Quotes of the week [LWN.net]

On a side note, the GPL buyout previously offered has been modified. We will be contacting individual contributors and negotiating with each copyright holder for the code we wish to convert on a case by case basis....

SCO has contacted us and identifed [sic] with precise detail and factual documentation the code and intellectual property in Linux they claim was taken from Unix. We have reviewed their claims and they appear to create enough uncertianty [sic] to warrant removal of the infringing portions.

-- Jeff Merkey, of course.

Yes, I can reveal them. All of XFS, All of JFS, and All of the SMP Support in Linux. I have no idea what the hell RCU is and when I find it, I'll remove it from the code.

-- Yes, him again.

Sorry, couldn't resist; we'll stop now.

to post comments

Quotes of the week

Posted Oct 21, 2004 11:27 UTC (Thu) by jcm (subscriber, #18262) [Link] (3 responses)

``Sorry, couldn't resist; we'll stop now.''

Jeff Merkey is plain amusing and clearly a particularly unsubtle puppet for several anti-Linux commercial interests. I freely admit that my baiting on the lkml is purely designed to see what he'll come out with next. He's likely suffering from other delusions and definately is paranoid too - as the comments on Novell show. The comments about RCU and similar show that he's got little current knowledge on kernel design techniques, and I enjoy his willingness to rewrite the whole thing ;-)

But he's not the only nut out there. This week we've also had the pleasure of a host of comments from Richard B. Johnson that suggest a potential marketting opportunity for tinfoil manufacturers around the world. Apparently Linux is destroying itself and the GPL is a tool of the evil RMS backed by the Free Software Foundation - check out his posts.

On a serious note, I was glad that Novell did subsequently at least say something about the use of their patent portfolio and their involvement with Linux, even if it's completely vague and lacking in any substance at this stage. That's typical of big business lawyerese. Hopefully they'll fix that in due course because until they do, their motives are still open to questioning.

Jon.

Quotes of the week

Posted Oct 21, 2004 17:32 UTC (Thu) by bjn (guest, #2179) [Link] (2 responses)

This week we've also had the pleasure of a host of comments from Richard B. Johnson that suggest a potential marketting opportunity for tinfoil manufacturers around the world. Apparently Linux is destroying itself and the GPL is a tool of the evil RMS backed by the Free Software Foundation - check out his posts.

Found several posts by "Richard B. Johnson" (signed "Dick Johnson") but none that looked like that. Got links?

Quotes of the week

Posted Oct 21, 2004 22:49 UTC (Thu) by hppnq (guest, #14462) [Link] (1 responses)

Take it from here.

Quotes of the week

Posted Oct 22, 2004 3:55 UTC (Fri) by planet12 (guest, #4199) [Link]

As scary as it is, I actually agree with him that the issue of signed modules needs to be handled carefully.

My immediate thought was "this would be great for stopping kernel module rootkits", and my second thought was along the lines of a post on that thread - "How am I going to feel if I'm on the wrong end of a system that has a read-only kernel".

Having full kernel source and the public side of the key isn't going to help you a bit here.

Hmm... I think I consider this "Dual Use" technology.

Please, Jon, don't stop.

Posted Oct 21, 2004 13:33 UTC (Thu) by hummassa (guest, #307) [Link] (1 responses)

1. It's amusing.

2. The mockery upon this character is well deserved.

3. It's educative: people should know 2 things by now:

a) there are *no* SCOG copyrights being infringed upon by the linux kernel; and

b) it's impossible to relicense a substantive, functional part of the linux kernel.

4. Did I mention before it's really amusing?

5. Yes, I have a thing for numbered lists.

Numbered lists...

Posted Oct 21, 2004 14:33 UTC (Thu) by jzbiciak (guest, #5246) [Link]

I admire your numbered lists. You might consider learning the <OL> and <LI> tags...

Quotes of the week

Posted Oct 21, 2004 19:09 UTC (Thu) by BrucePerens (guest, #2510) [Link] (4 responses)

Hey, I told you about this character last week. He belongs on every person's email kill file. Don't engage him, don't bother with him, don't waste a minute on him.

Bruce

Quotes of the week

Posted Oct 21, 2004 20:18 UTC (Thu) by Baylink (guest, #755) [Link]

I disagree, Bruce.

:-)

I've always felt that it's *useful* to engage lunatics in public, if only so that newbies who haven't seen them around before realize that ignoring them in their lunacy is the proper thing to do -- I think it's more important than the idea if ignoring them so they'll go away -- too many times, *someone* won't.

Quotes of the week

Posted Oct 21, 2004 20:21 UTC (Thu) by The_Flatlander (guest, #19245) [Link] (1 responses)

>>He [Merkey] belongs on every person's email kill file. Don't engage him, don't bother with him, don't waste a minute on him. <<

With respect, Mr. Perens, I am quite sure you are correct, he is beneath contempt, but...

Others have pointed out that one of the things that both the foolish and the ignorant have in common is an inabilty to recognize their affliction. I don't think it is a great leap to assume that Mereky represents yet another stupid scheme from the SCOundrels or their puppet masters in Redmond, to make off with Linux. In this repsect engaging him simply offers a glimpse into the ideas that those folks are kicking around by way of trying to escape their inevitable doom. This is at least interesting, (and funny in a bad-for-my-karma-kinda-way), and maybe useful, since they reveal far more than they intend with their ridiculous posturing.

I recognise that it is possible he is merely a nut case who enjoys all the attention he garners this way.

The Flatlander

Quotes of the week

Posted Oct 27, 2004 23:20 UTC (Wed) by The_Flatlander (guest, #19245) [Link]

Responding, in light of more recent events, to my own post...

This is no great surprise, I suppose, Mr. Perens has been demonstrated, quite conclusively, to be correct. Mr. Merkey suffers, (or perhaps enjoys), delusions of normality. He is right off his rocker.

The Flatlander

Memo to self: Never disagree with BP in public; it is just embarrassing.

Quotes of the week

Posted Oct 23, 2004 1:06 UTC (Sat) by jcm (subscriber, #18262) [Link]

Hi Bruce,

I agree that he's a complete troll and I also have decided to stop feeding him on the list - but I'll keep at it by private mail as I'm pushing him to accept liability for all "infringing code" in the Linux kernel. Doubtlessly he'll never actually do it, but it's amusement during my coffeebreak.

Cheers,

Jon.