From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S270007AbTGXTXH (ORCPT ); Thu, 24 Jul 2003 15:23:07 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S270009AbTGXTXH (ORCPT ); Thu, 24 Jul 2003 15:23:07 -0400 Received: from crosslink-village-512-1.bc.nu ([81.2.110.254]:59130 "EHLO lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S270007AbTGXTXE (ORCPT ); Thu, 24 Jul 2003 15:23:04 -0400 Subject: Re: SCO offers UnixWare licenses for Linux From: Alan Cox To: Sancar Saran Cc: Larry McVoy , Linux Kernel Mailing List In-Reply-To: <200307241849.07827.saran@sim.com.tr> References: <1058807414.513.4.camel@sunshine> <1059058329.957.11.camel@teapot.felipe-alfaro.com> <20030724150841.GA12647@work.bitmover.com> <200307241849.07827.saran@sim.com.tr> Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Organization: Message-Id: <1059075139.7993.55.camel@dhcp22.swansea.linux.org.uk> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Ximian Evolution 1.2.2 (1.2.2-5) Date: 24 Jul 2003 20:32:19 +0100 Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org On Iau, 2003-07-24 at 16:49, Sancar Saran wrote: > I wish to know are we have backup plan any backup plan. Most of Linux users > are gonna worry. Well if IBM did steal stuff my backup plan is to sue IBM, as I suspect is everyone elses. There are basically three outcomes #1 The whole thing is without merit (as it seems to be now) #2 IBM did it and have to buy SCO (because everyone will sue IBM, every Linux developer, every business, every user) #3 SCO gets bankrupted by countersuits (popular US approach to law) At the moment it seems like the games Intel played against AMD in the 486 days against motherboard vendors, except that Intel had a better case > Today I get a e mail from our local mailing lists. Says SCO sued Red Hat for > this. another one asks Can M$ send BSA to check their systems and request > licence money (because of buying SCO Unixware Licences). SCO Unixware licenses don't entitle you to copy Linux. In fact if you sign one of their "settlements" you probably lose your right to distribute Linux under the GPL license terms and give them the right to break into your office by signing one. But I'm not a lawyer You can still today download Linux kernels from sco.com which claim to be GPL. Given what I know about estoppel and law I suggest everyone may wish to download a copy and log the date they did so. These same issues are true of Windows btw. If you are using any of the following products you might want to worry about the Intertrust patent suit against Microsoft... http://www.intertrust.com/main/ip/accused.html http://secure.zdnet.com.au/newstech/enterprise/story/0,2000048640,20276337,00.htm and also Timeline - who have made it clear they are considering targetting Microsoft customers http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/53/29419.html "particularly those Microsoft customers who relied on Microsoft's assurances, failed to investigate them thoroughly, and knowingly continued to provide material steps in an Infringing Combination. These infringers, if any, may face treble damages for the entire three and one-half years the case was tied up in the courts. Microsoft is not a law firm. Relying on its advice should not constitute acting in good faith; which is the required defense to treble damages for failure to investigate and honor patents once on notice of their existence." Just the press cover that one mysteriously less often. Final amusement: http://www.talkleft.com/archives/003727.html