SCO to Unix Developers: Never Mind. Come Back. Want a BMW?

Groklaw ^ | 20 June 2006 | Pamela Jones

[ShadowAce]

I am a bit speechless. SCO's conference today was to say Unix developers can make some money if only they'll develop for SCO again. If they pay you a $1000 then will you at least take a look? Will you code for them for a BMW? As for SCO's anti-Linux litigation scorched earth policy... well, it's never mind about all that.

I have to ask, though. What happens if you look at their UNIX code? Does your brain belong to SCO forever more? What if you later wanted to contribute to GNU/Linux? Oh. I think I get it. It's really a nefarious plan to reduce the number of Linux developers. What a concept. Joke, joke.

Here's SCO's press release, titled "SCO Plans Multi-Million Dollar Investment Into Mobile Application Development."

I'll let Charles Babcock tell you about it in his article on CRN, SCO To Unix Developers: We Want You Back":

To draw Unix developers back into its embrace, SCO is offering cash incentives for developers to attend its upcoming user group conference in Las Vegas in August. Training in SCO's EdgeBuilder developer kit will be offered at the conference; attendees completing it will be given $1,000.

EdgeBuilder is a set of tools for building smart phone and other wireless applications that can tie into SCO's Me Inc. set of mobility services, such Shout, for broadcasting messages or customized marketing campaigns, and Vote, for launching opinion polls and other feedback mechanisms.

SCO is also offering a 10-cylinder BMW car or a $100,000 cash prize for the developers who use the toolkit to produce the best wireless applications. SCO calls it The Edgeclick Developer Challenge. ...McBride said the case against IBM "is scheduled to come to trial in early 2007. We continue to feel we have a strong case and we're looking forward to our day in court. But while the legal teams have been off litigating, the business team has been busy innovating."

Which is why it needs you to write some code for it. It seems it is concentrating on ringtones and "on making mobile business transactions easier to implement".

So, there's the offer. Does SCO get it, or what? Yup. Money has always inspired UNIX developers. Not.

Reaping what you sow is sometimes very painful. It turns out kicking Penguins in the heart isn't a very good business plan. Go figure.

Here's the press release:

**********************************

SCO Kicks Off New Investment Program With 'The EdgeClick Developer Challenge' Emphasizing the Creation of Mobile Applications Using the New EdgeBuilder SDK and Providing an Additional $1,000 to Each Developer Who Attends SCO Forum

LINDON, Utah, June 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The SCO Group, Inc. ("SCO") (Nasdaq: SCOX) a leading provider of UNIX(R) software technology for distributed, embedded and network-based systems, today announced a significant new worldwide investment program that rewards developers for creating innovative, new mobile applications for wireless handset devices using the company's new EdgeBuilder software developer kit (SDK). To kickoff this new program SCO has developed "The EdgeClick Developer Challenge" where developers have the chance to win a grand prize of a new V10, 507 horsepower BMW M5 or $100,000 USD in cash. There will also be 10 additional winners that receive a significant cash prize.

SCO, Windows and Java developers are invited to attend SCO's 20th annual SCO Forum conference and participate in "The EdgeClick Developer Challenge" to create the next "killer application" or mobile service. SCO will further invest in developers who attend Forum with a $1,000 bonus after completing their EdgeBuilder SDK training that will take place during SCO Forum. To receive this bonus, developers must register for Forum by July 15 as space is limited. For complete rules and qualifications for participating in "The EdgeClick Developer Challenge" and to register for SCO Forum, developers should visit http://www.edgeclickpark.com/challenge.

"During the last 25 years SCO has been committed to the UNIX platform and continues to reaffirm its commitment to that platform. Thousands of developers have created applications for the UNIX platform, and now we're inviting them along with Windows and Java developers to take those legacy applications and create new ones on our new EdgeClick platform," said Darl McBride, president and CEO, The SCO Group Inc. "We have spent tremendous amounts of time and resources developing and upgrading our technology and have designed the developer investment program to make application mobilization quick, easy and profitable for developers, partners and customers."

The EdgeBuilder SDK provides developers with many technologies and tools for creating:

- mobile device clients
- application services that run on SCO's Edge Processor
- administration web pages for mobile applications

- connection agents for reaching into corporate data sources

In addition to gaining valuable training and education using SCO's EdgeBuilder SDK, attendees of this year's SCO Forum will hear from leading industry luminaries, analysts and thought leaders about the growing mobile device market and the trends in developing mobile services and applications.

SCO Forum will take place August 6-9, 2006 at the Mirage Hotel and Convention Center in Las Vegas. This year's conference, sponsored by HP(R), MySQL(R), and many other partners, will also focus on the company's many UNIX-based solutions with SCO OpenServer(R) and UnixWare(R). The conference is attended by hundreds of developers, resellers, industry hardware and software partners, system integrators, distributors, customers, and members of the media and analyst community.

Many breakout sessions and keynotes will focus on development platforms and web services for designing and implementing mobile services, including service-oriented architectures (SOA), Java, and many others. These EdgeClick break out sessions will be particularly valuable to developers with previous experience using .NET, C#, J2ME, SOAP, XML, SOA, SMS and GPRS/EDGE technologies, protocols, and implementations.

"Developers are central to the success of any platform technology company and this developer challenge is an investment by SCO in the developer community and our research and development efforts," said Sandy Gupta, chief technology officer and general manager for the platforms division, The SCO Group, Inc. "By tapping into the talents and abilities of developers around the world, SCO will create a marketplace and channel for the creation, selling and distribution of mobile services and applications. According to In-Stat, as the expected sales of wireless handsets increase each year to exceed more than 1.9 billion units in 2011, customers will embrace powerful new mobile solutions created by these developers. The tools and training obtained at SCO Forum 2006 with the EdgeBuilder SDK will empower developers to quickly create powerful mobile services and applications."

In connection with today's announcement, the company will hold a teleconference for developers, media and analysts on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time. Darl McBride, president and CEO, and Sandy Gupta, general manager and CTO, will provide further details and answer questions on the call. Participants should dial toll free 1-800-289-0544 or use the toll number +1-913-981-5533; and enter the confirmation code: 9023430. A webcast is also available at the following web site http://ir.sco.com/events.cfm.

About SCO

The SCO Group (Nasdaq: SCOX) is a leading provider of UNIX software technology for distributed, embedded and network-based systems, offering SCO OpenServer for small to medium business, UnixWare for enterprise applications, and Me Inc. for digital network services. SCO's highly innovative and reliable solutions help millions of customers grow their businesses everyday, from SCO OpenServer on main street to UnixWare on Wall Street, and beyond. SCO owns the core UNIX operating system, originally developed by AT&T/Bell Labs and is the exclusive licensor to Unix-based system software providers.

Headquartered in Lindon, Utah, SCO has a worldwide network of thousands of resellers and developers. SCO Global Services provides reliable localized support and services to partners and customers. For more information on SCO products and services, visit http://www.sco.com.

SCO, SCO OpenServer, the associated SCO logo and EdgeClick are trademarks or registered trademarks of The SCO Group, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. UNIX and UnixWare are registered trademarks of The Open Group. HP is a registered trademark of the Hewlett-Packard Corporation. MySQL is a registered trademark of MySQL AB in the USA and other countries.

[ShadowAce]

[wideawake]

Annoying hippy Stallings versus parasitic grifter McBride. Fun to watch.

[Golden Eagle]

Oh the horror, SCO wishes to actually PAY their programmers, rather than expect they code for free like the Jokelaw readership obviously wants.

[MrEdd]

Oh the horror, SCO wishes to actually PAY their programmers, and claim ownership of their future unix work rather than expect they code for free like the Jokelaw readership obviously wants.

There. Helped you keep your post honest.

[antiRepublicrat]

Oh the horror, SCO wishes to actually PAY their programmers

Actually, they're having to entice programmers with cash in order to get them to develop software for their platform instead of Linux or Windows. Whether that software will be proprietary or GPL is irrelevant.

[TechJunkYard]

That, and they need to put something credible on the balance sheet that they can "grow" with money laundered from any future "pipe fairies".