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Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News)
Gulf News interviews
Mohammed Kateeb, the regional director of Microsoft Middle East.
"Linux people don't believe in Intellectual Property Rights. This is
the biggest problem in the Linux world. How can one be sure that the code
of software that has been contributed by programmers across the world to
create this Linux software is unique and is not lifted from somewhere else?
This is a big legal concern. That is what the latest SCO-Linux lawsuit is
all about."
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Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 9:10 UTC (Sun) by neoprene (guest, #8520) [Link] ..another talking head from M$."Linux people don't believe in Intellectual Property Rights." Lies, lies and more lies. The more they are repeated the more they are beleived.
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 13:09 UTC (Sun) by gadeiros (subscriber, #3929) [Link] I don't know about the US, but in Germany there are ways to stop somebody telling lies about somebody else in public.If I was a Linux developer, I would sue the ass out of this guy and M$. In German we call this "ehrabschneidend" of which slander(ing) is not the full translation. This issue MUST be solved once and forever, I think.
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 14:54 UTC (Sun) by dclayton (guest, #14075) [Link] Linux source code is there for all the world to see.Why doesn't M$ post their code so we can see how much is stolen from outside sources? Billy Bob and his pet monkey boy won't want to play that game. Microsoft is not doing anything exotic why not open their code if it really is their code? I bet a lot of innovative little companies would be surprized to see how brazenly Microsoft has stolen their code. I will never believe Microsoft believes in IP until they show to the world without an NDA that their code is clean. Put up or shut up Billy. Dan Clayton
Calling a spade a spade Posted Sep 15, 2003 2:15 UTC (Mon) by leonbrooks (guest, #1494) [Link] Yer durn tootin' it's lies. This email got positive reviews from the Emirate LUGs, let'ssee if I survive it: ----------------8<--------cut-here--------8<--------------------- From: Leon Brooks <leon[at]cyberknights.com.au> Organization: CyberKnights - modern tools, traditional dedication To: yousefk[at]microsoft.com, mohammedk[at]microsoft.com, editor[at]gulfnews.com Cc: letters[at]lwn.net Bcc: [Emirate LUGs] Subject: Mohammed Kateeb, you have been telling lies! Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2003 10:39:27 +0800 User-Agent: KMail/1.5 Message-Id: <200309151039.27329.leon[at]cyberknights.com.au> Here... http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=97436 ...you say: > Linux people don't believe in Intellectual Property Rights. That's a direct lie, one you need to retract. Linux is licenced under the GNU GPL, General Public Licence, which _depends_ on copyright law for its operation. And see below. > How can one be sure that the code of software that has been > contributed by programmers across the world to create this > Linux software is unique and is not lifted from somewhere > else? This is a big legal concern. This is chutzpah (no, I'm not Jewish but it's a singularly appropriate word). Would you care to explain how Microsoft's SQL Server developers were exposed to suit from TimeLine over improper dealing with imported IP if Microsoft's own source control is so good? > That is what the latest SCO-Linux lawsuit is all about. Now > SCO is suing every single user of Linux because they believe > parts of their UNIX code is being used in Linux. No, they don't. This is a stock "pump-and-dump" operation, they say these things primarily to inflate their stock value - and one of the companies assisting with the pumping has Melinda Gates (yes, the wife of William Henry "Trey" Gates III) on its board. Can you explain her involvement? *ALL* of the supposed evidence from The SCO Group so far revealed has been either a false match (the Linux programmers rewrote it from scratch "clean room" style so the code really is de novo) or a false ownership claim (the code is BSD licenced or Public Domain and so legitimately available for relicencing under the GPL). It seems fairly obvious from what has been revealed that The SCO Group have been stripping BSD licence headers from code and illegally incorporating it into their own UnixWare without attribution. Worse than that, practically all of UnixWare's latest drivers are version-number and spelling-error compatible with the drivers shipped in SuSE's Enterprise Linux 8, so it looks very much like The SCO Group have been stealing Linux code only available through the GPL. All of this eventually spells jail time for the officers of The SCO Group, and massive losses for the stock speculators involved. Finally, you really shouldn't go shooting off your mouth about purported risks in the GPL when Microsoft themselves sell product under a GPL licence, notably the majority of your SFU (Services For Unix) package. On top of all of this, you've told many other half-truths in your interview, and made much unfair and misleading innuendo. You may regard this as valid competitive behaviour, but that doesn't stop it from being false and misleading. If you live in ignorance of the conditions surrounding your business, then you are delinquent in your obligation to stay informed. None of this is up to the standards proclaimed by the Emirates. I write only for myself when I ask that you publish a retraction, at least of your most blatantly errant statements. Bear in mind when formulating an answer that as you gave the interview to be published, so you are giving your answer to be published. Cheers; Leon PS, Note to the Editor, Gulf News: feel free to publish this in your Letters section. Could you publish an interview with a suitable candidate from a local Open Source group? Perhaps the organisations at http://goldensun.com/linux/ or http://geocities.com/dubailug can supply an interviewee. -- http://cyberknights.com.au/ Modern tools; traditional dedication http://plug.linux.org.au/ Committee Member, Perth Linux User Group http://slpwa.asn.au/ Committee Member, Linux Professionals WA http://linux.org.au/ Committee Member, Linux Australia
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 15, 2003 7:10 UTC (Mon) by echodots (guest, #15103) [Link] Yeah, we don't believe in proprietary code, I guess what oracle and redhat or HP and suse or what peoplesoft porting all their software to linux, doesn't count. MS is mad we're not wanting to use their crappy software... haters!
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 15, 2003 22:00 UTC (Mon) by anuradha (guest, #12061) [Link] Lies, lies and more lies. The more they are repeated the more they are beleived."What I tell you three times is true" -- Lewis Carroll
Group slander Posted Sep 14, 2003 9:46 UTC (Sun) by dwalters (subscriber, #4207) [Link] Linux people don't believe in Intellectual Property Rights <rant> This is really starting to p**s me off now now. It seems that just about every week, the public are being fed this kind crap. Of course it's usually from SCO, but Microsoft is a close second, and Sun a distant third. How dare this guy make such a claim! I'm getting sick of being told I'm a criminal, a cracker, an IP thief, or some other kind of no-good, hot-headed, IP-unbelieving crack-head. This would be slanderous were it not for the fact that it's aimed at an entire group, rather than individuals. The real problem is, just as happened in the McCarthy era, we're being demonized and vilified, and turned into the bad guys using nothing but propaganda. </rant> I just needed to get that off my chest.
Group slander Posted Sep 14, 2003 23:00 UTC (Sun) by Zakaelri (guest, #15087) [Link] How dare this guy make such a claim! I'm getting sick of being told I'm a criminal, a cracker, an IP thief, or some other kind of no-good, hot-headed, IP-unbelieving crack-head.Well, you got to admit that that sounds a bit hotheaded :) I generally agree with you though... Unfortunately, I am not particulary competent with getting noticed in a `good' way... I try to leave it to Linus, ESR, Perens...
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 9:58 UTC (Sun) by jdthood (guest, #4157) [Link]
Linux people don't believe in Intellectual Property Rights.
It is true that people like RMS think that patents and copyrights
on software are bad legal institutions. However, that must not
lead us to conclude that they don't respect the law, which you
seem to insinuate in what follows.
How can one be sure that the code of software that has been
contributed by programmers across the world to create this
Linux software is unique and is not lifted from somewhere
else?
We can't ever be completely sure, but because of its openness we
can be a lot more sure that Linux code is original than we can be
sure that Microsoft code is original.
Microsoft isn't famous for its originality. And, hmm, where have
I heard claims like yours before?
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 10:27 UTC (Sun) by cpm (subscriber, #3554) [Link] From Windows 2000 Server SP2 (don't know about current)The ftp client. $ strings ftp.exe | grep Copy Sent an email to the Regents of the Universite of California
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 19:39 UTC (Sun) by khim (subscriber, #9252) [Link] From Windows 2003 ServerThe ftp client. $ strings ftp.exe | grep Copy Still there :-)
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 15, 2003 14:20 UTC (Mon) by hazelsct (subscriber, #3659) [Link] Right, and it's BSD licensed, so this is legal, as long as the copyright is acknowledged. And since it's in the strings, it's probably acknowledged somewhere.Now if it were "Copyright Linus Torvalds" or "Copyright Free Software Foundation", then that would be cause for concern, but how is this implying that MS doesn't care about IP law?
WHY? Posted Sep 14, 2003 10:10 UTC (Sun) by gups (guest, #14053) [Link] I'm just curious, why would anyone care what a regional director of Microsoft Middle East, or anyone by the name of Mohammed Kateeb has to say anyway? Why is this crap even publicized?
WHY? Posted Sep 14, 2003 10:19 UTC (Sun) by dwalters (subscriber, #4207) [Link] gups, Yours is a most disrespectful post, full of your prejudice. LWN is an Internet publication with a worldwide readership. or anyone by the name of Mohammed Kateeb What exactly are you insinuating?
Re: WHY? Posted Sep 14, 2003 11:15 UTC (Sun) by gups (guest, #14053) [Link] Suppose this article was about something Bill Gates said, and I wrote "or anyone by the name of Bill Gates", will you still react the same way? Tell me what difference it makes.Yes, what I wrote was meant to be disrespectful, but what makes you think I'm prejudiced? or insinuating anything?
Re: WHY? Posted Sep 14, 2003 12:16 UTC (Sun) by piman (subscriber, #8957) [Link] Just because some person has the name "Bill Gates" doesn't mean we shouldn't listen to them. Rather, we should be distrustful of anything that Microsoft's management says. A person's name has nothing to do with that.
Re: WHY? Posted Sep 14, 2003 16:49 UTC (Sun) by daniel (subscriber, #3181) [Link] what makes you think I'm prejudiced? or insinuating anything?The words you wrote. Remember, "Please try to be polite, respectful, and informative".
WHY? Posted Sep 14, 2003 10:40 UTC (Sun) by corbet (editor, #1) [Link] I put up a pointer to the article because I think it's important to know what people are saying. As a high-level manager for a company whose reaction to free software is of interest, Mr. Kateeb's point of view is worth knowing about. This is not ordinary FUD we're seeing here; it's more likely a preview of a line that Microsoft is considering taking on a broader scale. Forewarned is forearmed.
WHY? Posted Sep 14, 2003 10:54 UTC (Sun) by cpm (subscriber, #3554) [Link] Some of us expected this whole thing back when thejustice department of the US decided to give Microsoft a pass. I read in more than one place after the so-called settlement, "Expect Microsoft to attack the GPL via proxy within two years. Once they start they will not stop." This isn't a difficult conclusion to draw. Microsoft This whole thing is an exit strategy for McBride and company
WHY? Posted Sep 15, 2003 10:20 UTC (Mon) by mmarq (guest, #2332) [Link] Good analises.But M$ previous atempts to FUD were unbalanced (cancer, anti-american) or of dubious technical merits (diversity of Linux, speed, "value" of the software), in which we can include the TCO question, were all directed to smaller audiences that by its nature are pro-active and technical aware... ALL SOMEHOW BACKFIRED TO M$... Calling Linux/OSS thieves is "HEAVY GUN", and if was easy to predict a massive attack from the M$, by proxy or not, i guess we are witnessing the begining of that assault with the cover of the "majority of press" which is controlled by the powers that stand to lose if M$ goes belly up. DONT COUNT TO MUCH ON THE PRESS FOR IMPARCIALITY OR TRUTH... And have no ilusions, in the end either M$ wins clearly and everybody else lose, or Linux/OSS wins clearly and M$ loses,..., there will be no negotiations or middle ground!... SCO has lost its focus and is now to burn, and -"M$ POWERS"- (like DRM/Paladium + Press) will direct a more sofisticated (like bribing big IT operations) attack themselfs!... COULD PROVE TO BE TOUGH BECAUSE WITH THE POWER OF PRESS ALL ON ONE SIDE, WOULD BE LIKE LINUX/OSS IS AGAINST THE ALL WORLD.
WHY? Posted Sep 14, 2003 12:20 UTC (Sun) by pto (guest, #5753) [Link] The comments of a regional MS manager are particularly interesting, because he isn't ascareful as the usual talking heads from Redmond. He is quite openly and dishonestly misrepresenting the SCO case and the Linux community's approach to intellectual property. I suspect this is exactly what Microsoft is telling companies in private, even though they are normally too embarrassed to make such accusations in public. I can only hope that companies realize that the biggest obstacle for them "to innovate and
WHY? Posted Sep 15, 2003 7:47 UTC (Mon) by dkite (guest, #4577) [Link] This is salesman trash talk. Trash the competition and inflate your own claims. It's rare that weread this stuff in print. If a higher up comes and asks you 'what is this SCO thing', this is probably what they heard from a rep. This is common practice in all sales endeavors. It usually doesn't work very well. It may hold a committed customer. If the sales rep finds out that you are looking at Linux, this will be the first line. The second line will be something like "oh, we were looking at your account, and we could probably knock 30% or so off.....". The company I work for is always hearing trash talk from those who want our customers. We don't lose very much, and usually get it back. Negative talk doesn't sell, it stops sales. Derek
WHY? Posted Sep 14, 2003 12:29 UTC (Sun) by toon (guest, #511) [Link] > Forewarned is forearmed.Hmmmm, yes, perhaps from a US-centric position this is OK, 1/2 :-) Toon Moene (GNU Fortran Maintainer).
You, Sir, are a nationalist! Posted Sep 15, 2003 1:37 UTC (Mon) by morhippo (subscriber, #334) [Link] Why would the heritage or even the name or even an assignment to the middle east ofthe speaker be important for the question whether or not a statement makes sense? I don't get it. Is this some kind of Bushism? Do you want to be hated just because you are American? I guess not. Please think harder before you post.
WHY NOT! Posted Sep 15, 2003 4:12 UTC (Mon) by gravious (guest, #7662) [Link] Hey gups,I'm curious as well. Why do you think a comment, critical of the people who use linux, by a regional director of the world's largest software company would not be published? What can you have against the name Mohammed Kateeb? If you are letting patriotic or nationalistic bias cloud your thoughts you may do yourself a favour and rethink your prriorities. Very sincerely, igravious
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 10:21 UTC (Sun) by WZot (guest, #13623) [Link] Haha! Like Microsoft doesnt have any IP issues! :D
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 18:02 UTC (Sun) by ls-lta (guest, #11615) [Link] Not too many, but the users of their software, like SQL Server...
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 10:41 UTC (Sun) by tanjian (guest, #15077) [Link] What MS is forgetting to inform everyone is that they now have a financial interest in the outcome of this completely asinine lawsuit, for it will be MS that will supposedly set up the licensing requirements, the keycodes, and the time limit on the keycodes, which I have found out from a pretty reliable source, is only a 1 year licensed keycode. Mr. Gates sees an opportunity to see a major thorn in his side and in his profit and control over the market shares being removed, giving him proxy control on who controls the Linux code, and who can use it. If he doesn't take it all and incorporate it into the next versions of windows.
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 10:46 UTC (Sun) by mmarq (guest, #2332) [Link] This tells me, that as soon Linux/OSS takes "in" the Desktop computing sector, the better...Because those filthy liars will never stop until they are "DEAD"... Linux/OSS needs badly that the freedesktop.org iniciative, or a similar iniciative, be integrated with the Open Standards LSB... soon. That will be to Microsoft worst than rat poison is to rats.
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 11:12 UTC (Sun) by piman (subscriber, #8957) [Link] Merging the Free Desktop standards (which are mostly good) with the LSB (which is slightly less good, but still okay) doesn't solve anything.What's needed is code that actually implements those standards. Merging two standards groups doesn't write code, it makes one really big hard-to-follow standard.
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 11:22 UTC (Sun) by mmarq (guest, #2332) [Link] Good enough too...So you will have from Open Standards Group, LSB and a more desktop centered Freedesktop(or whatever), and both will work toghether... "INTEROPERATION" of all standards is the key word of sucess.
Well, if you want to get technical... Posted Sep 14, 2003 11:56 UTC (Sun) by flewellyn (subscriber, #5047) [Link] Those of us in the Free Software movement actually don't believe in "intellectual property" rights. We believe in copyrights, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets, which are widly divergent areas of law; furthermore, we believe such laws are being horribly abused from their original intent, and that advocates of "IP" are the ones doing the abusing. So really, Mr. Kateeb may well be correct, in the most technical sense.However, the sense that he was implying, that being that we don't respect copyright law, is quite incorrect. Given the widespread confusion about what "intellectual property" really is, and who respects or does not respect it, and that Microsoft is a major contributor to this confusion, I think we might assume that Mr. Kateeb is trying to exploit that confusion for MS's gain. Of course, that would mean thinking that a major company would feel the need to engage in underhanded tactics to win market share, that their products can't stand on their own merit, and that they feel the need to bully everyone around them to maintain dominance. And that couldn't be true, could it?!
Well, if you want to get technical... Posted Sep 14, 2003 12:16 UTC (Sun) by neoprene (guest, #8520) [Link] >> a major company would feel the need to engage in underhanded tactics to win market share, that their products can't stand on their own merit <<<M$ is not concerned about "winning market share", they got ~ 95% of the desktops, their concern is maintaining hegemony. Without that crap like .NET will not fly. M$ has always been obsessive about eliminating even the smallest competitor, now they got Linux on their hands. Expect this to get ugly. $45 Billion buys a lot of press coverage.
Well, if you want to get technical... Posted Sep 14, 2003 12:18 UTC (Sun) by proski (subscriber, #104) [Link] Exactly. The confusion is between "respecting" the law as abiding it and "respecting" the law as believing that it's just. I, for one, believe that keeping copyright for 70 years is outrageous, and so is patenting of obvious "one-click" software solutions. I believe that the concept of "intellectual property" should not exist because it's not property and it should not be granted to anybody for life. I believe that fair use of copyrighted works should be a right, not a privilege.But in the same time I don't violate copyright laws and I don't misappropriate others' code in my projects.
Well, if you want to get technical... Posted Sep 14, 2003 16:07 UTC (Sun) by meffie (guest, #3120) [Link] They know exactly what they are doing. They are trying to twist this into a case of property, something the layman understands. It worked for the media companies. Doc Searls Saving the Net
Isn't that easy to counter? Posted Sep 14, 2003 13:20 UTC (Sun) by phgrenet (guest, #5979) [Link] There is a simple answer to give to people who listen to Microsoft's FUD related to Linux and IP: last week, Microsoft has been condamned by the american justice to pay $520M to a 1-employee californian startup that owns a patent on browser plug-ins. Because of that, it is very likely that IE will have to be modified not to work with plug-ins anymore, and therefore a huge number of web-sites will have to be re-written (including a lot of famous names such as CNN.com). This demonstrates 2 things:1) That the USA patent system is completely ridiculous and harmfull for the economy (but everyone knows that) 2) That Microsoft itself is not exactly a model in Intellectual Property rights.
Isn't that easy to counter? Posted Sep 14, 2003 14:43 UTC (Sun) by vidileo (subscriber, #7891) [Link] > last week, Microsoft has been condamned by> the american justice to pay $520M to a > 1-employee californian startup that owns > a patent on browser plug-ins Where can I find more about this? V.
Isn't that easy to counter? Posted Sep 14, 2003 15:31 UTC (Sun) by proski (subscriber, #104) [Link] Microsoft Loses $521 Mln Browser VerdictIE patent endgame detailed Ray Ozzie's Weblog - Saving the Browser
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 16:03 UTC (Sun) by copsewood (subscriber, #199) [Link] Actually one of the most popular reasons for liking Linux is becausewe do care about intellectual property rights. This is analogous to why I am more likely to enjoy rambling on a public footpath on which I have a right of way than to trespass where I am not wanted. I have this preference because of property rights which I respect. It is as if Microsoft Windows has a big sign outside saying - keep out, this is a closed system, don't try to use this system for your education, no map provided or user serviceable parts inside and trespassers will be prosecuted. Clearly I am not welcome there so I stay away as much as I can, but the license covering Linux is very different. Microsoft intellectual property rights are a big message telling me to stay away so I do. Linux intellectual property rights are a "welcome inside" sign which I find much more attractive.
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 18:01 UTC (Sun) by rev (guest, #15082) [Link] "How can one be sure that the code of software that has been contributed by programmers across the world to create this Linux software is unique and is not lifted from somewhere else?" is a Logical Fallacy. The fallacy being: claiming that A is a neagative property P, whereas B, C and D also have this property P. This concern applies not only to Linux or OSS, but to every piece of software. All software could contain infringing code. The arguments just cleverly exploits the openess of Linux: in OSS infringing is just more easily spotted than in propriatery software. This interview underscores the idea that the whole SCO affair is an MS orchestrated FUD campaign, the halloween documents outlined what is now happening. This is why SCO won't reveal the alledged infringing code. It is in MS interest to drag this on as long as possible, i.e. having this aura of alledged copyright infrigment hanging around Linux, so that they have ample time to imprint their Linux is napster, Linux is theft, Linux users are thiefs type of "message" in the minds of the public. It raises the question of how we should fight this FUD. Somwehow I feel that detailed factual analasys of SCO's claims, like halloween IX, however right they are, don't cut it: all this nasty little facts are just too hard to understand for a journalist, let alone the general public. In addition, absurdities in SCO claims and are so plentyfull that a rebuttal tends to get pretty lengthy: too long for a journalist to consume. I would like us to develop a communications plan. There must be amongst us people with experience in PR... How do we effectively counter the SCO FUD?
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 15, 2003 2:01 UTC (Mon) by hingo (subscriber, #14792) [Link] I would like us to develop a communications plan. There must be amongst us people with experience in PR...How do we effectively counter the SCO FUD? Maybe we should focus on a limited set of important absurdities in SCO claims and debunk these in several easy consumables? ... Interesting idea, but you've got the wrong suggestions. The SCO claims are absurd and over time they contradict themselves. Why? They are not trying to win an argument, they are just trying to stir up as much confusion and get as much press coverage as possible. Therefore trying to meet them with counterarguments only makes things worse: it ends up generating even more confusing press coverage. The right solution then? Realize the fact that the press only has one thing on their mind at any given time. The best thing to do would be to ignore SCO completely, and generate other Linux news, completely unrelated to SCO, on a weekly basis. These news would have to be so exciting, that it makes the press just forget about SCO. This being said, it is worth to quietly try to educate the press on SCO. But this should not take the form of arguments, simple executive summaries are the best. Linus saying "SCO is full of it and Linux has probably the most sound and transparent IP foundation in the world" is all that is needed. In non-US countries, a local Linux company that is known to the media can simply say something like "an American company called SCO, whom most of us have never heard of BTW, is making some crazy statements about Linux. Please ignore them and continue as usual". This is basically the argument of SOT in Finland (backed up by effi.org) and it works great, because they have way more credibility than SCO in the eyes of the press. henrik
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 15, 2003 7:14 UTC (Mon) by forthy (guest, #1525) [Link] > "How can one be sure that the code of software that has been contributed by> programmers across the world to create this Linux software is unique and is not > lifted from somewhere else?" Well, Microsoft, listen: It's not our fault that you do not publish your sources. We do. You can look at our sources and find what has been lifted from you. We also keep track of who puts in which patch, and a number of our CVS (or bitkeeper in case of Linux) repositories are publically available. So publish your sources and we will be able to check if we lifted something from you. Or that you lifted something from us, which is far more likely, given that our sources are available, while yours aren't. Microsoft has a track record of stealing software, remember Stacker?
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 15, 2003 11:06 UTC (Mon) by mmarq (guest, #2332) [Link] IMHO, the only durable remedi is to win 70 to 90% of Desktops and as much in the Server sector,..., AND DO EVERYTHING FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.I belive having more PR structures or plans or whatever, is opposite to above, and not only unnecessary but also a big waste of time... WE ALL CAN LEARN NOW THAT THE PRESS VECTOR IS ALL PRETTY MUCH FIX UP IN ONE DIRECTION, DONT WE?? Linux/OSS grew so big with the press, if not against, at least not helping. So Linux/OSS can continue to grow much much bigger the same way.
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 18:09 UTC (Sun) by jacno (guest, #15083) [Link] "That is what the latest SCO-Linux lawsuit is all about."Which lawsuit is he talking about ? I have only heard about an SCO-IBM lawsuit. The only threat is
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 21:13 UTC (Sun) by alisonken1 (guest, #11742) [Link] If I remember correctly (my hard disk died, so a lot of my old links are still being updated), there was a case about 3-4 weeks ago (the middle of August 2003) where SCO was selling 'Amnesty Licenses' so users of linux can be assured of non-litigation >when< they decide to file suit against linux users.So far, their filing has had several revisions since the original suit brought about against IBM, but the threat has continued to hang over the linux user crowd as long as SCO continues. An interesting side note is MS has purchased one of these 'amnesty licenses' as well; puntsters have opinioned that MS is backing SCO as part of their 'fight linux' campaign.
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 21:22 UTC (Sun) by alisonken1 (guest, #11742) [Link] http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,4149,1257959,00.asp - 'SCO to Linux Users: Pay Up!'http://news.com.com/2100-1016_3-1001609.html?tag=rn - 'SCO targets Linux customers'
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 15, 2003 2:36 UTC (Mon) by maxmurd (guest, #14858) [Link] Yes the threat is true, but this not implies a lawsuit against L, that in fact doesn't exist now...I can remember last week the post of an user who tried to buy (jokingly) that licence but $co phone operators weren't able at all to even state the price of it... So, how the heck m$ could have buyed one licence?...
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 15, 2003 7:19 UTC (Mon) by jimbo (subscriber, #6689) [Link] I think that that licence was one that permitted picosquishto use Unix "Intellectual Property" in their products. <insert desired conspiracy theory here> Bigger firms generally attempt to negotiate a site or enterprise licence, for a considerable amount, to be sure, but a valuable saving per capita. The guy who tried to get his amnesty license from SCO last week
Maybe the first case of m$ open thinking?... Posted Sep 14, 2003 18:11 UTC (Sun) by maxmurd (guest, #14858) [Link] Am I wrong or is this the first time that someone who counts something in m$ openly speaks using the (awful) sco point of view to endorse m$ interests?Is this the signal for something?...
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 14, 2003 18:36 UTC (Sun) by jlarry (subscriber, #4256) [Link] I'm no Linux developer, but I have made my share of contributions to Open Source development on Linux. I, for one, am incensed at the slanderous remarks made by M$ and $CO representatives. If there is such a thing as a class-action libel suit, I would certainly join in. I intentionally avoided any contact with the only prior art I knew of to make certain my code (most of it's in DOSEMU) wasn't tainted. To be classed as a plageriser is insulting and infuriating.
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 15, 2003 2:36 UTC (Mon) by janpla (guest, #11093) [Link] My reaction: 'Here's an honest guy who has got something mixed up.' Then I saw 'the regional director of Microsoft Middle East'...
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 15, 2003 3:35 UTC (Mon) by Ajarn (guest, #8521) [Link] <<<<<<This is not ordinary FUD we're seeing here; it's more likely a preview of a line that Microsoft is considering taking on a broader scale. Forewarned is forearmed. >>>>>>>You are damn right. They will keep on coming, and for reasons that I haven't seen published here on this page. u$ just lost millions of customers last week. The Chinese Government decided last month that u$ is out. Full stop. The Brazilian Government would like to kick out u$ as well, and will most probably manage. Chinese, Korean and Japanese software engineers ( group of about 100 )are working already for 6 months on a plan to develop a linux based system for the East Asian region. And if it happens, it will spread like the asian flu. Are you surprised that u$ is coming on harder and harder ? as someone else said before.
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 15, 2003 6:12 UTC (Mon) by Chris_Cook (guest, #15099) [Link] There are some valid issues raised by this case, although I still think that SCO is talking out of their backsides with regards to the facts - Linux/OSS developers are probably the most concious of all developers regarding IP.We, as a community need to make sure code is not copied. This case raises the problems that even accidental copying of code (say if you thought you have the right to copy it, but didnt) can cause. I still struggle to see how this can be news after several months, as SCO quite clearly have no rights over the code they are claiming.
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 15, 2003 9:21 UTC (Mon) by davidl (guest, #12156) [Link] Comments like this just reinforce to me that Microsoft has got hold of SCO and is funding them to do what they are doing. SCO is now dead as a company, and it is slaughtering itself for Microsoft.
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Sep 15, 2003 10:13 UTC (Mon) by dbhost (guest, #3461) [Link] IF Linux raises such big legal concerns, and IF Microsoft is really so concerned about "Intellectual Property Rights", then why is it that every single time there is even the slightest threat of attack against Microsoft's web sites, they ALWAYS run to Linux / FreeBSD / Open Source solutions? This Mohammed Whatshisface is nothing more than another talking head spewing the same FUD that Microsoft wants spread about. He is being the good servant and doing the bidding of his master regardless of right or wrong. And fully negligent of the truth. Of course the next time there is a Loveyou, lovesan, blaster, welchia, nachie, etc... attack, and Microsoft.com suddenly switches platforms to an Open Source OS and or server, well I will sit comfortably knowing that even if they don't admit it publicly, Microsoft knows the truth and expresses it through their actions.
Interview: Linux usage raises big legal concerns (Gulf News) Posted Oct 10, 2003 22:19 UTC (Fri) by Ahmed (guest, #15927) [Link] Do not get too disturbed - all it means is MS wants no one on earth to take away their booty. Let them have a free hand on looting the users with half developed software. World is for a ride - not free though.
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