SCO readies new Linux licensing program (InfoWorld)

Posted Jul 19, 2003 23:27 UTC (Sat) by error27 (subscriber, #8346) [Link]

I don't think they are serious about releasing a licensing plan. This is just an event to scare up more press. They might actually release a plan just for the dramatic effect, but they're not serious about it.

This situation is similar to the ongoing patent battle between Timeline Inc and Microsoft. In Febuary, a judge ruled that customers could be liable because Microsoft violated a contract with Timeline. After the verdict Timeline stock doubled.

SCO has a weaker case, because they are arguing that code and algorythms which IBM wrote and patented are really trade secrets which through an unusual set of circumstances belongs to SCO. Despite the weak basis of the lawsuit, SCO has been able to generate an incredible amount of press and its stock has increased to 10 times its original value.