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SCO Sells First Linux Licenses in UK

Christopher writes "SCO has actually sold its first Linux licenses in the UK. These licenses permit the use of SCO's intellectual property that is apparently present in Linux distributions, and in binary form only. To my understanding SCO hasn't won yet and these licenses don't grant you any freedoms you didn't already have, but SCO's vice president Chris Sontag says that 20 to 30 organisations worldwide have purchased these licenses."

295 comments

  1. Nothing new by Underholdning · · Score: 5, Insightful

    There are also people who sell land on the moon. It's wortless, and people pitty the ones who buy it.

    1. Re:Nothing new by ReeprFlame · · Score: 2

      That has more of a purpose for when we inhabit the moon. Although I do not know how valid it will be considering that the US govt may not acknowledge the purchase, and that is if the US even inhabits the moon first. But as for SCO, if you have open source things, why do you need a license to use it?

    2. Re:Nothing new by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Hey look at least there's some basis for selling land on the moon.

      There's actually land on the moon isn't there?

    3. Re:Nothing new by Zork+the+Almighty · · Score: 4, Funny

      Next you'll be sued for depreciating the value of someone's moon land!

      --

      In Soviet America the banks rob you!
    4. Re:Nothing new by MoonFog · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Purchasing a spot on the moon is a scam. It cannot be purchased because nobody has the right to sell it because nobody owns it. IIRC, this has been agreed upon by all countries in the UN (feel free to correct me on this).

      As for SCO, they still claim that they own the rights to the code and that it shouldn't be open source, it was "stolen". That's why they claim license money and unfortunately some companies buy into it.

    5. Re:Nothing new by Amiga+Lover · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It's wortless, and people pitty the ones who buy it.

      It's not worthless to SCO.

      According to the recently release USL vs UCal agreement, USL couldn't take legal action against anyone for whom UNIX code had become public knowledge, but reserved the right to still take legal action against licensees to hold them to contracts.

      So according to this agreement, anything public knowledge about UNIX can go into Linux if it wanted to. Filenames, headers, code, whatever. It's ancient and decrepit now, but the freedom was there.

      Now, they can only sue licensees hence the legal action against IBM, Autozone and DaimlerChrysler, all of whom are licensees of UNIX.

      Now if SCO sells licenses, they get more licensees.

      Licensees they are OK to sue.

      Buy an SCO license, open up a world of litigation upon yourself. Listening EV1?

    6. Re:Nothing new by Nimey · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      If the American legal system is still this broken when we begin colonizing the moon, those land titles may not be so worthless.

      --
      Hail Eris, full of mischief...

      E pluribus sanguinem
    7. Re:Nothing new by mwvdlee · · Score: 1

      And pay for damages?

      Let's see; it's value has decreased by about a 1000 USD, it was worth about 0 USD, so now you're supposed to pay 0 - 1000 = -1000 USD?

      Bring it on!

      --
      Slashdot social media options: AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, Jabber and Mobile Text. Why no MySpace?
    8. Re:Nothing new by mwvdlee · · Score: 1

      And on what basis would these licences have been broken?

      --
      Slashdot social media options: AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, Jabber and Mobile Text. Why no MySpace?
    9. Re:Nothing new by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The licenses are ridiculous in terms. Among other things if you buy an SCO license, you are agreeing

      Never to contribute any code to linux, even your own homegrown code.

      Never to use Linux and SCO UNIXware together, which means existing SCO Unixware licensees have basically agreed to a license that doesn't allow them to migrate to Linux, only to stay with unixware or move to another OS entirely, say Windows.

    10. Re:Nothing new by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      My thoughts exactly. On top of that, since it is in binary only, and they will not identify the code they claim, you can now no longer use any source code in your kernel for fear of violating the license you just purchased. You certainly cannot compile a kernel with confidence. No gentoo for you there boys.

      When will they ever learn? When will they learn?

      A Nony Mouse

    11. Re:Nothing new by DJCF · · Score: 1
      Hey look at least there's some basis for selling land on the moon.

      There's actually land on the moon isn't there?

      Linux has a kernel, doesn't it?

      (I'm only joking, I think SCO are evil conniving bastards as much as everyone else.)

    12. Re:Nothing new by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      I'll sell him a licence that allows him to depreciate other people's Moon land. Only $699.

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    13. Re:Nothing new by Phisbut · · Score: 4, Informative
      It cannot be purchased because nobody has the right to sell it because nobody owns it. IIRC, this has been agreed upon by all countries in the UN (feel free to correct me on this).

      You are correct on this. From Wikipedia :

      In 1979 a Moon Treaty was drafted by the United Nations which prohibits military action on (Article 3) and ownership of the moon by signatory states, their corporations or citizens (Article 11). Non-signatory UN-member states are free to accede to it at any time. Non-UN-member states appear unbound by the treaty.

      Since the US signed the Moon Treaty, no US citizen may claim ownership on any part of the moon.

      --
      After 3 days without programming, life becomes meaningless
      - The Tao of Programming
    14. Re:Nothing new by hendridm · · Score: 2, Funny
      There are also people who sell land on the moon. It's wortless, and people pitty the ones who buy it.

      That's what many Native American tribes believed about the prospect of selling land to the Europeans. "Sure, I'll sell you some land! Want a piece of the sky, too?"

    15. Re:Nothing new by MoonFog · · Score: 1

      Thanks for the link! Why didn't I check wikipedia myself?

      IMO, this is a good idea, we fight over enough down here, if not the moon.

    16. Re:Nothing new by k98sven · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Now, they can only sue licensees hence the legal action against IBM, Autozone and DaimlerChrysler, all of whom are licensees of UNIX.

      Yes, but being an SCO Linux licensee doesn't necessarily make you a licensee of UNIX.

      From what I understand, the SCO Linux licenses are as vague in describing what exactly you are supposedly licensing as SCO is in describing what part of Linux is supposedly infringing.

    17. Re:Nothing new by lakin · · Score: 5, Informative

      Except, the US never signed the moon treaty. They did sign the Outer Space Treaty, but that limits the government, not citizens or companies.

      http://lunar.arc.nasa.gov/results/ice/moon.htm

      This is also mentioned on Wikipedia
      There is more detail here:
      "Only nine nations have ratified the Moon Treaty (Australia, Austria, Chile, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, and Uruguay), while over 90 have signed the Outer Space Treaty. By UN agreement, five signatures are sufficient to validate a treaty as an international instrument, but there is concern at the refusal of the USA and Russia/USSR to sign--the two nations most likely at present to engage significantly in space exploration."

      --
      Paul
    18. Re:Nothing new by Svartalf · · Score: 1

      It's an obvious scam to begin with, just like plots on the Moon. TSG's got very little rights to speak of as the settlement spells it out very clearly- the removed code from the 4.4BSD release is the only stuff that a successor in interest could lay claim to. Novell's that successor in interest right at the moment, as it's plainly clear that TSG didn't have what it takes to make a transfer of ownership in what little Novell actually owned.

      Anybody that has bought a "license" at this point in time would probably buy chunks of the Moon...

      --
      I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
    19. Re:Nothing new by Oddly_Drac · · Score: 2, Interesting

      "It's not worthless to SCO."

      Truer words, mon frere...

      "When it was launched in the UK, SCO said that by purchasing the licence, customers are "properly compensating SCO for the Unix source code, derivative Unix code and other Unix-related intellectual property and copyrights owned by SCO as it is currently found in Linux"."

      Of course, I really wonder if this is actually on the license agreement, because they certainly haven't mentioned Linux taint in court for a looooong time, and statements like this have a habit of being challenged in the UK. Think Sontag has spent a lot of time over here?

      --
      Oddly Draconis
      Too cynical to live, too stubborn to die.
    20. Re:Nothing new by Commander+Trollco · · Score: 0, Troll

      As long as SCO's claim is being supported by none other than Eric Raymond, more and more companies are going to be ponying up the license money. With an army of lawyers, Microsoft footing the bill, and Open-Source activists wearing their logo, SCO has enough steam to be a threat for at least a few more years.

      --
      http://persianews.on.nimp.org/?u=Tar_Baby
    21. Re:Nothing new by Phisbut · · Score: 1

      My bad... somehow, I thought that On April 25 the United States Senate gave unanimous consent to its ratification, and the Treaty entered into force on October 10, 1967. meant they ratified it, but I guess it doesn't... ahhh... the joy of politics...

      --
      After 3 days without programming, life becomes meaningless
      - The Tao of Programming
    22. Re:Nothing new by Phisbut · · Score: 1
      Now I see where I went wrong... The Lunar Government page has a link titled "Moon Treaty", but it actually points to the Outer Space Treaty.

      And a couple of lines below, it clearly says All space faring nations (USA, UK, Russia, China, etc.) refused to sign it. I should learn to read it all before posting... :-S

      --
      After 3 days without programming, life becomes meaningless
      - The Tao of Programming
    23. Re:Nothing new by PriceIke · · Score: 0, Troll

      That's because we've actually freaken BEEN THERE. We're the only country who has risked life, limb and extreme amounts of money to land there, plant a flag and pick up moon rocks. If anybody has the right to claim land on the moon, it's us, folks.

      I am sure somebody will consider that flamebait. Waaaahh.

      --
      It's not a lie. It's the truth with lossy compression.
    24. Re:Nothing new by PriceIke · · Score: 1

      Jupiter is a gas giant. I'll take 300 cubic kilometers, please.

      --
      It's not a lie. It's the truth with lossy compression.
    25. Re:Nothing new by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 1

      "Since the US signed the Moon Treaty, no US citizen may claim ownership on any part of the moon."

      Yes and no. If you define "ownership" as "ability to enforce property rights," then no one may claim ownership on any part of the moon, given current technology. However, in the future, people will be able to go to the moon and sustain an existence there. If those people can hold their land and defend it (that's how you own things), then they can certainly claim ownership.

    26. Re:Nothing new by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Pah. It'll happen long before then. As soon as anything remotely accessible and useful is there, the US will simply say the treaty is "ancient history", just like the other international agreements they're refuting now.

    27. Re:Nothing new by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      NO, these are good customers - I heard that the main division has more than 50B in cash.....

    28. Re:Nothing new by some_random_idiot · · Score: 2, Insightful

      > That's because we've actually freaken BEEN THERE.

      And the South Pole belongs to Norway? I know it's not a perfect analogy, but hell, they were there first albeit not the last, and the US isn't going to be the last nation to send men to the Moon.

    29. Re:Nothing new by 2old2rockNroll · · Score: 1

      This just smells of bullshit.

      It smells of money - lots of it. Does MS have a separate UK division?

    30. Re:Nothing new by PriceIke · · Score: 1

      If they can (and choose to) defend it, then yes.

      --
      It's not a lie. It's the truth with lossy compression.
    31. Re:Nothing new by Reteo+Varala · · Score: 1

      Oh, they can... have you ever heard of homesteading? Of course, that simply means you have to live on your plot of land for a specific period of time, protecting it yourself against rival claimants.

      Of course, considering this is an airless, waterless, lifeless chunk of rock in space... I'd love to see the people selling lunar real estate do the due dilligence and live in the land they claim they own... for homesteading purposes, of course.

    32. Re:Nothing new by Bigbowser · · Score: 1

      Nope, I should imagine Microsoft will be trying to sell licenses next after the supposed 227 Patent infringements >.>

      --

      Bigbowser.
    33. Re:Nothing new by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Only on /. would somebody mod that "troll".

  2. Sigh. by rylin · · Score: 4, Informative

    05 Aug 2004.
    Hmm
    Outdated News for Nerds, Stuff that nobody wants to hear anything about anymore.

    1. Re:Sigh. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      Why did this get modded down? Parent has a valid point.

    2. Re:Sigh. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In Soviet Slashdot, only old stories make frontpage!

    3. Re:Sigh. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I just modded the parent post as Insightful. Not because it's the brightest post I've ever seen, but because of the fact this post was scored at -1 (with one Overrated moderation) for no reason, if you ask me.

      Too many people get modpoints these days. Why does the parent post deserve to be -1, it doesn't have FIPO, GNAA, Goatse, Tubgirl or whatever. -1 is meant for those.

    4. Re:Sigh. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I was modding up some heavily underrated posts in this article too - there seems to be some strange kind of moderation abuse going on here, I haven't seen it before yet.

    5. Re:Sigh. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In Korea, only old people make Soviet jokes!

  3. Spam tactics by beders · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Ask enough people for money for majic beans and eventually someone will bite.

    Just some corporate arse covering

  4. " 20 to 30 organisations worldwide..." by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ya they all happen to be Microsoft, Microsoft England, Microsoft Germany, Microsoft India, Microsoft Brazil, etc etc etc.

    1. Re:" 20 to 30 organisations worldwide..." by archevis · · Score: 1

      SCO, SCO England, SCO Germany, ...

    2. Re:" 20 to 30 organisations worldwide..." by MidWorldOddity · · Score: 2, Funny

      no no... remember the pirated Sound Forge software? Not even Microsoft pays for it's licenses...

    3. Re:" 20 to 30 organisations worldwide..." by Spheroid2 · · Score: 1

      Microsoft United Kingdom

      When will you Americans learn England != UK ?

      (PS I leave in England, not Scotland)

    4. Re:" 20 to 30 organisations worldwide..." by The+Wooden+Badger · · Score: 1
      20-30 eh?

      What was it that (I think) PT Barnum said? "A sucker is born every minute"?

      I guess 20-30 of them are making executive decisions for organizations worldwide.

      --
      Heroscape, it's like legos combined with anachronistic wargames.
    5. Re:" 20 to 30 organisations worldwide..." by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You leave in England? Is that why your English is so poor?

  5. This proves ..... by afxgrin · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...that there is AT LEAST 20 to 30 morons around the world.

    Congrats SCO for convincing a bunch of PHBs that they need to pay you for nothing.

    1. Re:This proves ..... by qbzzt · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Or that SCO offered some companies a $1 (or one pound) license so they'll be able to make the claim that some companies are jumping on the SCO bandwagon. SCO is all about PR these days.

      Paying $1 for this nonsense is a reasonable business decision.

      --
      -- Support a free market in the field of government
    2. Re:This proves ..... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      but as another poster mentioned, it is licensees who get sued by SCO. Who would pay a $1 so you are now sue-able? Some PHBs probably would do that, huh?

    3. Re:This proves ..... by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      It's like the spammers. If 99.99999% of the people don't buy their p-pills, they're happy to crank up the spam engines to reach the 0.00001% who are morons.

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    4. Re:This proves ..... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well actually since PT Barnum said "there's a sucker born every day" ..there should be thousands of suckers in the world .. but it appears SCO has been unable to extract money even from the suckers.

      How bad is that?

    5. Re:This proves ..... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ..that there is AT LEAST 20 to 30 morons around the world.

      Morons? That's a bit harsh, not to mention non-PC.

      I prefer the term "SCOX suckers".

  6. blame the British tendency for queueing by Zork+the+Almighty · · Score: 3, Funny

    It just goes to show that the English will queue up for anything.

    --

    In Soviet America the banks rob you!
    1. Re:blame the British tendency for queueing by WIAKywbfatw · · Score: 2, Interesting

      They would have bought them earlier but a bunch of Americans were first in line.

      Oh, and by the way British and English aren't interchangeable terms. For example, people from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands are British too.

      --

      "Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
    2. Re:blame the British tendency for queueing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      For example, people from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands are British too.

      So are people from the Falkland Islands and people from Gibraltar, at least in general. Or people from all over who happened to have the right parents (or maybe grand parents is enough? I forget).

      British is a nationality. It doesn't mean 'people from the UK'.

    3. Re:blame the British tendency for queueing by Gromius · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I always though British was the term for people from Great Britain which is England, Scotland and Wales only. Northern Ireland is not part of Great Britain (as emphasised by the full name of whole country The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)

    4. Re:blame the British tendency for queueing by WIAKywbfatw · · Score: 1

      Try telling anyone who's from Northern Ireland (and who isn't a republican) that they're not British. See how far you get before they mention some sort of violent reprisal.

      Technically, you're correct, but when British is mentioned as a nationality then it includes Northern Ireland.

      --

      "Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
    5. Re:blame the British tendency for queueing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      However, you are all european.

  7. In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by innerweb · · Score: 4, Interesting
    ...There is a sucker born every minute.

    At the very least, holding out until it is legally decided would seem to be the prudent way to go (unless you somehow *know* that SCO is going to win).

    InnerWeb

    --
    Freud might say that Intelligent Design is religion's ID.
    1. Re:In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by eddy · · Score: 1

      You'll soon get corrected.

      --
      Belief is the currency of delusion.
    2. Re:In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by Zork+the+Almighty · · Score: 3, Funny

      ..There is a sucker born every minute.

      If that were true then humanity would be getting smarter. The birth rate is much higher now than it was during Barnum's time.

      --

      In Soviet America the banks rob you!
    3. Re:In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by AndroidCat · · Score: 0

      I bet you that P.T. Barnum never said that. Just a frindly bet, of course. Quatloos or karma points?

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    4. Re:In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by technothrasher · · Score: 2, Insightful
      ..There is a sucker born every minute.


      If that were true then humanity would be getting smarter. The birth rate is much higher now than it was during Barnum's time.


      Well, just to be pedantic, the above statement only sets a minimum 'sucker birth rate'. It doesn't preclude more than one sucker being born each minute.

    5. Re:In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by Eggplant62 · · Score: 0, Redundant

      Check that statement again, will ya?

      It certainly wasn't PT Barnum who said that. Seems like I so often have to make this post to remind folks of such.

    6. Re:In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by mikael · · Score: 0

      This can be explained by the fact that the total sum of all human IQ's on the planet is a fixed constant.

      --
      Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
    7. Re:In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by curtoid · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Sooooo... That would imply 25% suckers.

      Anyone care to estimate the true probability of suckers to non-suckers (stagnant air and winded persons)?

    8. Re:In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by Zork+the+Almighty · · Score: 0, Redundant

      Well, keep in mind many of the suckers die prematurely. That's why we have the Darwin Awards.

      --

      In Soviet America the banks rob you!
    9. Re:In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by Zork+the+Almighty · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      You know, the saddest thing is that I considered that when I was posting.

      --

      In Soviet America the banks rob you!
    10. Re:In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by archen · · Score: 0, Redundant

      being smart or stupid doesn't neccesarily mean you are or are not gullable.

    11. Re:In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by slashname3 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Intelligence in the univers is a constant. The population is growing. You do the math. If you still can.

    12. Re:In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by ykardia · · Score: 1

      At the very least, not entering into a contract with people who say that "Contracts are what you use against parties you have relationships with. From a legal standpoint, contracts end up being far stronger than anything you could do with copyrights" would be the prudent way to go.

      Buying a license probably makes you more vulnerable to any potential claims they might have against you. IANAL but would be interest to hear the opinion of one on this.

    13. Re:In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by phyphor · · Score: 1

      Off by 60.

      (A minimum of*) one sucker born every minute.
      4 people born every second, so 240 born every minute.

      At least 1 sucker for every 240 people is approximately 0.42%

      So a minimum of .42% of births are suckers.

      *see comments further down - http://linux.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=131196&c id=10951944/

    14. Re:In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The word is "mankind"--"humanity" means the condition or quality of being humane, and I don't see how an abstract concept can be getting smarter.

    15. Re:In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by innerweb · · Score: 1
      Ok, I sit corrected. Indeed, the truth is much funnier thant the fiction.

      InnerWeb

      --
      Freud might say that Intelligent Design is religion's ID.
    16. Re:In the immortal words of PT Barnum.... by Oriumpor · · Score: 1

      In South Korea history is for old people.

  8. If IBM wins... by icejai · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ... will all those who bought licenses get their money back?

    1. Re:If IBM wins... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They'll probably be in a long line of people trying to get their money back from SCO.

    2. Re:If IBM wins... by MoonFog · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Wouldn't that depend on the contract? If these companies acknowledge that it really is SCO's code, SCO might have a strong case. Then again, they might be able to sue SCO for misleading them and getting their money back in that way. IANAL, so I don't know what rights these companies have, but unless they can prove that SCO deliberately mislead them into the deal it's not sure they'll get their money back.

    3. Re:If IBM wins... by Zork+the+Almighty · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I will refer you to this guy's post.

      --

      In Soviet America the banks rob you!
    4. Re:If IBM wins... by mwvdlee · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I think the question would be whether SCO will have any money left to give back at all.

      --
      Slashdot social media options: AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, Jabber and Mobile Text. Why no MySpace?
    5. Re:If IBM wins... by Zocalo · · Score: 1

      Perhaps, but the mental image you are looking for is one of hyenas circling a carcass waiting for all of the serious predators to leave. Hopefully there will be a little gristle left for them when the lions are done....

      --
      UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
    6. Re:If IBM wins... by SoTuA · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Your money back? From dealing with SCO?

      Somehow, this sinfest comic comes to mind when thinking about the licensing contract with SCO and the "your money back" concept...

    7. Re:If IBM wins... by nwbvt · · Score: 1

      These are most likely being bought as insurance just in case IBM doesn't win. If you buy fire insurance and your house doesn't burn down, you don't get your money back.

      --
      Mathematics is made of 50 percent formulas, 50 percent proofs, and 50 percent imagination.
    8. Re:If IBM wins... by hunterx11 · · Score: 1

      You mean after Daryl McBride grabs all the money and flies away in his spaceship à la Dr. Evil? Probably not.

      --
      English is easier said than done.
  9. *who* is important by Alain+Williams · · Score: 4, Insightful
    I should imagine that it would not be too difficult to pursuade a couple of one man bands to buy SCO licences - especially if, quite coincidentally, SCO happened to buy some consultancy ...

    A 500 seat/licence company would be quite different.

    1. Re:*who* is important by Fruny · · Score: 1
      A 500 seat/licence company would be quite different.
      500 seats per license? Sounds like a college dorm network to me.
  10. Woo by ggeezz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You must be in bad shape if selling your first license in a country garners a headline. And 20 to 30 organisations worldwide? Is that supposed to lend merit to SCO's case. This just shows that there are still idiots out there, even at the corporate level.

    1. Re:Woo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This just shows that there are still idiots out there, even.... strike that.... especially at the corporate level.

    2. Re:Woo by Clemensa · · Score: 1

      I worked with one of them....I suspect if an email came in to my old IT Manager from Sco, she would buy them as not all IT Managers bother to read IT news, even news which might affect them (they ran a Sco box for their business software). I'm sure that however Sco contacted these people, they used persuasive wording and wouldn't mention the fact that they haven't beaten IBM yet. Even if they lost, I'm sure many of these people would still be none the wiser.

    3. Re:Woo by John+Betonschaar · · Score: 0, Redundant

      This just shows that there are still idiots out there, even at the corporate level.

      I think you made a typo. I think you mean especially at the corporate level ;-)

      Your sig is mine

    4. Re:Woo by nwbvt · · Score: 2, Informative

      Keep in mind this "headline" is almost three months old.

      --
      Mathematics is made of 50 percent formulas, 50 percent proofs, and 50 percent imagination.
  11. Sales technique by cbelle13013 · · Score: 1

    You have to wonder if he's going after other organizations by just saying "oh sure, we've got 20-30 other organizations that have paid us money". The man at Mens Warehouse tried the same technique on me just last week. Although I would hope that the large companies that paid the loot are above GroupThink.

  12. I await the day by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I anxiously await the day when criminal charges are filed against SCO executives for all this deliberate deception and fraudulently mafioso style collection of extortion fees.

    For my own sanity I hope the day comes quickly, I can only stay entertained for so long.

    1. Re:I await the day by ultrabot · · Score: 1

      I anxiously await the day when criminal charges are filed against SCO executives for all this deliberate deception and fraudulently mafioso style collection of extortion fees.

      I am also concerned about the recent shortage of PMITA prison references in SCO stories. People don't even seem to detest them that much anymore, their efforts seem mostly humorous in a pathetic kind of way...

      --
      Save your wrists today - switch to Dvorak
  13. Re:Allow me to be the first to say... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    No, no.

    Muu ha ha ha harrr.

    Muu Haa Haa Haa Haarrrr.

    Muu Haa Haa Haa Haarrrr!!!!

  14. What are these people's recourse? by zakkie · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Just wondering what options these organisations will have once SCO's case is dismissed? At what point is public deception so severe that criminal cases can be opened against executives who knowingly lie to the public?

    1. Re:What are these people's recourse? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      correct me if im wrong, but is there not a twist on deformation of caracter that you could use if you have a product and someone says it it shit, when its not. and couldnt that be used against SCO *when* they lose

    2. Re:What are these people's recourse? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As far as I am concerned, when their stock jumped from under a dollar to over 20 dollars a share, and then the company executives sold all their stock, if it turns out they are lying and this was all a sham, they should be charged with insider trading among other things. IANAL, so i could be wrong.

  15. What's the number for their CEO by LucidBeast · · Score: 2, Funny

    I have this great bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell them.

    1. Re:What's the number for their CEO by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Forget that river; I've got some nice beach property down at the Mississippi river delta.

  16. Check the date by Canyon+Rat · · Score: 4, Interesting

    According to the date on the linked article, this is from last August.

    1. Re:Check the date by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      What's it like in 2005? Is the war in Iraq over yet?

    2. Re:Check the date by techsoldaten · · Score: 1

      Specifically, the article mentions SCO Forum, which happened at the end of July. Not only is this information dated, there have been a lot of revelations (mostly on Groklaw) since.

      M

    3. Re:Check the date by tbogart · · Score: 1

      And yet /. still has it up there on the page as if it was new news - not even an update.

      Tsk tsk.

  17. Honestly... by SavedLinuXgeeK · · Score: 2, Interesting

    People can't be that moronic. Sco isn't even near close to winning, or so atleast the educated folks at slashdot know. I have a feeling it might be M$ pushing anti-linux proganda through 'Liscenses' in which its more publicity than fear of having an almost bankrupt dellusional company 'sue' you for illegally using 'their' product.

    --
    je suis parce que j'aime
  18. Good Morning by Hinhule · · Score: 4, Funny

    Good morning inhabitors of planet earth, our scientists tell us that oxygen was licensed in our galaxy far far away a long long time ago. Please pay us one animal or spare bodypart, for us to experiment on, for each and every one of you who want to breathe.

    Sincerely,
    Sigma Celesti Omega Galaxy.

    1. Re:Good Morning by NLG · · Score: 1

      Bah! Your scientists have obviously been smoking human horn. We hold both Intra-galactic and Inter-galactic patents and copyrights to all the oxygen.

      Therefore, we are legally enjoining you from enforcing such bogus claims.

      All Your Air Are Belonging To Us,
      Zordon
      Supreme Ruler of Omicron-Persei 8

      --
      Flash is the Herpes of the Internet.
      your.opinion > /dev/null
    2. Re:Good Morning by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I, for one, welcome our air-owning overlords.

    3. Re:Good Morning by Pop69 · · Score: 1

      I've got a goat I was keeping for the next Bozo(tm) initiation ceremony, I suppose they could have that.

  19. Maybe.... by mrbill1234 · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Maybe this company actually did violate SCO's copyrights and are now paying up. It's not an impossibility. IMHO SCO are just playing this up for as much publicity as they can get.

  20. not wanting to be libellous.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...or anything, but you wonder how the sales patter goes...

    "Buy these licences because, if we win and you DON'T have one, you'll end up paying through the nose.."

    is it equivalent to insurance? ...or 'protection'?

    1. Re:not wanting to be libellous.... by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      Either that or they stood on the corner begging, and when someone gave them some change, they slipped them a licence and recept.

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
  21. Ex-license by quamaretto · · Score: 2, Funny

    This is in fact an ex-license!
    It is no more!
    It has ceased to be!

    (Or, maybe:)
    Customer: Aah, how about Unix?

    Wenslydale: Well, we don't get much call for it around here, sir.

    Customer: Not much ca--It's the single most popular operating system in the world!

    Wenslydale: Not 'round here, sir.

    Customer: and what IS the most popular cheese 'round hyah?

    Wenslydale: Linux, sir.

    Customer: IS it.

    Wenslydale: Oh, yes, it's staggeringly popular in this manor, squire.

    Customer: Is it.

    Wenslydale: It's our number one best seller, sir!

    Customer: I see. Uuh...Linux, eh?

    Wenslydale: Right, sir.

    Customer: All right. Okay. 'Have you got any?' he asked, expecting the answer 'no'.

    Wenslydale: I'll have a look, sir... nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnno.

    --
    *is run over by rotten tomatoes*
  22. water behind the dam by myc_lykaon · · Score: 1
    "I think it is [like] water behind a dam," he said.

    I think it is impressive that they have managed to convince anyone that there is even something damp behind the dam, let alone bona fide water.

  23. So the banner ad that they had yesterday worked by Advocadus+Diaboli · · Score: 2, Funny

    At least some people in UK believed that they had to send them money. :-)

  24. Is it legal? by pented_rage · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Am I legally aloud to go around selling 'licenses to use' something that isn't currently and 'officially' mine? Say I deem SCO's products to have IP derived from me, can I go around selling my "SCO License" or can SCO sue me for such? (if so.. Linux should sue SCO for tainting their products/image)

    1. Re:Is it legal? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Am I legally aloud
      No.

    2. Re:Is it legal? by Peyna · · Score: 1

      I can sell you a deed to a piece of land I don't own, so long as it states that I make no claim to the land in the deed, and you get whatever I have, which may or may not be anything at all. (There actually is a purpose for such things, btw.)

      If I sell you some land that I don't own, and don't state otherwise, you can sue me when you find out that someone else owns it instead.

      --
      What?
    3. Re:Is it legal? by sconeu · · Score: 1

      Linux should sue SCO for tainting their products/image

      I believe that RedHat did and one of IBM's counterclaims does just that, under the Lanham Act.

      --
      General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
  25. Makes sense by archevis · · Score: 2, Funny
    Let's assume that there are 2-300 million complete idiots in the world.

    Newsflash: Only 1 in 10 million complete idiots would buy a SCO license.

    This whole "case" turned boring quite a while ago.

  26. Thats because.... by StarTux · · Score: 1

    Being a Brit I have to say that I have experienced the most ineptitude from the UK IT community, for one I have had more frustrations with UK websites from that country than any other so far.

    So, I am not surprised some idiots in the UK have purchased licenses from SCO, bet they thought they got a great deal especially as the exchange rate is favourable to them.

    StarTux

  27. Not another one! by northcat · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Please don't start another slashdot cliche joke(I dont't know the exact term). I am already sick of "will it run on linux" and "netcraft confirms it".

    1. Re:Not another one! by M1FCJ · · Score: 1, Funny

      In Slashdot, cliche jokes are only for the elderly.

  28. Who are they? by tclark · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It would be interesting to know who these org are organizations because:

    1. We might want to avoid them like the plague;
    2. We might want to help the poor bastards out - they clearly need help;
    3. We might all want to hit them up to buy our own "IP licenses". If they will buy this crap from SCO, they will buy it from anybody.

    1. Re:Who are they? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Exactly. Find out who they are; we've got snakeoil to move here, people!

    2. Re:Who are they? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I would think that many scammers would be interested in these companies...

    3. Re:Who are they? by MikeBabcock · · Score: 1

      I patented breathing air consisting of (but not exclusively limited to) oxygen and nitrogen and I will be licensing this technology to others for a meagre $1 for life.

      If you are already using this technology, then you are in violation of my patent and need a license to continue breathing. If you refuse to stop breathing without a license, we will be forced to use the courts.

      I hear Texas likes to stop bad people from breathing.

      --
      - Michael T. Babcock (Yes, I blog)
    4. Re:Who are they? by killjoe · · Score: 1

      You left out the most important part.

      We want to make sure we don't own any stock in any company whose management is so easily duped. If a CxO is stupid enough to buy an SCO license who knows what other boneheaded decisions are being made.

      --
      evil is as evil does
    5. Re:Who are they? by DeVilla · · Score: 1

      I don't know if I'd be so hard on all these folks. We definately know of the one ISP that was dumb enough buy in, but how did all these other companies get their licenses? Was it the sort of thing were they bought UNIXware and got a Linux license slipped into the fine print? They've done that before and called it a victory.

      It's still rude to do to a customer. Sell them a product and slap the Linux license on it as they walk out the door, like a big "KICK ME!" sign. All the more reason to migrate away from anything SCO.

    6. Re:Who are they? by jcuervo · · Score: 1
      I would think that many scammers would be interested in these companies...
      Like SCO? ;-)
      --
      Assume I was drunk when I posted this.
    7. Re:Who are they? by tclark · · Score: 1

      Buying Unixware shows a general lack of cluefulness also, so I don't think they should rate much of a break.

  29. Two licenses? by advocate_one · · Score: 2, Interesting
    that'll be Microsoft UK and Microsoft Ireland then... so the total number of licenses sold will only be as many as there are Microsoft Offices overseas...

    Funny how they never give out just who the purchasers are isn't it...

    --
    Donald 'Duck' Dunn: We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline.
  30. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  31. Anyone have any insight into the probable buyers? by Morosoph · · Score: 1
    Two licenses could even be "friends of SCO". Does Microsoft UK have an SCO UNIX license?

    It's even possible that licenses arise from internal politics; if a manager wants to hold his IT department in check, and stay with the conservative and familiar, buying licenses is an excellent way to prevent the IT department from making strategic decisions by stealth, since further penetration of Linux requires a purchasing decision!

  32. Re:Allow me to be the first to say... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    From Eek the cat? The Squishy Bear episode?

  33. Not so stellar with the sales there... by Nijika · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Is it me or is selling to 20 or 30 of anything in a year or so really, really lackluster? How much are these licenses that they can proudly announce having 20 or 30 customers? I mean even if they cost as much as a Mercedes CLK each I wouldn't get too hyped about it considering this is a publicly traded company.

    Depressing.

    --
    Luck favors the prepared, darling.
    1. Re:Not so stellar with the sales there... by CharlesF · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I hate to point this out, but your sig was cu

      --
      Do not read this sig!
  34. How can I contact these companies? by oexeo · · Score: 1

    How can I get in contact with these companies?

    I have some magic beans they might be interested in purchasing.

  35. consider the source by John_Sauter · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The SCO Group has such a poor reputation for telling the truth that I wouldn't be surprised to learn that both sales claims are pure fabrication.
    John Sauter (J_Sauter@Empire.Net)

  36. Actually, SCO licenses do get you something. by Shag · · Score: 3, Informative

    As has been pointed out over on Groklaw, under the terms of the USL-BSDI agreement, USL basically couldn't go suing anyone for doing stuff with UNIX unkless the party being sued had licensed UNIX from them.

    Sooooo... by buying a SCO license, and thus establishing a contractual relationship with SCO, you basically put your name on the list of parties SCO could potentially file a lawsuit against.

    Splendid, isn't it? :)

    --
    Village idiot in some extremely smart villages.
  37. Business Opportunity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If Chris Sontag would kindly provide the contact details for this company, I have an interesting proposal for them. For US$1000, I will sell them all rights I have to traverse the Brooklyn Bridge in perpetuity, free from any threat of lawsuit from me.

    Hurry, because beginning next year, I'm going to erect a lemonaid stand on one end and start chargine tolls. Then the license goes up to US$2000.

  38. Stock price.. by khrtt · · Score: 1

    ..is up again. Let them morons play their game, I'm playing mine:-).

    Most important thing with SCO is, of course, not to forget to short the fucker when the time comes, which is made time consuming by the sheer amount of news about the stupid case you have to skim through to be on top of it.

    1. Re:Stock price.. by Sai+Babu · · Score: 1

      "short the fucker when the time comes"
      Actually you need to do this B4 the time comes :-)
      AFAIK there are no SCO options to trade.

    2. Re:Stock price.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      the time to short is before the time that is coming.

  39. FUD Apparent by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 2, Interesting

    "SCO's intellectual property that is apparently present"

    No, the SCO IP is only reportedly present. They'd have to present actual evidence for it to be apparent. Ironic, considering that all of the Linux source is apparent - it's the secret SCO diff's that aren't so visible.

    --

    --
    make install -not war

    1. Re:FUD Apparent by serutan · · Score: 1

      Glad somebody mentioned that. I got bored with this SCO crap quite a while ago and have not been keeping up with it. Reading "SCO's intellectual property that is apparently present" made me wonder if they had actually proved any of their claims. But nothing in the article says so.
      Presumably it's still just all sound and fury, signifying nothing.

  40. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  41. 20 - 30 is too high for Chris S. to count? by Picass0 · · Score: 1

    If Sontag were using higher numbers, I could understand his using a range. But SCO has only sold a maximum of 30 licenses in the whole damn world. I think Chris should be able to remember an exact number.

    You'd think he would wake up each morning with that number in his head. It would be something like "Jesus, the Feds are coming after us for 23 counts of racketeering."

    Maybe he could use a computer to help he remember a more exact number! I heard once upon a time SCO was a software company, they just might have someody who could setup a machine that can track numbers in the low double digits.

  42. Who could it be? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Microsoft UK or something similar probably.

  43. swindlers by PacketScan · · Score: 1

    Ok So everyone pays and then they loose..
    Do i get my money back?
    I think the government needs to do something about this.

  44. Employer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If I hate my employer, would it be improper to convince them to buy a SCO license. Don't get me wrong, I hate SCO, but I really hate my employer.

    1. Re:Employer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      yes it would.
      But why not consider other more fun forms of revenge on your employer?

  45. extortion via FUD by museumpeace · · Score: 1

    in the guise of a license is still extortion. These purchases should be contrasted with the number of companies that have bought insurance via OSRM to see which form of FUD drums up the most business among the cowards and ignorant who only have one principle: CYA

    --
    SLASHDOT: news for people who can't concentrate on work or have no life at all and got tired of yelling back at the TV.
  46. You automagically get a license by jaymzter · · Score: 4, Informative

    If you buy any SCO *nix product a _linux_ binary license is automatically included. This was a recent licensing change to make it look like SCO Source actually had a heartbeat. Someone probably bought Open Server and this is how SCO is playing it. For once, nothing to see here (presumably)

    --
    If thou see a fair woman pay court to her, for thus thou wilt obtain love
    1. Re:You automagically get a license by MikeBabcock · · Score: 1

      Damn.

      And I didn't want a Linux license.

      Oh well ... I still own Unixware 7.

      Installed it once, replaced it with Linux for more functionality.

      --
      - Michael T. Babcock (Yes, I blog)
  47. Lost money by canuck57 · · Score: 1

    Vendor claims two customers so far Guess they want to save the companies the embarrassment of paying for something they didn't need to. Or perhaps SCO just wants to keep the FUD going as yesterday their web site had a banner with "We own all your code... pay us all your money"...

  48. How is more important by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    SCO has in the past stated that they are tying the "SCO Licences" in with their support contracts.

    So basically this could be the total number of support contracts that SCO has sold so far.

    Sounds to me that (even for a month) that this is quite minimal and a further sign that SCO isn't making headway.

  49. Chris Sontag = Joe Isuzu by Jaywalk · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Remember the old Isuzu commercials? The spokesman would come out and make some outrageous claim ("Zero to sixty in one second."), but the caption underneath would say, "He's lying." Keep that little caption in mind whenever SCO issues a press release.

    Most of the time in the past when SCO announced that someone had "bought" a Linux license it turned out to be a deception. The most common ploy was to tack a Linux license onto a court settlement or a purchase of a Unixware license. The article quotes only SCO sources and the customers are not named, so don't expect this time to be different. Wait a few days and see if any customer names come up, then see what the customers have to say.

    I'd guess they'll say something like, "Linux license? What Linux license?"

    --
    ===== Murphy's Law is recursive. =====
    1. Re:Chris Sontag = Joe Isuzu by Reziac · · Score: 1

      I'm wondering if, given the probability that you're right about "Linux license? What Linux license?" and given that any such accusation could be viewed as disparaging the company involved, SCO naming these customers might open up SCO to libel suits.

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
  50. Just like spam by EkkiEkkiShiwaddle · · Score: 1
    Given the fact that after all those warnings there are still people out there who think they will be able to get rich quick by replying to some mail, this does not surprise me at all. Im not saying that people who buy such a license are planning on getting rich quick, but they have probably thought it through just as much as those people who reply to those scammers.

    I personally know some people who are able to sell you your own property for double the amount you paid for it originally, and who will leave you behind smiling, thinking you've made a good deal.

    It's all about finding the right person: gullible, easily persuaded and with lots of money to spend.

    No wonder SCO is able to sell "their" linux licenses...

  51. "I think it is [like] explosion..." by EntrancedX · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    in purchasing of licences that is about to happen... kinda like my ass after Taco Bell and few beers.

  52. Corporate Thinkspeak by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Unfortunatly in Corporations you do get some very strange behaviour, usually as a result of knowing very little about a subject and ensuring any descision cannot come back and bite them (Mix CYA and 'a little knowledge.....).
    I do some work for a charitable organisation with very little IT assets and not much money at the area I was in. I needed a stand-alone PC for office applications, so donated an old PC and loaded Linux and Openoffice. Perfect....until their IT guy (in name only) saw it and demanded I produce the 'licence'. After explaining about GPL, his eyes glazed over and his response was 'I must have a licence for each PC in case Microsoft check, and anyway, if you did not pay for it, therefore you must have stolen it, and so it must be illegal and stolen and I am not having anything like that on my watch'. Sigh

    1. Re:Corporate Thinkspeak by panurge · · Score: 1
      Load Java. Load actual Star Office rather than OO (OK it's a few $$). Print off the GPL, the Sun Java license, the Star Office license and any others you like. Put them in a neat file binder with the computer asset number on the front (or something.)I know you won't like this bit, but stick a great big Sun logo for a screen background. Make sure the "Grants you a....license" bit is visible in nice big letters on your front page. Stick it by computer.

      Don't explain. But if there are any queries, just say "Well, this is a Sun workstation. You'll have heard of them. surely you have licenses like these for all the other PCs?"

      --
      Panurge has posted for the last time. Thanks for the positive moderations.
    2. Re:Corporate Thinkspeak by reverius · · Score: 1

      To make that process a bit easier, just run Java Desktop System (their linux distribution)... it actually IS a "sun workstation" in the sense that it's workstation software released by Sun.

      Or go with Novell's. A "real" (read: company-based) distribution that looks very professional can be bought boxed cheaply; just buy the box and produce the paper license this t00l wants.

  53. Yeah right... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Give SCO a call and ask them point blank if they actually sold any of the $699 (or whatever they were asking) Linux licenses. I am guessing they sold a few copies of their crappy Unixware or Openserver products that include the "license" and they are talking out there ass as usual.

  54. License to sue by KamuSan · · Score: 1

    That's pretty stupid, a license with SCO. I read about the BSDi settelment at Groklaw, and it seems that SCO only has the right to sue their own licensees about Unix copyrights/IP/whatever.

  55. Some 100 years later... by Maljin+Jolt · · Score: 0

    SCO Linux licenses on genuine paper may become a collector's rarity, just like some early 20th century printed shares are now. Because of very limited number, it is a perfect investment for your grandchildren to buy some now!

    --
    There you are, staring at me again.
  56. Re:Explain? by NetNifty · · Score: 1

    Well, not really an IT company, but one of my college tutors thinks "Windows Server XP" and Windows Server 2003 are seperate products, Windows 3.11 was the first networking operating system, and MacOS, Linux, UNIX and Solaris all take their networking parts from it.

  57. When I find out who they are by barcodez · · Score: 0

    I will be boycotting them.

    --

    ----
  58. Re:Mo parent down by SoTuA · · Score: 3, Funny
    No, no.

    It's "In Soviet Korea, elderly racists comment you!".

  59. Wonder by Sai+Babu · · Score: 3, Insightful



    1) If SCO includes the licensed material with the license. If I'm gonna buy a license, I want to be sure I'm running the code I licensed and not some miscreants cobbled hack that delivers the same functionality.

    2) How to merge this binary with my linux once I've got the linux compiled? If I'm gonna buy it, I want to use it. That way if my linux fscks up there is someone I can sue. SCO warrants the stuff, right?

    3) The market has any faith. Baystar appears to be cutting it's losses. I heard at the bar that baystar was finessed into keeping quiet through margin advantage on another investors bailout. IIRC Baystar was questioning SCO's claims on linux back in the summer (northern hemisphere).

  60. I'm not suprised. by IainMH · · Score: 1

    "Richard Perkins, regional director for UK and Ireland at the company, told vnunet.com that two companies had signed up for licences in the past quarter, but would not give further details."

    Because they know that confidence in any company that bought these sea shells would go through the floor. If they're *that* dumb, how good is their product/service?

  61. Why would these companies be evil? by mwvdlee · · Score: 1

    Ever considered these companies are buying these licenses so they can sue the hell out of SCO for fraud/extortion/etc. as soon as the whole IP part of the SCO-IBM case finishes? I bet they'd be able to get more money out of it than they paid for the licenses.
    That is if SCO will have any money left ofcourse.

    --
    Slashdot social media options: AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, Jabber and Mobile Text. Why no MySpace?
    1. Re:Why would these companies be evil? by dentar · · Score: 1

      Fraud / Extortion only applies if SCO approached the company and threatened them directly.

      --
      -- I am. Therefore, I think!
  62. I'd be Willing to Bet by Greyfox · · Score: 4, Insightful
    The contract says "Nope!"

    The bluff by SCO is that you can buy a license now and pay not so much, or you can wait until after the lawsuit and if they win you'll be paying a lot more. If you fold now, you don't get your chips back if SCO loses. At this point we're pretty sure that IBM holds all the aces, but I bet that most of these sales are politically motivated or the people buying them aren't very good at poker either.

    I wouldn't be surprised if the comapnies in question are associates of the companies in the US that purchased licenses. It'd be just like SCO to count the Microsoft or Sun UK branch offices as new licenscees.

    Besides which, if SCO loses the next legal action you will see out of them will be a bankruptcy filing.

    --

    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

  63. Actually... by Bigby · · Score: 1

    These people are smart because once it is proven that SCO sold something that wasn't theirs, they can sue SCO for even more money (pain and suffering or something)...assuming SCO isn't backrupt by then.

    1. Re:Actually... by BobTheLawyer · · Score: 1

      Nope. Under English law they could only recover their actual financial loss. And if SCO has drafted the "licences" carefully then the victims might not even be able to do this.

  64. Ignorance is bliss.... for SCO by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The folks who have no real insight into the legal
    shenanigans of SCO are the ones prone to buy up
    the worthless licenses. Oh well. But this is how
    microsoft got so big.

  65. Bundled with Unix license? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A few orgs in the UK - like PC World - are using SCO products, My bet is this license has been bundled with an existing product or service upgrade.

  66. Probably its just insurance by Insipid+Trunculance · · Score: 1

    i imagine the license fee is a miniscule amount and probably is cheaper than paying a solicitor's reatiner just in case IBM vs. SCO doesnt result in a clear victory for IBM.

    Maybe its just some people , to use that delightful washington DC acronym , CYA.

    --
    Wanted : A Signature.
  67. No, it's not. by Svartalf · · Score: 1

    Doing ANYTHING to support these scam artists is not a sound business decision. It's been obvious to anyone that has done a little digging that they're bluffing and they're holding a busted strait. They don't own anything, the stuff they claim is infringing belongs to other players- you get the picture.

    --
    I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
    1. Re:No, it's not. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Doing ANYTHING to support these scam artists is not a sound business decision

      And, as we all know, no boss in history has ever made a foolish business decision...

  68. So is there an angle to buying a license? by slashname3 · · Score: 1

    Could we all be missing a good deal here? What happens when SCO is shown in court that they do not own the license to Linux? Can those that did buy licenses get their lawyers to extract double or triple the cost of the license plus court costs from SCO? This could actually be a shrewed investment. If SCO by some twist in the fabric of the universe actually wins they are covered already. If SCO looses those companies sue and double or triple their money. hmmmmmm........

    1. Re:So is there an angle to buying a license? by 16K+Ram+Pack · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You think there's going to be anything left of SCO if IBM wins?

  69. Quote: by jav1231 · · Score: 1

    Sontag: These 20-30 licensees means we've covered the cost of the paper to print the licenses and there was enough left over for this cool Chia Pet!

  70. SCO Guessing? by theoneknuckles · · Score: 1

    20 - 30 sales? Is it just me or doesn't anyone else think it's odd that SCO throws out a number with a 33% gap in possible sales? That's huge. Even so, 30 sales worldwide? What a joke.

  71. BDSi settlement announcemt by Kalak · · Score: 1

    Didn't these dorks read the USLvBSDi settlement terms? The release of these is HUGE and a death blow to the SCOSource license program especially section 3c:

    "c. USL agrees that it shall take no action against any person who utilizes any methods and concepts in the Restricted Files which as of this date have become available to the general public by acts not attributable to the University, its employees or students. Nothing in this provision shall limit USL's rights against a third party arising out of a breach of any license agreement with USL or AT&T."

    SCO *can't* sue except for breach of contract, as the "successor in interest" to this agreement. (See a lawyer)

    That's why dburns work on getting this settlement out to the world is so important.

    --
    I am, and always will be, an idiot. Karma: Coma (mostly effected by .hack)
  72. Re:Mo parent down by nwbvt · · Score: 1

    I think we have taken that joke as far as it will go while still being funny. I see no problem with letting it die a nice, peacful death.

    --
    Mathematics is made of 50 percent formulas, 50 percent proofs, and 50 percent imagination.
  73. Canopy Group by hrvatska · · Score: 1

    I'm wondering how many of those licenses went to companies that are owned or controlled by the SCO's parent, the Canopy Group.

  74. It's a cold morning in Lindon... by yeremein · · Score: 3, Funny

    My company recently outgrew our office in Orem, Utah, and we moved to one in Lindon. Right next to SCO's headquarters, in fact (we're not affiliated with SCO or the Canopy Group).

    Anyhow, it's a very cold morning. Want to know how cold? Well, I just saw Darl McBride walk into his office, and he had his hands in his own pockets.

    1. Re:It's a cold morning in Lindon... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Any possibility of getting to work early every Friday morning, let's say, and mooning them, or do you have actual standards, morals and maturity at your company? Any chance of going on a tour of their building and sneaking in a mini-cam?

    2. Re:It's a cold morning in Lindon... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Come on. Write up a SCO blog based on what you see!

  75. Damned if you do, damned if you don't by Linuxathome · · Score: 3, Insightful

    When you're dealing with companies with million dollar accounts and expenditures, it's an executive decision that's required for these expenses. I personally think that the executives are doing it to save their asses (no, not assets, asses): they all are covering their butts on the slim, slim chance that SCO might win. That way, the board won't fire them if SCO wins.

    But the downside is the the legions of Linux lovers will cry "foul" and "traitor" if they do. Hmmm...losing your job versus some people calling you l0s3r? What would you choose?

  76. A sucker born? by u-235-sentinel · · Score: 1

    To my understanding SCO hasn't won yet and these licenses don't grant you any freedoms you didn't already have, but SCO's vice president Chris Sontag says that 20 to 30 organisations worldwide have purchased these licenses."

    Like the saying goes, there's a sucker born every minute.

    BTW, 20 to 30 who have purchased a SCO license doesn't impress me considering how many use Linux thoughout the world. Now if they said a few thousand then I would be worried.

    --
    Has Comcast disconnected your Internet account? Same here. You can read about it at http://comcastissue.blogspot.com
  77. Confidential list of SCO licensees... by kbnielsen · · Score: 3, Funny

    Finally it has been revealed... Heres a list of the licensees of all 20 licences sold by SCO.

    Microsoft Redmond
    Microsoft Cincinatti
    Microsoft Atlanta
    Microsoft Austin
    Microsoft Memphis
    Microsoft Phoenix
    Microsoft Pittsburg
    Microsoft UK
    Microsoft Australia
    Microsoft Latin America
    Microsoft Russia
    Microsoft Hong Kong
    Microsoft Latvia
    Microsoft Korea
    Microsoft China
    Microsoft Egypt
    Microsoft South Africa
    Microsoft Saudi Arabia
    Microsoft Chile
    Microsoft Canada

    Truly SCO has a worldwide spreading...

  78. "moon land" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    moon land

    Funniest two words put together that I've seen all year.

  79. Will ants do? by name_already_taken · · Score: 1
    Because around summertime my yard has one for each and every human on the planet.

    You weren't very specific as to the type of animal, just one for each human.

    --
    Putting moderation advice in your .sig lowers your karma!
  80. Re:Big difference by maverickbna · · Score: 1

    Don't give them any ideas !

    --
    You are great player! Present you with points!
  81. 20 to 30 oh my! by fenfiralcain · · Score: 0

    wow!
    20 to 30, they're on a roll!
    i wonder how many 'infringing' copies of linux have been installed since they started. much less since about an hour ago.

    --
    int main(){ char ln[0]; ln[15]=(ln[14]=(ln[13]=(ln[12]=(ln[11]=(ln[10]=((l n[0]=((ln[1]=((ln[2]=((l
  82. Appropriate for rip-off Britain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Britain is well known for ripping off its people with hugely over priced goods coupled with excessive taxation. It is not surprising that the Brits would agree to pay for something that is actually free.

    Hmmm ... Perhaps it would be a good idea to bottle air and sell start selling it in the UK, I could make a fortune.

    1. Re:Appropriate for rip-off Britain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No point. Unless you speak with that funny private school accent and are protected by your buddies, the tax people will steal all your profit.

    2. Re:Appropriate for rip-off Britain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Bzzzt! BS. Kindly leave the stage.

      If the "tax people" were actually stealing all your profit you'd be bankrupt. The reality is that companies (even if they're a one-man-band) can always find some clever little tax dodging trick, to pay for their SUV (essential for business), their gaming computer (essential for business), their 1000 quid chair (yada yada), their entertainment at the lapdancing club (yada). After all, the "granite chancellor"

      is keen to encourage the growth of small businesses, and since 1997 has taken steps to create the conditions to make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a business. ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/02_1 2_04_pbr04small_companies_228.pdf (Introduction, Section 1.2)

      You're more on the nail with the funny accents and "buddies" though not about tax.

  83. The real reason companies are buying licenses? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Companies are probably purchasing these licenses so that they can sue when SCO lose their court cases, and make profit from the whole thing.

  84. it's "pity" and "worthless" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I know all the kewl /. geeks spell it "pitty." Do not be led astray.

  85. Re:Explain? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So why don't you bludgeon him with a lead pipe and burn the body in a public place to serve as a warning to others?

  86. Well, which is it ... ? by krygny · · Score: 1

    Is it 20, is it 30, is it some number in between, or is it bullshit? "Oh, it's 30. GOOD 30!"

    --
    Research shows that 67% of those who use the term "research shows", are just making shit up.
  87. Sold to who and for how much? by Rogerborg · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Because it seems to me that SCO might be willing to pay people to take their farcical licenses, just to generate this kind of pitiful press release. Given that SCO don't crow about how big these 'purchasers' are, it seems reasonable that they're small, and small companies don't in general buy (in the sense of paying money to a vendor) for licenses that they don't need.

    Hmm, I wonder if the 'purchasers' insisted on anonymity as a condition of 'sale'? You know, I'm half tempted to give them a call myself and see how much I can squeeze out of them for the priviledge of increasing their UK 'sales' by 50%.

    --
    If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
  88. No, no no.. it's in the UK by schon · · Score: 1

    That should be a bridge in *London* :o)

    1. Re:No, no no.. it's in the UK by Reziac · · Score: 1

      Nonsense. It's right next to my oceanfront property, which I'm offering at a very reasonable price. ;)

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
  89. Re:Mo parent down by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That horse may be dead, but I see no problem with beating it into chunky pulp. Then, beating it to a frothy paste. Continue until atomized.

  90. SCO licence by ajs318 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Since SCO never purchased the copyright on UNIX, which remained with Novell;
    And Novell own SUSE, who have released a version of Linux under the GPL;
    then Novell {being the UNIX copyright holder} have given their blessing to Linux being GPL'ed.

    Since SCO do not hold the copyright on any UNIX code that may be present in Linux,
    and Novell have not authorised SCO to act on their behalf,
    then SCO are acting under false pretences.

    Doing something you weren't asked to do to somebody else's property is called trespass in this country, and is a civil offence for which legal aid is not available. It's a defence to trespass that you had good faith that the rightful owner would have wanted you to do what you did; however, there is no way SCO could have good faith that Novell wants them to collect licence money {which would belong to Novell, as the copyright holder, not SCO. Misappropriation of funds is a criminal offence}. Finally, since the GPL does not permit what SCO is doing, SCO are guilty of copyright violation to some extent or other. While there is next to no point in Novell pursuing for damages in the civil courts {they wouldn't have made any money so they can't have lost any money} Novell could still testify against SCO in any criminal copyright violation case.

    Did I mention that in the British civil courts, the loser almost always pays all costs; and a successful prosecution for a criminal offence doesn't bar you from instigating separate civil proceedings to recover damages?

    Bye-bye, SCO. Thanks for collecting so much evidence againstg yourselves.

    --
    Je fume. Tu fumes. Nous fûmes!
    1. Re:SCO licence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Even if SCO did purchase the copyright on UNIX, they themselves released Caldera Linux under the GPL. Is the GPL a retractable license?

  91. Isn't Linux a copyright? by tod_miller · · Score: 1

    I mean the name, isn't it registered? Can anyone make something called Linux? Like Linux License?

    So can SCO call thier licenses "Linux" or just 'use of derivative unix components that we believe we bought licenses to, then lost them, then sold them, then found them, then shredded them, then imagined them, and are now trying to sell them, even though, buggered if we can remember where we put them, so we will take something similar' licenses.

    I'd buy one if they called them that.

    --
    #hostfile 0.0.0.0 primidi.com 0.0.0.0 www.primidi.com 0.0.0.0 radio.weblogs.com
  92. Who are those 20 to 30 organizations? by dtjohnson · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Buying a Linux license from SCO is pretty high on the list of useless/worthless things to buy so perhaps there's some other stuff they might buy.

  93. Not to me they haven't by Linker3000 · · Score: 1

    In the UK and happily running 2 x Whitebox and 1 x RH9 servers sans licences!

    --
    AT&ROFLMAO
  94. Zork, See you in COURT!!!!! by infonography · · Score: 1

    I own substantual parts of the Moon's shadow! Your aspersion has affected the value of my rights. I will sue you for your posting as slander, maybe even challenge you to a duel. We can take this up in court on the moon.

    --
    Sorry about the writing. Robot fingers, you know? Cliff Steele in DOOM PATROL #23
  95. simple math by codeconfused · · Score: 1

    SCO+Licenses+sold=Sucker born every minute

    --
    Danger Will Robinson! You are now entering a condescending Unix user zone!
  96. Payola? by Saeed+al-Sahaf · · Score: 1

    When you pay people to "buy" your licenses, shouldn't it be possible to get more than just a few bites?

    --
    "Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
  97. 2 in 2nd quarter, 0 in 3rd? by davidwr · · Score: 1

    No RECENT news is good news:

    I think we can assume nobody got suckered into this in the 3rd quarter, and that nobody else will before SCO files Chapter 7.

    --
    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
  98. Good Idea by stealth.c · · Score: 1

    If SCO can sell imaginary "licenses," what's to stop us (FLOSS evangelists) from giving away real ones? Apparently people have gotten used to the idea that software needs some kind of strict license, cost, or license cost associated with it. So go print something fancy and give them what they want!

    If people want to pay money for a silly piece of paper (which, come to think of it, is what they purchase when they "buy Windows") let them! Just slip them some software while you're at it.

  99. Do They Know It's SCO At All? by Stephen+Samuel · · Score: 2, Informative
    Remember that, with the exception of DV-1, I think that most of the companies who 'bought' an SCO license didn't even realize it. The way that they have things set up, people who buy other SCO software sometimes end up with a Linux License. Part of the reason why they're not identifying the companies who have purchased SCO Linux licenses may be that they don't want all of those companies to know what they've bought.

    Computerland, for example, ended up with a bunch of Linux licenses as a reault of a (supposedly unrelated) out-of-court settlement with the Canopy group. They acted very surprised when it was announced that they were among the list of companies owning Linux licenses.

    If your company has any vestigal connection to either SCO or Canopy, then it may turn out to be one of the '20 or 30' companies with Linux licenses.

    AFAICT the only valid business logic for buying a LINUX license is to comfort skitish investors and/or customers with the knowledge that there is no legal liability. The only other reason for getting a Linux license is that it's a side effect of getting something else that your company needs from SCO. Companies in such a position who care, at all, about such acquisitions may actually be ashamed of them.

    --
    Free Software: Like love, it grows best when given away.
    1. Re:Do They Know It's SCO At All? by mpe · · Score: 1

      AFAICT the only valid business logic for buying a LINUX license is to comfort skitish investors and/or customers with the knowledge that there is no legal liability.

      Assuming that buying such a licence dosn't create legal liabilities.

    2. Re:Do They Know It's SCO At All? by Reziac · · Score: 1

      Conversely, might it open up SCO to litigation for having essentially sneakwrapped this "linux license" into their product?

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
    3. Re:Do They Know It's SCO At All? by Stephen+Samuel · · Score: 1
      Conversely, might it open up SCO to litigation for having essentially sneakwrapped this "linux license" into their product?

      Getting something for free is rarely a cause for litigation per se. I would think (IANAL) that it would only be to the extent to which the bundling caused a liability on the part of the receiving company.

      Where a company may be able to claim a cause of liability because of SCO giving them a license might be if SCO tells the world "Company X bought Linux Licenses from us!", and then the company has to spend big money convincing their customers and investors that they're not brain-dead and/or SCO supporters.

      On a different issue: If the company in question didn't sign off on the agreement, then there should be nothing that SCO can hold the company to. On the other hand, if SCO tries to sue the compamy, the company should be able to wave the license and say "see! They promised they wouldn't!". Of course, before I did something like that, I'd ask my lawyers to make sure that such an implicit acceptance of the license didn't create some sort of extra liability to SCO.

      --
      Free Software: Like love, it grows best when given away.
  100. SCO trying to divert attention from court deadline by Animats · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Today, Nov. 30th, is the deadline for SCO to file their response to IBM's counterclaim that SCO is infringing IBM's copyrights. The one where they have to explain violating the GPL on Linux code, infringing IBM's copyrights in IBM's contributions to Linux. If SCO loses on that one (and it's a fast-tracked summary judgement motion), they are out of the Linux business and owe money to IBM. We're all looking forward to reading SCO's reply on that one.

    In other news, SCO just had a setback in their DaimlerChrysler case. SCO wants that case stayed until SCO vs IBM is decided. This is wierd, because SCO is the plaintiff in the DaimlerChrysler case - they started it. But they were losing, so they want it stayed. The judge just denied the stay, and the case will be heard in January. That's the case where SCO claims that because DaimlierCrysler used some UNIX-based product in the distant past, they can't use Linux now without paying SCO. This very weak claim is on its way to being laughed out of court.

    That's the real SCO news today.

  101. No Such Thing Is "Apparent" by John+Hasler · · Score: 2, Insightful

    > ..SCO's intellectual property that is apparently
    > present in Linux distributions...

    It most certainly is not. Despite two court orders requiring them to do so The SCO Group (which is _not_ the Santa Cruz Operation) has failed to produce a single line of infringing code.

    --
    Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
  102. 20 to 30 ?? by spazoid12 · · Score: 1

    SCO's vice president Chris Sontag says that 20 to 30 organisations worldwide have purchased these licenses

    20 to 30? What, he doesn't know how many? He has trouble counting such a large number?

    I'll bet that "20 to 30" actually means something closer to 15.

  103. In the UK..... by mormop · · Score: 3, Insightful

    There's a crime of "obtaining funds by deception" aimed at nailing fraudsters who use false information e.g. claiming property as theirs to extract money from people. Given that SCO have no proof of ownership over the disputed code I can't see how they can sell anyone anything.

    Should the case fall through I look forward to the arrest of the head of the UK arm of SCO and, should McBride, Sontag etc., ever land in the UK their arrests also. After all, conmen are among the lowest forms of scum.

    --
    Hmmmmmm..... Deep fried and look like Squirrel.
  104. I must take exception to your post.... by james_in_denver · · Score: 1
    These licenses permit the use of SCO's intellectual property that is apparently present in Linux distributions,

    I wasn't aware of ANY S.C.O. code that was in Linux, either in source or binary form.

    I recall some IBM developer who added code to Linux several months ago, but it was removed immediately after it was discovered that it had come from IBM.

  105. Nope, ants count by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Failure to account for insects as appropriate research specimens will result in all of your comments starting out at -1.

    Sincerely,
    Fnarg McSprangl
    Deputy Vice Ajutant
    Ruling Council of the Eastern Universe
    Galactic Demolition and Comments Rating Subcommittee

  106. In other news by Seanasy · · Score: 1

    There is 0-10% chance of snow in hell today.

  107. Risk to linux from SCO linux licensing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    did ya know that if you license something you don't own to other people long enough and often enough and the people with the rights do nothing that the people doing the licensing gets to keep what they stole?

    It does not hold in every nation but it does in some. Once it happens in one nation, the risk of a domino effect becomes greater or of being able to persuade other nations becomes easier.

    Despite SCO's false claims, allowing them to sell licenses to Linux is inevitably going to have a very significant negative impact on the future of Linux worldwide.

    In some places one must defend their property rights or they lose their property.

  108. Re:Mo parent down by SoTuA · · Score: 1
    Oh, yes, absolutelty, but...

    In Korea, dying a nice, peaceful death is only for the elderly.

    (Runs while dodging flying objects thrown by the angry mob)

  109. Stock price falling by Magickcat · · Score: 1

    Whilst meanwhile, their stocks continue to fall.

    --

    Si tacuisses philosophus mansisses. If you had kept quiet, you would have remained a philosopher.

  110. 20 to 30 organisations worldwide have purchased... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ok, let me guess who that would be...

    Microsoft of AD (Andora),
    Microsoft of AE (United Arab Emirates),
    Microsoft of AF (Afghanistan),
    Microsoft of ....

    by proxy no doubt, as it would be silly for SCOG to buy their own licenses just to prove a point. Who ever it is just follow the money to know for sure.

  111. Why not? by isorox · · Score: 1

    The dollar's so weak now that I bought 5 this morning with coffee.

  112. Re:Mo parent down by hunterx11 · · Score: 1

    I beat my dead horses into their constituent fermions, you insensitive clod!

    --
    English is easier said than done.
  113. They're *ALL* suckers... by leonbrooks · · Score: 1

    ...except for the few fed intravenously.

    --
    Got time? Spend some of it coding or testing
  114. SCO "Sells" Licenses? by rinkjustice · · Score: 2, Interesting

    No, no. They threaten companies with weak leadership into buying Linux licences. You know, SCO sends a stern letter in legalspeak warning they'll start a long drawn-out legal battle if they don't cough up the money pronto.

    SCO don't actually produce anything. They extort money from people. That is Darl's specialty. He's a corporate pirate. A scumbag.

  115. percentage? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I read a few years ago there are 2.5 million linux servers. I wonder what fraction of one percent are covered by SCO licenses.

  116. 20 to 30 orgs?? by Lord+Flipper · · Score: 1

    Out of how many, again?

    Sheesh, you could send fake-ass "Invoices" for 'Services Rendered' and get back a much higher number of payments. I guess even the mooches aren't falling for the SCO scam.

  117. Let me restate that remark... by rinkjustice · · Score: 1

    I should say Darl's actions are scumbagish - I don't personally know Darl McBride and I'm not justifies in getting personal by name calling.

    It was an off-the-cuff remark that I maybe should've kept to myself. I apologise.