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Unsealed SCO Email Reveals Linux Code is Clean

rm69990 writes "In a recently unsealed email in the SCO vs. IBM case, it appears that an outside consultant, hired by SCO in 2002, failed to find copyright violations in the Linux Kernel. This was right around the time Darl McBride, who has before been hired by litigious companies as CEO, was hired. It appears that before SCO even began its investigation, they were hoping to find a smoking gun, not believing that Linux could possibly not contain Unix code. Apparently, they ignored the advice of this consultant."

8 of 733 comments (clear)

  1. Interesting by BWJones · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It appears that before SCO even began its investigation, they were hoping to find a smoking gun, not believing that Linux could possibly not contain Unix code. Apparently, they ignored the advice of this consultant."

    Gee, that sounds familiar. Seems to be a popular strategy in both business and *cough*cough*cough, government these days. Seriously though, this is a model that does appear to have some traction in a variety of fields in that if you press your case hard enough, and you convince enough of the right people, there is ground to be gained from simply sticking to your guns no matter what the reality happens to be. In my business, when you have a theory, you design an experiment to test it and collect data in an attempt to disprove that theory. When the data supports the theory, then you are golden. The way NOT to run business, science (or government) is to come up with a theory (or a desire) and then try to fit the evidence to support what you want. This of course is exactly what has happened with the SCO case, a couple of other business debacles in the news recently and interestingly, in the hunt for WMD in Iraq.

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    1. Re:Interesting by the_mighty_$ · · Score: 5, Insightful

      this is a model that does appear to have some traction in a variety of fields in that if you press your case hard enough, and you convince enough of the right people, there is ground to be gained from simply sticking to your guns no matter what the reality happens to be

      Important note: whenever a business/government tries this horrible tactic, they always fail. SCO's case is (has) colapsed, people all around the world view the US government as untrustworthy, etc. Sometimes it takes a while, but they always lose in the end.

      News stories like this are just a nice reminder to everyone not to try tactics like this.

      --
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  2. Re:Reveals Darl McBride is Dirty by nokilli · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It isn't unrelated. Why do you think people like Darl McBride feel that they can get away with shit like this?

    Because that's the example that's been set at the top.

  3. Don't get your hopes up... by James+A.+D.+Joyce · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...as much as I'd love for SCO to get their arses handed to them, I wouldn't get excited until their suit is actually thrown out of court.

    --

    Ron dies in chapter 9 of book 7.
  4. Re:Operating systems are Black Magic, Toqueville s by Spoing · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I talked at length with that guy from the Toqueville institute. ...

    ... Just like how some people can't possibly understand how a piston engine works, some people aren't cut out to grok OS kernels.

    The problem was, you didn't listen to him. If you did, you would have heard him clearly say;

    "I'm a PR agent. I've been paid to take a position and I am glad to suck up your time as that's what I am paid to do. I get bonus points by looking somewhat reasonable while you loose your composure in an attempt to convince me of something that I have no personal stake in beyond a paycheck."
    --
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  5. Re:Reveals Darl McBride is Dirty by brandido · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sorry to get off topic here, but I cannot let such a pathetic comparison stand.

    Are you seriously saying that since Clinton lied about getting a blowjob, it is OK that the Bush administration lied about intelligence to justify going to war? Don't forget, Clinton got impeached for his lie by the House, but not convicted by the Senate. Given the fact that the repurcussions of Bush's lie is so much greater (we are at fucking war and there was no uranium purchased from Africa, no WMDs, no connection to 9/11), shouldn't the consequences be greater? Maybe Impeachment, Conviction and Jail time? I would say one day for each death that has occurred during the Iraq war - that should work out to between 30 to 300 years.

    Sorry to not have much of a sense of humor about this, but the repurcussions of this lie are just too tragic and painful.

    --
    First Falcon-1 to orbit, then Falcon-9. Then I can die a happy man.
  6. Not just the lawsuit by walterbyrd · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How about:

    - it appears that scox's showing of the code to select journalists, who signed an NDA, was a stunt specifically designed to decieve the public. No wonder there was an NDA.

    - it appears that scox's showing the code in Las Vegas ScoForum, was not just a mistake, it appears to be another possible deception.

    - apparently scox filed the law suit in bad faith, right from the begining.

    - scox letters to 1500 businesses, demanding payment for the scox code in linux, appears to be an attempt at outright extortion.

    - scox execs enriching themselves by selling scox in the high teens appears a blantant stock scam.

    - mcbrides numerous public statements about millions of lines of code, appears to be somewhat less than truthful.

  7. Lose? by StevenMaurer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Your comment reminds me of the Simpson's episode where the departing Mafia don says "Remember: In the End, Crime Doesn't Pay", and then gets into his fleet of limos.

    Face facts, SCO was a company whose stock price was floundering. Then Darl came along, ginned up a lawsuit, and multiplied it manyfold. He also got real revenue for the company from "sales" of "licenses" to Microsoft. He's already a multi-millionaire as a result. And despite how slashdot members feel, it's extremely unlikely he'll ever see any jail time.

    Big name spammers are much the same. We may all hate them, but they've done very well by themselves. What's the worst that most have them have seen from their billions of dollars of theft of service? A slap on the wrist.

    Same thing for Bush and Rove. Had either been remotely honorable or honest, Bush wouldn't have won reelection. Tell me, how is is losing?

    Face facts: evil tactics are often winning strategies. Especially because our collective tolerance for corruption is so high (and going higher).