The SCO Group's Open Letter to the Open Source Community

PRNewswire/FirstCall ^ | September 9, 2003

[HAL9000]

Sorry Darl. Your credibility is totally shot. Noone is going to give your gibberish any serious consideration.

[babyface00]

we claim that more than one million lines of UNIX System V protected code have been contributed to Linux through this model

Well then why don't you release a couple of compelling lines of your "compelling" evidence and end this entire controversy right here and now?

[grobdriver]

The copyright rules that underlie SCO's case are not disputable.

BWAHAHAhahahahaha!!!!!!!

They just don't apply!

BWAhahahahahaha!!!! *snort*.... *giggle*.... *cough, cough*

[eno_]

This is very very funny.

Apperently nobody has offered them even pocket change to go away.

[Gee Wally]

The second development was an admission by Open Source leader Bruce Perens that UNIX System V code (owned by SCO) is, in fact, in Linux, and it shouldn't be there. Mr. Perens stated that there is "an error in the Linux developer's process" which allowed UNIX System V code that "didn't belong in Linux" to end up in the Linux kernel (source: ComputerWire, August 26, 2003).

Here's what was said in the Computerwire story:

The other SCO code snippet Perens walks through had to do with memory allocation functions in Unix System V and Linux. He says there was, in fact, "an error in the Linux developer's process," specifically a programmer at SGI, and he says while the Linux community had the legal right to this code, it didn't belong in Linux and was therefore removed.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/030826/20/lfff.html

SCO's misrepresentation of what Perens said is staggering, but seemingly business as usual for SCO. Leaving out Perens' statements that "the Linux community had the legal right to this code" and also that the code was removed completely changes the meaning of what he said. If this is the kind of approach employed by SCO in its lawsuit against IBM, their days are truly numbered.

With blatant misrepresentations such as this, SCO should be investigated for securities fraud.

[Salo]

Paging Dr. Penguin.

[rdb3]

The Penguin Ping.

Wanna be Penguified? Just holla!

Got root?

[Poohbah]

Wait a minute. If it's System V code, and SCO did not relinquish its rights...how does Linux have the legal rights to the code?

[N3WBI3]

Good Reply on Slashdot

[jammer]

Well then why don't you release a couple of compelling lines of your "compelling" evidence and end this entire controversy right here and now?

Yeah, in college (loooooong ago), we used to call that p***k-teasing. I suppose with morals being what they are today, that term is more than a little anachronistic. And as it turned out, we were NEVER going to get anything. I smell the same situation here. Maybe the term isn't so outdated.

[jammer]

That's a great response that eviscerates McBride and a great story about LBJ. There are some people on here who have taken LBJ's technique and refined it exquisitely.

[AFreeBird]

Yea, that was a very good response. Thanks for the link.

[kingu]

Apperently nobody has offered them even pocket change to go away.

Actually, Microsoft gave them over a million dollars. Gee, I wonder if that was because they were seriously concerned about the legal issues, or if they were just looking to feed SCO some bucks to knock off their last major competitor on the planet?

[isthisnickcool]

Yea buddy. Put some ice on that Caldera, er, SCO.

Great link! Thanks!

[kingu]

Wonderful reply, though it does degenerate towards the end. But then again, it's a first draft. :)

[eno_]

IBM just asked for all communications about that in discovery, and are evidently going after SCO with a hammer and tongs.

It couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of people. And the rest of their miserable careers will make an amusing "Where Are They Now?" story.

[kingu]

What would be amusing would be someone from SCO to wander over to the Microsoft campus and start counting computers that are running Linux. It would be shocking if Microsoft actually paid for every computer using that operating system; my guess is that SCO could recover the money they'll have to pay to IBM for their court costs just with that visit.

[Coral Snake]

Sorry to make you think you were on crack or something. You're NOT. I really have done an about face on Linux and the GPL since a very productive discussion I had with TechJunkYard last weekend on the subject of licenses (I am introducing a new Open Source license) and reading the article about the GPL he posted yesterday.

And by the way did you know that SCO is STILL distributing Linux under the GPL. It is REALLY time to drop the "poison
pill" (GPL Section 4) on these crooks.

This is also the reason you haven't seen the Coral Snake Ping competing with the Penguin Ping lately. "I have no further interest in inviting trolls to these discussions.
When the Coral Snake Ping returns it will be with a select group of LINUX USERS that I have been able to have productive discussions with like TechJunkYard and Liberal Classic

[Petronski]

P.S. You WILL bow before me. Resistance is futile. You will bow before ZOD. Prepare to be assimilated.

[zeugma]

CS,

I'd really appreciate a link to the posts/discussions you found most enlightening.