the use of this word as a registered Federal copyright, and subsequent to this registration has exclusive claim to all uses, inventions, processes and derivatives involving this word (as well as any words containing the letters comprising the Work).

    Your post entitled "Mods" which appears on the Slashdot web site at http:\\www.slashdot.org, is essentially identical to the Work and clearly used the Work as its basis. Detail of SCO's exclusive rights to the Works are referenced as follows: /* $Id: astroturf.c,v 1.1 2002/01/18 15:22:14 wchung Exp $
    *
    * This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the SCO General Public
    * License. See the file "COPYING" in the main directory of this archive
    * for more details.
    *
    * Copyright (C) 1991 - 1997, 2000-2002 Silicon Graphics, Inc. All rights reserved.
    */

    We have no record of any request for permission to use the Work, nor has any license been granted for the use of the Work. Therefore, we believe you have willfully infringed our rights under 17 USC Section 101, et seq. and could be liable for statutory damages as high as $100,000,000,000 for each copy of this post that has been read and/or cached on the Internet (SCO will use the total number of computers connected to the Internet as quantification).

    We demand that you immediately purchase license for the use of the Works and any future Slashdot posts (which are a derivitive work due to it occuring on this website following the use of the Works in this thread). Although a license option is not presently available for non-institutional purchasers, your compliance with this purchase is mandatory. If we have not received an license purchase from you and all Slashdot parties by August 25 2004, indicating that you have fully complied with these requirements, we shall consider taking the full legal remedies available to rectify this situation.

    Sincerely,

    SCO (Santa Claus Operation) Inc.

    1. Re:ATTENTION SLASHDOT READER by einhverfr · · Score: 3, Funny

      Dear SCO Corporation;

      It has come to our attention that you have been using the term "Astroturf" in deliberate violation of our trademarks, and in ways which will dilute the value of the trademark.

      Astroturf(R) is not merely an artifical sod replacement. It is a next generation fiber surface with a look similar to grass and low mainenance requirements. Since 1985, we have been manufacturing such high-quality products and have been heavily investing in our brand. Please immediately cease and disist from using our trademarks in your marketing campaigns.

      Sincerely,
      Astroturf, Inc. www.astroturf.com

      --

      LedgerSMB: Open source Accounting/ERP
  130. astroturfing campaign? by Lost+Penguin · · Score: 2, Insightful

    "PJ has a theory that SCO is about to embark on an astroturfing campaign"

    I hate to poke fun at Pj, but with the Astroturding campain we have heard from the likes of Didio, Endearlie and the other MS shills and "Brown Trollings" in book and newsprint form.

    Do you think there might be an Astroturf campain going on?

    PJ where have you been?

    You really spend too much time keeping up Groklaw.
    The Astroturf is way past knee high!

    The turfmaster are finding the real grassroots are growing so fast they are scared, real grass acually grows. (In Florida it grows real fast this time of year)

    The Microsoft/SCO Astroturfing has been going one for months!

    --
    I am the unwilling control for my Origin.
  131. Respect? by microbox · · Score: 1

    A bit of wit and a sprinkle of convensional wisdom can brand even a cult as progressive compared to the dusty scriptures of the "older" religions

    --

    Like all pain, suffering is a signal that something isn't right
  132. Not two-ply by A+nonymous+Coward · · Score: 1

    But too-fly fer shure.

  133. Dear Slashdot Reader: by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 4, Funny

    I am Kwame Rufatata from the SCO Group in the wonderful lake-strewn state of Utah.

    I am writing to tell you that I have a problem which you can help me solve. It seems that we have received a large sum of money from an unnamed company in the wonderful lake-strewn state of Washington that we do not wish to pay the exorbitant taxes of the government on.

    So, we would like to transfer these funds to an account outside the jurisdiction of the government. To do this, we need someone who is prepared to use their account to transfer our funds in order to conceal their point of origin.

    If you will please give us your bank account number, we will transfer our funds through your account to an unnamed institution in the wonderful lake-strewn country of Switzerland. In return for this service, we will gratefully transfer you to a service fee of 10% of the funds transferred through your account. This could amount to as much as FIVE MILLION DOLLARS!

    Please respond to my email as soon as possible, because our investors may force us to pay out these funds due to our falling stock price.

    Sincerely,

    Darl^H^H^H^HKwame Rufatata
    SCO Group

    --
    Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
  134. Everyone already understands what's going on by msobkow · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Everyone already understands what's going on. SCO, the RIAA, the MPAA, and a number of other old businesses are led by executive management who just don't get the new service-based models, can't adapt, and just can't accept that if they don't adapt, their business is dead.

    So instead they try to plead, whine, and use barratry to protect their pathetic, outdated business models.

    What they forget is the problem is the socio-economic market shifts are to blame, not their competitors. If it weren't their "enemies" such as Linux, it would be BSD or some other "product."

    Ah well, at this point maybe Darl could at least interest some execs in the media industry. After all, Darl's and SCO's viewpoints on "reality" are about as honest and truthful as "Survivor" or "Big Brother".

    --
    I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.
    1. Re:Everyone already understands what's going on by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And the sad thing is that the "new service based" models are actually old models before MS. All the work I did the past was custom consulting where the payer gets all the code and just pays me for development and modifications later. There really isn't anything new to it at all.

    2. Re:Everyone already understands what's going on by msobkow · · Score: 1

      Unfortunately that shows you don't see what the difference is at a market level vs. an individual service or product level.

      The product model that doesn't fit is the "box of software" pitched at the consumer. Patches, updates, and any enhancements are considered a legitimate part of the original purchase price by the consumer, much as dealing with recalls for a car.

      That may work for the consumer who can identify a need, buy a "product" that fills the need, and be content. Business software isn't like that -- it has to constantly adapt to changing regulatory and business requirements, not to mention a constant stream of security patches and performance updates from all the vendors and tools involved.

      The old software leasing models of the 1970's and 80's is not the service based model. It's close, but the leasing model still was based on the idea that a single, unmodified package was suited to the needs of business.

      SAP, Oracle, IBM, and a handful of other companies have shown business frameworks with the services to customize them can be very lucrative. The current framework services companies are probably the closest you'll see in current industry to a true service-oriented model.

      IBM and others are getting closer. The essential goal of the service-oriented models are to allow business to treat their IT solutions as a service, the same as their accounting firm or their photocopier leases. Expenses are tax writeoffs, capital investments in equipment and products have to be depreciated. That difference alone is a key point of why service-oriented models are needed in the IT industry.

      Unfortunately the media companies haven't grasped that any form of electronic data delivery is implicitly an IT business. They keep looking at their pressed plastic as being the product, forgetting people are paying for the delivery and license to listen to the music they like, not the plastic.

      Product-focused consumer companies like Microsoft struggle to find a way to keep a stream of upgrade revenue going when they are no longer providing new features people want, and finally getting around to fixing the problems with the products would essentially kill the update revenue their business model is currently based on.

      Consumers don't want leased products, they want to buy it and "own" it, the direct opposite of what business wants. Product companies like Microsoft are simply going to have to decide which market maintains a revenue stream in the long run: consumers who will tire of being ripped off by updates that don't fix problems, or the business IT services market they've neglected in favour of quick cash from under-educated consumers.

      --
      I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.
  135. Astroturfing? by BCW2 · · Score: 1

    or just assblowturfing. I know what it smells like from here.

    --
    Professional Politicians are not the solution, they ARE the problem.
  136. Just can't get no respect... by Genda · · Score: 1

    Isn't this the corporate equivalent of tying a pork chop around the neck, so the family dog will play with them...

    Genda

  137. Astroturf by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Dear Astroturf Corporation:

    Pursuant to your recent letter and acknowledgment of SCO's Federal Copyright ("Astroturf"), and reference to an alleged registered trademark, I would advise you to review with counsel the status of intellectual property law with respect to the precedence of copyright.

    As disclosed in the SCO Federal Copyright statement, SCO has the exclusive rights to all versions, derivitives and combinations of the mark, Astroturf. As you may be aware from our ongoing litigation with respect to UNIX Copyrights, it should be clear that a Copyright takes precedence over Trademarks and Patents. It is with this foundation that SCO has pursued the protection of its mark against OSG trademarks and IBM patents.

    We would be pleased to offer you an opportunity to license the use of the mark for a minimal fee of $105,000 (please note that the recording of this settlement will be remarked as "SCO UNIX LICENSE PURCHASE" in all communications and disclosures for reasons unnecessary to this discourse).

    Should you have questions, please contact my office.

    Sincerely,

    S. Spoon Hatch
    Chief Counsel

    1. Re:Astroturf by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is possibly the funniest thing I've seen on here so far. Kudos, you've made my day!

      A.A.M

  138. PJ censors OSRM discussions by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    PJ does censor most discussions about her employer, OSRM. I speak from personal experience, and one who thinks Darl and SCO should be squashed like the cockroaches they are.

    If you want a rational discussion of software liability insurance, you won't find it on Groklaw.

    For anything other than OSRM, you should stay with Groklaw.

    (Is this astroturfing?)

  139. Hating America by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    People here don't hate Americans, but we hate America and all its government stands for.

    That's alright. We hate Europeans and all they stand for too. Consider the great job you all have done - especially you Brits. Now, I know you all get mighty excited about your soccer and consider yourselfs so civilized, but consider:

    - what great nation created the nightmarish contraption called Iraq by forcing together four groups of people that despise each other and declaring it one contiguous country?

    - what great nation did this in India, causing perpetual bloodshed between Pakistan and India, as well as strife between India and Burma, and other non-Indian "Indians"?

    - what bunch of spineless wimps ran away from Hitler and tossed him thousands of Czechs he could slaughter rather than face up to the tyrant?

    Wanna accuse the US of colonialism? Did you forget 1776 already?

    And don't get me started on the continental Europeans. Look away for a few minutes and they're making chairs out of Jews, colonizing "inferiors" in South America and Africa, and clubbing each other, while posing as a bunch of sophisticated wine drinking snobs. Yea, Hitler drank wine too. I'm impressed.

    So get off your superior arses and earn your keep in this world. Either that or accept the fact you're no longer relevant and prepare to be run by the Turks and Muslims you'll be overrun by.

    1. Re:Hating America by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah. The difference is that we stopped the colonialism.

      Apart from the Falklands of course, but you can blame Maggie for that.

  140. If you live in SLC, you can't miss the symbolism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    The headquarters of the Mormon church and the state legislature are on the same hill next to each other in SLC.

    You'd have to be pretty stupid not to understand the symbolism there.

    It reminds me why I'm glad we have as much church/state separation the rest of the US. Mormons individually are great people. In a pack, they scare the *hell* out of me.

  141. Sulkfest by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wow, t_t_b. You went from this:
    OSRM Certifies Linux Kernel Free of Copyright Infringement
    Authored by: talks_to_birds on Monday, April 19 2004 @ 01:13 PM EDT
    The press release says this:

    "...After a rigorous six-month process of examining the individual software files in the Linux kernel and tracing their origins, OSRM found no copyright infringement in Linux kernel versions 2.4 and 2.6..."

    That isn't good enough for you?

    What would be?

    I would be very willing to bet on the fact that the people who did this research were more than qualified to do so.

    t_t_b

    To this:

    Trolls attempting Censorship on Groklaw
    Authored by: talks_to_birds on Monday, August 02 2004 @ 09:06 PM EDT
    OK: let's see:

    "...On OSRM, I do research for them.."

    Oh, you do?

    Yes, or at least that's what your title suggests:

    "Director of Litigation Risk Research - Pamela Jones

    Pamela joined OSRM in February of 2004 (read press release) and continues to serve in her role as Editor and Moderator of Groklaw.net which has received widespread critical acclaim for its careful, exhaustive and timely reporting on present and threatened litigation against the Linux kernel and other Free and Open Source Software. Groklaw won O'Reilly's OSDir.com Editor's Choice Award in Open Source as Best News Site of 2003."

    OK.

    How much of that research that you "do" is taken from Groklaw, where the work is actually done by others?

    And:

    "My end of things is research, and I plan to set up a prior art search site, or area, which I will be announcing in more detail when we have it set up. It'll be free, as per my normal way of operating."

    Another "free" "advocacy" site, where the work of others is taken and resold?

    Is this to be another instance where our work is being contributed toward the "good of the FOSS community"?

    Were we asked to participate in your business?

    Or was it simply assumed that we would be willing participants?

    Or are we merely unwitting participants?

    Excuse me while I feel *very* taken advantage of.

    And don't even get me started about the absolutely appalling timing of this announcement, relative to SCO Forum 2004 (where I'm sure OSRM has given Darl et al *lots* to talk about) and with the ongoing problems with Linux adoption in Munich, Germany, where the issue of patent problems and Linux has reared its head.

    Your timing was impeccable.

    Not...

    t_t_b

    ---

    Trolls attempting Censorship on Groklaw
    Authored by: talks_to_birds on Monday, August 02 2004 @ 09:09 PM EDT
    Oh, and I know:

    "For good or for ill, PJ calls the shots here. If you don't like it, start your own blog, go back to Slashdot or take it to alt.flame."

    Yeah?

    You got it.

    t_t_b

    So here you are. Here's the straight dope: OSRM sponsors Grokline, not Groklaw. Got that? Grokline is under a creative commons license that forbids commercial use, even for OSRM. Where's the conflict?

  142. Play tetris while you install by yuri+benjamin · · Score: 1

    I still have a copy of Caldera OpenLinux Lite lying around on a CD somewhere. It was one of my first distros and very nice.
    I also used to use Caldera OpenDOS, aka DrDOS. Another good product. Caldera did have some nice products before they became litigious bastards.

    --
    You make the mistake of thinking you can educate the fundamental stupidity out of people. You can't.
  143. SCO vs Groklaw and /. ? by crusher-1 · · Score: 1

    So Darl you want to take on /. and Groklaw? Well....?

    Ok,...

    BRING IT - BITCH.

    P.S. This guy has an uncanny knack for finding the most far fetched situations in which he undoubtedly gets soundly trounced... Often using his own words against him. Kinda like the troops throwing their rifle clips at the enemy and then wondering why the enemy continues to shoot at them and never seems to run out of ammo.

    Talk about clueless. Let the games begin. Reminds me of fragging noobs online - it's just not that much of a challenge. Oh well, it's his funeral.

  144. Not fair by roman_mir · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    by measuring the outcome you changed it!

  145. Re:So what? ...if looks like a TOAD?! by vettemph · · Score: 1

    :)

    --
    The government which is strong enough to protect you from everything is strong enough to take everything from you.
  146. Blitzkrieg! by xmorg · · Score: 1

    Muh ha, I have my rant prewritten!

  147. OK, I'm done with the astroturf campaign by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Man. You try to pump up a company's stock price a bit and everyone tries to bite your frickin head off. I am *never* post here again! Then let's see where you get your readership.

    In fact, I'm going to set up my own site (what do you think of www.scodot.com, huh?) and then you'll all be sorry! I might not have a super cool name like Taco or Cowboy, but there are people who think that Darl's a pretty cool name, too (Kisses, Billy G.!!!)!

  148. Fedora and Redhat is the only astroturfing around. by ZeekWatson · · Score: 1

    Articles about Fedora and Redhat is the only astroturfing around these parts.

  149. Call him up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative
  150. PJ immunizes herself from all criticism by Get+Behind+the+Mule · · Score: 1
    I love this part of Pamela's post:

    So, I suggest that if and when you read nonsense about Groklaw ("I used to love Groklaw, but now PJ [fill in the blank]"), just consider the likely source.


    So, now if someone like me expresses the opinion (say on Slashdot) that PJ had been (and still is) doing a good job reporting and analyzing the SCO cases, but has flubbed miserably since she's tried to be an "pundit", then there's an obvious explanation: I must be a SCO astroturfer! Critical comments about PJ, clearly, can never have any merit whatsoever.

    In fact, by writing this very post, I must be a SCO astroturfer right now! Whoda thunkit?
    1. Re:PJ immunizes herself from all criticism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      So, now if someone like me expresses the opinion (say on Slashdot) that PJ had been (and still is) doing a good job reporting and analyzing the SCO cases, but has flubbed miserably since she's tried to be an "pundit", then there's an obvious explanation: I must be a SCO astroturfer! Critical comments about PJ, clearly, can never have any merit whatsoever.

      Yeah. The fact that dozens of us were saying that PJ had gone rotten back in January of this year seems to have escaped her.

      It's like those people who say "I'm correct, only a fool would disagree with me". They aren't necessarily correct. They are full of themselves.

  151. Thank you! by AngstAndGuitar · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    You're way off-topic, but you have just answered a long standing question of mine.
    ("Why do Japanese bands always list members in the form;
    '$BAND
    are
    @MEMBERS'?")

    And so I thank thee.

    --
    Less look fast, more go fast.
  152. this will never get above the background noise. by Grizzlysmit · · Score: 1

    The Trolls make heaps of noise as it is, SCO could never afford to pay enough shills to get to that level of noise anyway, and they'd need heeps more noise to break the moderation system.

    --
    in my life God comes first.... but Linux is pretty high after that :-D
    Francis Smit
  153. History may repeat itself? - The Barkto Affairs by MiG29 · · Score: 1

    I hope SCO won't claim copyright on 'Astroturfing' as there is a prior art

    --
    The long lost song is your own heartbeat.
  154. Re:For those of you not up on your jargon (like me by CvD · · Score: 1

    You can look up works with Firefox with the right mouse button... if you highlight a word, then click 'search web for ' it will open a new tab with the search results... I've not been using it, but its pretty useful..

    cheers

  155. Re:Astroturfing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Except now she's giving herself billing as a "journalist".

  156. In 40 or so years. . . by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1

    someone will ask you, "What did you do in the Open Source Wars, Granpa?"

    --
    It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
  157. Re:Critical opinion at slashdot? Are you kidding? by scoobrs · · Score: 1
    Sorry, but if you think this is a troll, you're burying your head in the sand. It's an immature response to an honest critique. I'm obviously not talking about everyone on Slashdot, but certainly a moderator knows where there's a shred of truth.

    Frankly, the signal-to-noise ratio here sucks.

    --
    -Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase temporary safety deserve neither. -Ben Franklin
  158. I think you've been away too long & have forgo by Xenographic · · Score: 1

    They're not willing to engage in self-criticism. Thus, when anything at all gets said about Linux itself, it's positive.
    ---->

    Perchance because posts about Linux itself are offtopic in most Groklaw articles? Thus the only reason to post them in most would be to troll.

    As for criticism, PJ notes the IBM mistakes as well as the SCO ones--just today we have IBM filing errata because of a misquote of one of their declarations in one of thier filings. PJ has also owned up to any mistakes made or errata from her own, previous articles. Of course, I grant that there simply haven't been that many to own up to--most are caught early.

    I guess you really have been away for a long time.

  159. Swoooo by roman_mir · · Score: 1

    ooosh
    (the sound that was heard over the head of the moderator.)

  160. Flamebait? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How is mentioning the Mountain Meadows Massacre flamebait? It may be an unpleasant topic, especially if you're a Mormon, but that doesn't make it flamebait.

  161. Re:Take my cock deep into your hole by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Best Troll .... EVER!!!