[Golden Eagle]

One step further. IF this all ends with IBM buying SCO, but IBM/SCO still ends up receiving royalty payments for Linux 'licenses', what % chance do you rate the whole thing as a setup from the beginning?

[Question_Assumptions]

If there is Unix IP in Linux, the owner, whomever it is, could charge a fee. The reason that wouldn't make a lot of sense (unless the fee is very small) is that it would make it less competative and that would hand Microsoft a more dominant position. If you want to consider plots or conspiracy theories, consider the payback that buying and releasing the Unix IP to Linux would yield after the Microsoft and OS/2 fiasco. IBM has no love for Microsoft (not only because of OS/2 but also because of Microsoft's strong-arm licensing agreements that IBM didn't really want to agree to).