For a supposedly technical site, it seems very few Slashdotters are familiar with the tecnichal issues - or even bother to try. Rants before facts seems to be the motto.
Well, duh... this is/.... no technical expertise required.
I would hope an attorney of Mr. Niro's stature and experience would realize he has no right nor legal recourse against this anonymous blogger. I suspect that had the blogger written anything libelous, Mr. Niro would have already brought suit.
Since Mr. Niro has not brought legal proceedings against this blogger, I can only quote the next best legal authority on this matter:
"Unfortunately, the lowest priced hardware tends to be the hardest to get working with Linux."
This is also true of Windows. For those who have tried to get a Toshiba laptop functioning properly using a boxed version of Windows XP, they'll see no difference with Linux.
Most OEMs bundle "their" Windows with their hardware. Toshiba, for example, images a version of Windows XP with all the drivers for their hardware installed. If you were packaging Linux with as an OEM, you would do the same thing.
When using a boxed Windows XP, the Toshiba laptop here needed video card drivers, WiFi drivers, and audio card drivers downloaded and installed. I would expect the same to be true with a comparable Linux distribution. I'm sure that before HP ships a Linux machine, they have installed all the drivers for the hardware in the machine. Additionally, the lower end hardware has probably more "customized" Windows images on it.
Ask anyone who has rebuilt a laptop from an original Windows XP installation. Then ask them how many drivers were need to bring the machine to the OEM bundle performance. The same would be true of a Linux distribution.
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president... is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." Theodore Roosevelt, 1918
In short, I don't think groklaw is giving us a very objective view of the situation.
While this may be true, I don't think there is any objective view on this case other than reading the actual filings. And as an attorney, I would expect you to reference not the commentary but the actual filings. If you did not, then I'm surprised.
very steep discounts offered by Microsoft
This statement is the true reason you have chosen Microsoft, IMHO. If you or your company's attorney had read the various filings, (as our attorneys have) then the lawsuit(s) would not enter into the decision making process.
These are intelligent, wealthy people, and they did not get that way by filing groundless lawsuits.
As the previous poster mentioned, you are new to this, aren't you? Perhaps you should read several recent cases revolving around technology intellectual property. The Rambus case would be a good starting point. I also contend (as many others do) that SCO's management never expected to have the court proceeding last this long. I suspect that the plan was to be purchased or to have the case settle of out of court.
While you may be an attorney, I have seen and heard IBM's attorneys Cravath. There are one of the best intellectual property firms in the US. If the Cravath attorneys believe that claims are meritless, then I would tend to believe them.
While it's gonna get ugly in the US, I don't suspect that China would use a BIOS with built-in spyware or DRM. China, along with the largest population, has both the manufacturing power to create motherboards sans M$-DRM.
In fact, it would be very surprising to me that most of the EU coutnries would submit to this kind of US verndor lock-in. I would expect to see non-TCP motherboards available for a while.
And when parts of the internet are "closed off" by TCP "checking" routers, then all holy hell will break loose. Wait until our neighbors can't get to "playboy.com".... that will end this quickly.
Microsoft, Lotus, Sun, and Novell seem to have settled on SIP. Intel, H-P, Hitachi, Sony, and more or less the entire open source world is going toward XMPP, sometimes better known as Jabber.
If the author had done a bit more research, he would have found the follwing:
Lotus (SameTime): Native protocol proprietary, with a SIP gateway.
Sun: Native protocol proprietary, no gateways at all right now.
Microsoft: MSN Messenger proprietary, new Exchange 2003 SIMPLE plus extensions.
It took this long for the "IP Stampede" to begin because of money. Pure and simple, money.
In Linux's (and most other OSS) past, Microsoft was not materially affected. Meaning, Microsoft's bread and butter Windows upgrade path was not being hurt financially. However, as recently as the last 12 months, Linux, the GNU tools, and all the excellent OSS applications available have begun to derail the Windows upgrade "Gravy Train".
As always, follow the money. When your revenues and market share (read monopoly) are threated, you fight back. I have been waiting for Microsoft to start slinging the FUD and using their patent portfolio as a weapon.
However, take heart! IBM's patent portfolio would bury Microsoft in a New York minute, if they chose to use it as a weapon. That might be fun to watch....
"I don't see it as something that should incite an enterprise Linux customer to do any more than they did last week," he said. "The threat level increases a bit, but mainly because the perception that SCO is a psycho killer, not that the case has changed."
Jonathan Eunice, Illuminata Inc., Nashua, N.H. in ComputerWorld (Emphasis mine)
The e-rate subsidy for libraries and schools, however, comes with several strings attached. One of them is any zany "protection" act is required to be met before the funds are given to the library or school. What this means, simply, is that a library can receive the funds, but they must abid by all of the Internet filtering laws that have come around recently.
e-rate is good thing for libraries and the like. However, I wish the librarians did not have to choose between the money and their integrity.
Slashdot Mirror
For a supposedly technical site, it seems very few Slashdotters are familiar with the tecnichal issues - or even bother to try. Rants before facts seems to be the motto.
... this is /. ... no technical expertise required.
Well, duh
I would hope an attorney of Mr. Niro's stature and experience would realize he has no right nor legal recourse against this anonymous blogger. I suspect that had the blogger written anything libelous, Mr. Niro would have already brought suit.
Since Mr. Niro has not brought legal proceedings against this blogger, I can only quote the next best legal authority on this matter:
Ha, Ha!
"I host my website from a mini server taped to the back of the toilet in a local coffee shop with free wifi. I change the battery twice a month."
....
I hope your server doesn't try to "signal" the server in the next stall
Well, it's...it's, ah...probably pining for the fjords.
"Unfortunately, the lowest priced hardware tends to be the hardest to get working with Linux."
This is also true of Windows. For those who have tried to get a Toshiba laptop functioning properly using a boxed version of Windows XP, they'll see no difference with Linux.
Most OEMs bundle "their" Windows with their hardware. Toshiba, for example, images a version of Windows XP with all the drivers for their hardware installed. If you were packaging Linux with as an OEM, you would do the same thing.
When using a boxed Windows XP, the Toshiba laptop here needed video card drivers, WiFi drivers, and audio card drivers downloaded and installed. I would expect the same to be true with a comparable Linux distribution. I'm sure that before HP ships a Linux machine, they have installed all the drivers for the hardware in the machine. Additionally, the lower end hardware has probably more "customized" Windows images on it.
Ask anyone who has rebuilt a laptop from an original Windows XP installation. Then ask them how many drivers were need to bring the machine to the OEM bundle performance. The same would be true of a Linux distribution.
... is, of course, the ultimate source of browser usage. NOT!
And why would anyone run SAP on Linux?
A recording of the conference call is available here:
http://www.users.cloud9.net/~terrapn/
Another 100 bucks for a VGA-TV converter, since I know of no video cards with RCA out that work under linux.
... and the IVTV drivers work well. The 350 has composite and s-video outputs, along with analog stereo.
Happauge PVR-350
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president ... is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
Theodore Roosevelt, 1918
In short, I don't think groklaw is giving us a very objective view of the situation.
While this may be true, I don't think there is any objective view on this case other than reading the actual filings. And as an attorney, I would expect you to reference not the commentary but the actual filings. If you did not, then I'm surprised.
very steep discounts offered by Microsoft
This statement is the true reason you have chosen Microsoft, IMHO. If you or your company's attorney had read the various filings, (as our attorneys have) then the lawsuit(s) would not enter into the decision making process.
These are intelligent, wealthy people, and they did not get that way by filing groundless lawsuits.
As the previous poster mentioned, you are new to this, aren't you? Perhaps you should read several recent cases revolving around technology intellectual property. The Rambus case would be a good starting point. I also contend (as many others do) that SCO's management never expected to have the court proceeding last this long. I suspect that the plan was to be purchased or to have the case settle of out of court.
While you may be an attorney, I have seen and heard IBM's attorneys Cravath. There are one of the best intellectual property firms in the US. If the Cravath attorneys believe that claims are meritless, then I would tend to believe them.
.... costs four times as much. I can't imagine why .....
I can hear that conversation ....
...
Darl: I'm not gonna get my stock options. Who else can we sucker into buying our protection racket?
Sontag: Let's try Europe!
Ralph: Yeah, they don't know nothing about source code and licenses and stuff
Darl: Yeah!
The SCO stooges strike again. If they think the laws are harsh in the US, they would do well to remember the smack down they received in Germany.
Is it:
a. stupidity?
b. greed?
c. utter arrogance?
d. all of the above?
Seeing how Verisign is completely and utterly incompetent, the RFID database should be dead within 12 months.
Wait until the first paying customer looks up their office supply product, and Verisign's database returns "Adult Sexual Aid"
While it's gonna get ugly in the US, I don't suspect that China would use a BIOS with built-in spyware or DRM. China, along with the largest population, has both the manufacturing power to create motherboards sans M$-DRM.
.... that will end this quickly.
In fact, it would be very surprising to me that most of the EU coutnries would submit to this kind of US verndor lock-in. I would expect to see non-TCP motherboards available for a while.
And when parts of the internet are "closed off" by TCP "checking" routers, then all holy hell will break loose. Wait until our neighbors can't get to "playboy.com"
Microsoft, Lotus, Sun, and Novell seem to have settled on SIP. Intel, H-P, Hitachi, Sony, and more or less the entire open source world is going toward XMPP, sometimes better known as Jabber.
If the author had done a bit more research, he would have found the follwing:
Lotus (SameTime): Native protocol proprietary, with a SIP gateway.
Sun: Native protocol proprietary, no gateways at all right now.
Microsoft: MSN Messenger proprietary, new Exchange 2003 SIMPLE plus extensions.
Non-License License revenue, all hype, no products, and many lawsuits. Ah, it takes me back to 1999 .....
SCO will crash just as hard and fast. And in the current financial climate, the SEC will be knocking within minutes.
"I'm asking this question because I want to code in mono / DotGnu but I'm cautious because I wonder if MS can take it away from us?"
Yes.
Posted on Yahoo! Finance
1 60 3
Check out the PR. The World was not enough. Bye bye SCO Forum:
http://ir.sco.com/Calendar-Detail.cfm?EventID=1
It took this long for the "IP Stampede" to begin because of money. Pure and simple, money.
....
In Linux's (and most other OSS) past, Microsoft was not materially affected. Meaning, Microsoft's bread and butter Windows upgrade path was not being hurt financially. However, as recently as the last 12 months, Linux, the GNU tools, and all the excellent OSS applications available have begun to derail the Windows upgrade "Gravy Train".
As always, follow the money. When your revenues and market share (read monopoly) are threated, you fight back. I have been waiting for Microsoft to start slinging the FUD and using their patent portfolio as a weapon.
However, take heart! IBM's patent portfolio would bury Microsoft in a New York minute, if they chose to use it as a weapon. That might be fun to watch
"I don't see it as something that should incite an enterprise Linux customer to do any more than they did last week," he said. "The threat level increases a bit, but mainly because the perception that SCO is a psycho killer, not that the case has changed."
Jonathan Eunice, Illuminata Inc., Nashua, N.H. in ComputerWorld
(Emphasis mine)
the other mystery party that I am becoming convinced may well be Sun Microsystems
... even SCO admits that Sun is the only company with a perpetual license where Sun owns all the rights to the derivative works.
Not likely
And is read by many financial business people. Perhaps articles like this are why SCOX retains it stock price.
Forbes Article
I was startled to hear the thundering of hooves. Having lived near Armonk, NY all my life, I had never heard such a sound before.
"What is that horrible sound?"
"That is the sound of the Black Steeds riding west from Armonk."
"The Black Steeds?"
"The Nazgul. They once were men. Now they are neither dead nor alive. They are IBM's attorneys."
The e-rate subsidy for libraries and schools, however, comes with several strings attached. One of them is any zany "protection" act is required to be met before the funds are given to the library or school. What this means, simply, is that a library can receive the funds, but they must abid by all of the Internet filtering laws that have come around recently.
e-rate is good thing for libraries and the like. However, I wish the librarians did not have to choose between the money and their integrity.