So should the world judge all proprietary software vendors by SCOs activities - that position seems a rather simplistic rant and doesn't hold water.
If we are supposed to differentiate bewteen SCO and SUN (hard to do with names that share such commonality) can he not do us the favour of tarring a whole community with one broad brush.
Seems that having missed out on the start of the Internet thing MS are trying to make up for lost time WRT XML. So every method or process that you can add "using an XML method" to will now be subjected to patenting.
However, as a favour to the/. community I submit as prior art - "Masturbation using an XML method of storing and retrieving arousing imagery and text".
"well, when we sold the original butter making patent to you we made it absolutely clear, at the time, that any improvements you make to the design are yours to do exactly what you like with. And just so there is no confusion we wrote it down 100's of times and sent it off to out licence holders."
So dericative works, out the window, breach of contract, ditto, copyright issues, SCO have seemingly dropped that part of the case by not supplying *any* examples of Sys V code to the judge.
I forgot to mention that OSS has made our life a hell of a lot easier - making us appear more competent and competitive - than large, more established competitors. Don't underestimate the huge boost using OSS tools and products to deliver results can give your fledgling business.
I have worked for small software companies most of my career and now am a part owner of one (coming on seven years of age)...
I would suggest that the way to avoid some of the pain (there is *always* pain) described in your post is to combine bespoke development / consultancy with product development. That way, if you are lucky, you get to pay the bills and keep your house even if the products do take longer to roll off the production line.
Personally, I also prefer to share the load and risk with other like minded people. That way you also increase your chances of getting a variety of paid work and clients.
Great link. Darl is quoted: "I've been pounding the table here for a year or so saying there's no free lunch, and there is going to be a day of reckoning..."
...and there, my dear Hastings, you completely overlook the crux of the case. Here is a recent SCO letter announcing the availability of licences to Aus & NZ Linux users:
Subject: SCO ANZ Announces IP License for LinuxSCO Announces ANZ Availability of SCO Intellectual Property LicenseFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESydney, January 20 2004The SCO Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOX), the owner of the UNIXR operatingsystem and a leading provider of UNIX-based solutions, today announcedthe availability of the SCO Intellectual Property License to companiesand organisations in Australia and New Zealand.The company began the worldwide roll out of the license in the UK,France and other European countries last week, and plans to make thelicense available to many more countries and regions by February 1.The SCO Intellectual Property (IP) License permits the use of SCO'sintellectual property, in binary form only, as contained in Linuxdistributions. By purchasing the license, customers are properlycompensating SCO for the UNIX source code, derivative UNIX code andother UNIX-related intellectual property and copyrights owned by SCO asit is currently found in Linux.Pricing:The SCO IP License is currently available at introductory pricing ofAUD$999.00 per server processor and AUD$285.00 per desktop processor.The company is also offering the license to embedded devicemanufacturers that use Linux to run their devices.In addition to extending the license to customers worldwide, the companyalso announced that the license will shortly be made available throughselect SCO resellers. SCO resellers who are interested in obtainingmore information about providing the SCO IP License to their customerscan contact SCO at anz_info@sco.com after February 1, 2004."While we have identified several problem areas at issue within Linux,we also want to be fair to customers and allow them to continue usingLinux and our intellectual property unencumbered," said Chris Sontag,senior vice president and general manager of SCOsource, the intellectualproperty licensing and protection division of The SCO Group, Inc. "Webelieve the SCO IP License helps customers satisfy the legalrequirements to continue using SCO's UNIX intellectual property in Linuxin a forthright way while properly compensating the company for use ofits property."Kieran O'Shaughnessy, SCO's Regional General Manager, Australia and NewZealand, said he will begin briefing the company's local distributorsthis week regarding the SCO IP License's introduction."The SCO IP License helps organisations in Australia and New Zealand toprotect and leverage the investments they have made in Linux whileproviding the means for them to continue day-to-day business withoutinterruption," he said.Availability:Commercial business end users of Linux, based on the 2.2 kernel andlater, that are interested in more information or in purchasing the SCOIP License in Australia or New Zealand can call +61 2 9440 7577 ore-mail SCO at anz_info@sco.com.ends
Notes for Editors:Forward looking statement safe harbor:This press release contains a forward looking statement regarding TheCompany's plans to make the SCO Intellectual Property License availablein Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., France, and other Europeancountries and many more countries and regions by February 1, 2004. Thisstatement is subject to risks and uncertainties including withoutlimitation those risks and uncertainties identified in our filings withthe SEC and the risk that we will not be in a position to roll out thislicense in such countries and regions as planned. We undertake noobligation to update the information in this release, except as requiredby law.
My emphasis. I'm sorry - but I have *never* seen a press release regarding a upcoming service with a disclaimer like that!
Scientific study after study after study demonstrating the effects and causes of global warning but, fortunately for us fossil fuel users,/. readers and moderators know better:
maybe every few hundred years 15% to 30% of living organisms die out. And likely 15% to 30% of new organisms develop
Hallelujah, at last, someone is chasing the money. Good ol' Groklaw has just started some digging into the murky deapths of Deutsche Bank...almost begin to feel sorry for DB once PJ gets going after them.
And of course Groklaw has had the full analysis for a while now, including the fact that SCOs filings missed mentioning this dispute, even going so far as to deny there was any ongoing dispute with third parties over Copyright...some pants combusting rather brightly over in Salt Lake City.
...around August last year Mary Ann Fisher IBM's "Linux Program Director for worldwide Public Sector" was busy telling government CIOs here in New Zealand that Linux was "not ready for the desktop".
Despite this statement IBM was busy negotiating a $50million deal with German taxpayer representatives to convert the city of Munich to Linux desktops.
Talk about hypocrisy, time to set the record straight, IBM.
including a lot of western european countries where the Sept 11th terrorists moved around with impunity
Well, they also moved around the USA with "impunity". In fact, they used USA based training facilities to learn how to fly planes. They also used internal *not* international flights.
So, finger print and photograph all internal passengers first, please. Put your gun totting marshals on all intenal flights, then if you find all that acceptable extend it to international flights (most European countries already have had way better airport security than the US has for a long time).
What we have forgotten is to sue Canopy for fraud. They are the true winners in this whole exercise (along with MS). Perhaps if SEC / Groklaw/IBM and the world were to concentrate on the activities if this Medusa-like organisation the puppeteers would be brought to a terminal halt.
Slashdot Mirror
According to a recent Pentagon report...within the next 20 years.
So is this where the EFF can now step in and add to SCOs woes? "Make your source available, SCO, or we'll sue you".
So should the world judge all proprietary software vendors by SCOs activities - that position seems a rather simplistic rant and doesn't hold water.
If we are supposed to differentiate bewteen SCO and SUN (hard to do with names that share such commonality) can he not do us the favour of tarring a whole community with one broad brush.
OO didn't keep losing my dictionaries and for speal checking every time I do an aptget upgrade...
That would make a big difference to its usability in this locale.
Who really cares
Umm, me. I care that there is a healthy, diverse and competitive Linux market out there. Beats monopolies hands down in soooo many ways.
There, now you know.
Seems that having missed out on the start of the Internet thing MS are trying to make up for lost time WRT XML. So every method or process that you can add "using an XML method" to will now be subjected to patenting.
/. community I submit as prior art - "Masturbation using an XML method of storing and retrieving arousing imagery and text".
However, as a favour to the
Then Novell (via AT&T in 1985) say:
"well, when we sold the original butter making patent to you we made it absolutely clear, at the time, that any improvements you make to the design are yours to do exactly what you like with. And just so there is no confusion we wrote it down 100's of times and sent it off to out licence holders."
So dericative works, out the window, breach of contract, ditto, copyright issues, SCO have seemingly dropped that part of the case by not supplying *any* examples of Sys V code to the judge.
QED, really.
OMFG an "outsourced" programmer makes a mistake. Well if case this doesn't protect your holy US of A jobs then nothing will. Pesky foreigners.
a user named Mark Dennis, stuck with a tricky formatting issue, posted his question to RentACoder.
Chist, they're even stealing our anglo saxon names, is there no end to this perfidious threat?
my guess this is: ...stuff that matters?
I forgot to mention that OSS has made our life a hell of a lot easier - making us appear more competent and competitive - than large, more established competitors. Don't underestimate the huge boost using OSS tools and products to deliver results can give your fledgling business.
I have worked for small software companies most of my career and now am a part owner of one (coming on seven years of age)...
I would suggest that the way to avoid some of the pain (there is *always* pain) described in your post is to combine bespoke development / consultancy with product development. That way, if you are lucky, you get to pay the bills and keep your house even if the products do take longer to roll off the production line.
Personally, I also prefer to share the load and risk with other like minded people. That way you also increase your chances of getting a variety of paid work and clients.
Well done to PJ who takes home another well deserved award
I'll second that. How she manages to fit in the Groklaw research at the same time I'll never know.
and you got a +5 for that...yep /. is certainly biased.
could they have saved some money by simply reposting the pcitures from this site?
Or maybe, dun da daaaa, they already did but have just run out...
Great link. Darl is quoted: ..."
"I've been pounding the table here for a year or so saying there's no free lunch, and there is going to be a day of reckoning
Cool, try telling that to these guys, Darl.
Old hat, I know. But lets keep the real reasons for this game at front of mind.
:-) no worries...
I was in the middle of formatting when the Submit button was depressed by forces outside my control (twitchy finger).
Subject: SCO ANZ Announces IP License for LinuxSCO Announces ANZ Availability of SCO Intellectual Property LicenseFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESydney, January 20 2004The SCO Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOX), the owner of the UNIXR operatingsystem and a leading provider of UNIX-based solutions, today announcedthe availability of the SCO Intellectual Property License to companiesand organisations in Australia and New Zealand.The company began the worldwide roll out of the license in the UK,France and other European countries last week, and plans to make thelicense available to many more countries and regions by February 1.The SCO Intellectual Property (IP) License permits the use of SCO'sintellectual property, in binary form only, as contained in Linuxdistributions. By purchasing the license, customers are properlycompensating SCO for the UNIX source code, derivative UNIX code andother UNIX-related intellectual property and copyrights owned by SCO asit is currently found in Linux.Pricing:The SCO IP License is currently available at introductory pricing ofAUD$999.00 per server processor and AUD$285.00 per desktop processor.The company is also offering the license to embedded devicemanufacturers that use Linux to run their devices.In addition to extending the license to customers worldwide, the companyalso announced that the license will shortly be made available throughselect SCO resellers. SCO resellers who are interested in obtainingmore information about providing the SCO IP License to their customerscan contact SCO at anz_info@sco.com after February 1, 2004."While we have identified several problem areas at issue within Linux,we also want to be fair to customers and allow them to continue usingLinux and our intellectual property unencumbered," said Chris Sontag,senior vice president and general manager of SCOsource, the intellectualproperty licensing and protection division of The SCO Group, Inc. "Webelieve the SCO IP License helps customers satisfy the legalrequirements to continue using SCO's UNIX intellectual property in Linuxin a forthright way while properly compensating the company for use ofits property."Kieran O'Shaughnessy, SCO's Regional General Manager, Australia and NewZealand, said he will begin briefing the company's local distributorsthis week regarding the SCO IP License's introduction."The SCO IP License helps organisations in Australia and New Zealand toprotect and leverage the investments they have made in Linux whileproviding the means for them to continue day-to-day business withoutinterruption," he said.Availability:Commercial business end users of Linux, based on the 2.2 kernel andlater, that are interested in more information or in purchasing the SCOIP License in Australia or New Zealand can call +61 2 9440 7577 ore-mail SCO at anz_info@sco.com.ends
Notes for Editors:Forward looking statement safe harbor:This press release contains a forward looking statement regarding TheCompany's plans to make the SCO Intellectual Property License availablein Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., France, and other Europeancountries and many more countries and regions by February 1, 2004. Thisstatement is subject to risks and uncertainties including withoutlimitation those risks and uncertainties identified in our filings withthe SEC and the risk that we will not be in a position to roll out thislicense in such countries and regions as planned. We undertake noobligation to update the information in this release, except as requiredby law.
My emphasis. I'm sorry - but I have *never* seen a press release regarding a upcoming service with a disclaimer like that!
Maybe then these articles ("Oops! It's harder for Munich to migrate than they expected!") would happen less
Show me a project where the opposite was true - especially one as big as this which obviously involved *lots* of sales talk.
...oh yes, maybe.
/. readers and moderators know better:
Scientific study after study after study demonstrating the effects and causes of global warning but, fortunately for us fossil fuel users,
maybe every few hundred years 15% to 30% of living organisms die out. And likely 15% to 30% of new organisms develop
see what I mean. Take that Darwin.
Well, that did the trick :-) Just for that, I'll make you a friend. There you go.
Hallelujah, at last, someone is chasing the money. Good ol' Groklaw has just started some digging into the murky deapths of Deutsche Bank...almost begin to feel sorry for DB once PJ gets going after them.
And of course Groklaw has had the full analysis for a while now, including the fact that SCOs filings missed mentioning this dispute, even going so far as to deny there was any ongoing dispute with third parties over Copyright...some pants combusting rather brightly over in Salt Lake City.
...around August last year Mary Ann Fisher IBM's "Linux Program Director for worldwide Public Sector" was busy telling government CIOs here in New Zealand that Linux was "not ready for the desktop".
Despite this statement IBM was busy negotiating a $50million deal with German taxpayer representatives to convert the city of Munich to Linux desktops.
Talk about hypocrisy, time to set the record straight, IBM.
including a lot of western european countries where the Sept 11th terrorists moved around with impunity
Well, they also moved around the USA with "impunity". In fact, they used USA based training facilities to learn how to fly planes. They also used internal *not* international flights.
So, finger print and photograph all internal passengers first, please. Put your gun totting marshals on all intenal flights, then if you find all that acceptable extend it to international flights (most European countries already have had way better airport security than the US has for a long time).
What we have forgotten is to sue Canopy for fraud. They are the true winners in this whole exercise (along with MS). Perhaps if SEC / Groklaw /IBM and the world were to concentrate on the activities if this Medusa-like organisation the puppeteers would be brought to a terminal halt.