SCO Extorting Unixware Licenses to Linux Users?

An anonymous user noted that SCO will sell you Unixware if you want to "Legitimize" your usage of Linux at your company. If you buy the license, you will be held blameless for your transgressions against SCO! Pricing has yet to be determined for the special licenses, but I suspect that for any value greater than zero, there are going to be a fair number of angry users.

How is SCO's Lawsuit affecting sales of Linux?

[drgroove]

If I were a CIO or CTO debating the TCO of *nix vs. Win2K3 to a CEO, would IBM vs. SCO be the TKO that stops the CEO from approving A/P to pay my PO for RH's LGX?

FWIW, even if OSS is FAIB, if the DOJ considers *nix IP with a TM, then it basically become's SCO's LIC, meaning our OSS becomes a CSS OS, which would RSTBO.

AIBO going w/ an ASP that manages our OS? BTA, we might end up w/ a BOFH giving us ZA, which WWAD PMS.

AFAIK, INMP if SCO wants to be ITM by enforcing its supposed IPR - *nix IP should be PD or GNU, like BSD just on GP, IYKWIM. I keep asking myself in this situation - WWLD?

Oh, BTW - IITYWIMWYBMAD?

In case of slashdotting:

[Dark Lord Seth]

It has been mirrored already [sytes.org]

Grace

[L. VeGas]

I, for one, am grateful for this opportunity to come clean. Where do I send the check?

Re:Why care?

[iapetus]

We're putting linux on our networks for free, and SCO wants a part of it.

Sounds reasonable enough to me. How does 25% sound? :)

Unicks Where?

[packethead]

Q: "What UnixWare are you running?"
A: "I really don't want to concern myself with what UnixWare."

what about sco trangressions against Linux?

[linuxislandsucks]

What about a license to indemnify me from trangressions of SCO against Linux..oh wait IBM gives those out for free!

Thanks IBM!

Re:Extortion is Right!!

[TheRaven64]

Could this allow for future countersuits if SCO loses?

Not really no. Even in America, you can't sue something that doesn't exist, and the chances of SCO existing after they've lost are very low indeed.

My respiration patent.

[levik]

Having submitted a patent for biological respiratory systems, we have gone back and looked over some evidence, and are pretty confident that the majority of the world population (not limited to homo sapiens) may be infringing on our intellectual property.

Pending the outcome of our patent application we are offering carbon-based lifeforms to protect themselves from possible litigation by lisencing out technology for a low upfront fee based on the cell count of the organism.

By chosing to forgo purchasing a lisence, you may be opening yourself to a potential injunctive action down the road.

Now, if I buy this license...

[ivanmarsh]

If I buy this SCO license it means I own Unix right? Do I own Linux? Netware is thrown in there somewhere too isn't it? What about the Brooklyn bridge?

You can have my Linux when you pry it from my cold dead hand.

Heh.

[American AC in Paris]

"Yeah, it'z a real trad-jedy what happened to old Mr. Smith and his hosting bidness down da street. Poor guy. Hoid he was gonna retires in a few weeks. Simply tragic. So, bidness seems do be brisk today, eh? That's great news, iddnit, Bennie? I was was just sayin' to Bennie, 'Gosh, we loves seein local bidness thrive,' I was sayin'. 'Cuz ya know, we's all gots a stake in bidness bein' good, don't we? And we wants ta help make sure that your fine shop doesn't fall victim to the same thugs what so ruthlessly beat an' murdered Mr. Smith, God rest his soul..."

Finally we have filled in the blank

[stand]

Ahh! so finally we can fill in the blank at point 2.

1. Latch on to/buy into someone elses idea
2. Extort unsuspecting user community
3. Profit

We'll see how it works out.

I'd like to ask a question...

[Noryungi]

What part of "GNU is not UNIX" don't you understand, SCO??

There... I feel better... ;-)

Bender says

[Anonymous Coward]

SCO can kiss my shiny metal ass.

Re:Unicks Where?

[drgroove]

First, you spelled it wrong. The word is 'eunuchs [reference.com]', a name for a man who has been castrated (yikes!).

Second, your 'Q:' is really 2 questions, not one, given the pun.

Your 'Q:' was:
What UnixWare are you running?

But, given the pun, it would be interpreted:
What Eunuchs wear? Are you running?

Meaning the answer, originally:
I really don't want to concern myself with what UnixWare.

Becomes:
I really don't want to concern myself with what Eunuchs wear. And, no, I'm not running.
Or, even:
I really don't want to concern myself with what Eunuchs wear. I would imagine its not a g-string - possibly a kilt? And, no, I'm not running.

Otherwise, I think your post should be modded up as at least +1 or +2 Funny, since the Unix/Eunuchs pun is so little used these days.

:D

Re:Uhm..

[jkrise]

Didn't we hear about this yesterday?

1. Yes, but /. has a quota for SCO stories, and for weeks the quota is lying un-utilized.

2. SCO realises that getting abused at /. is the best way to spread their FUD.

3. CIOs and PHBs in the US are already writing checks to SCO.

4. CIOs and PHBs in Germnay, France, Asia and elsewhere are ROFLTAO...

5. Tune in for daily updates on the SCO extortion fund - brought to you by /.

-

Obligatory welcome

[TrekkieGod]

Didn't we hear about this yesterday? This isn't exactly new, news.

I see that you are new amongst us. Welcome. What you're referring to is what we slashdotters call a "dupe". Please report to the re-education center where you will learn many things including, but not limited to, "profit lists", and jokes about non longer in existance soviet nations.

Re:Hrm

[WIAKywbfatw]

I don't know about you but I was beginning to get worried by the lack of SCO stories.

I come to SCOdot.org for "SCO news for nerds" and "SCO stuff that matters", and when I don't get my daily fix I get withdrawl symptoms.

Re:No need to pay.

[nxs212]

You are 100% correct. Do not sign any licensing deals with SCO - IBM did and look at what happened to them.

Debian users are safe then.

[Hulver]

Although I hear the next release might take the kernel up from 2.0 to 2.2, so watch out!

Re:BurySCO

[buckeyeguy]

In other news, Lawrence Ellison of Oracle Corp announced that he intended to launch a hostile buyout offer for SCO... "we don't really want their products, we just want their lawyers."

Re:Uhm..

[CERonin]

Oh come on, have a sense of humor! This is slashdot version of the latest Gulf War. Just think of McBride as the Iraqi Information Minister. "There are no competing claims to ours! Only we own UNIX! And if others say otherwise, they lie! Lies, lies, and more lies! We will crush them and be victorious!"

Re:In case of slashdotting:

[sharkey]

Do moderators actually follow these links before given modpoints?

Nope, they follow the leader. Do Slashdot editors actually follow these links before posting an article?

Re:Finally we have filled in the blank

[drinkypoo]

Actually, I think #1 in SCO's plan is collect underpants. It certainly wasn't "write an enterprise-class x86 Unix".

Like I said yesterday...

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm running unlicensed versions of Windows, so why would I pay for Linux? :P

Re:Extortion is Right!!

[Xeth]

Even in America, you can't sue something that doesn't exist

My pending lawsuit against the toothfairy (illicit confiscation and commercial usage of my (copyrighted) DNA) speaks otherwise!

I have an offer for SCO

[davmoo]

For a mere 10 bucks, I'll send them a photo of me giving them the finger. Until SCO produces real evidence, fuck SCO.

Re:Extortion is Right!!

[roystgnr]

Not really no. Even in America, you can't sue something that doesn't exist, and the chances of SCO existing after they've lost are very low indeed.

By this do you mean that the chances of SCO the organization remaining solvent are very low, or that the chances of the current SCO leadership not being assassinated by berzerk Linux zealots are very low?

(note for the humor impaired: even as a borderline Linux zealot I would not support acts of violence against any SCO executive... although forcing them to to spend a long time incarcerated for securities fraud while in constant fear of prison rape is kind of a grey area, particularly if the other inmates make apropos jokes like "So you think if I inject you with a tiny bit of my property, that means I own you, right?")

I say pay up

[Jonavin]

That's right let's all pay SCO the "license fee". Just remember to send them the right amount of Monopoly(tm) bills, because they don't give change.

Can I "borrow" ten bucks?

[karlandtanya]

Scooter is a little kid who wants ten bucks. He's bothering everybody in the family, and nobody's giving up the money. Here's a list of little Scooter's manipulations to date. See if you can predict what he does next!

Can I borrow ten bucks?

General Nuisance: "Let's threaten to sue the world, and maybe we'll get bought" (If I scream loud enough, Mom or Dad will just give me ten bucks to get me to shut the hell up.)

Impotent attempt at Intimidation: "You'd better quit using Linux right now!" (Gimme the ten bucks, dammit!)

Appeal to authority: "I'll sue you if you don't quit using Linux" (I'll tell mommy you're being a hog if you don't share!)

Appeal to justice: "That code was developed here. Linux wouldn't exist without SCO." (You stole ten bucks from me last week. Give it back, ya big bully!). Note that Scooter's a little twerp who's way more likely to steal from someone else, than get stolen from.

Harrassing your Target: "Dear Linux User...you're using our code." (Can I borrow ten bucks? How 'bout now? How 'bout now?)

Appeal to pity: "How can you leave our company and all its employees without jobs?" (If you don't lend me ten bucks, I can't go see "Finding Nemo").

Bargaining: "Just buy this cheap license. I know it's worthless, but it'll get us to leave you alone." (Just give me five bucks and I'll quit bothering you)

Earning the ten bucks: "SCO begins developing a useful project (Maybe a financial program that interoperates with Quicken) & puts it up on sourceforge for us to all share & enjoy. Then they ask for donations to keep them afloat." (OK, Sis. I did all your chores for the week. Can I have the ten bucks now?)

Oops--that last one was how everyone else got their ten bucks. Scooter's looking for an easier way.