SCO Backs Down on Invoicing and SGI (Computer Business Review) [LWN.net]

Computer Business Review reports on the latest climbdowns by SCO. Apparently SCO said there was never any threat of action against Linux users. "Meanwhile, SCO has also extended indefinitely Silicon Graphics Inc's deadline of October 14 to remedy alleged contractual violations also affecting its Unix IP. The deadline was extended following 'discussions'." How much fun it would have been to hear those "discussions"...

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SCO Backs Down on Invoicing and SGI

Posted Oct 17, 2003 14:44 UTC (Fri) by alspnost (guest, #2763) [Link] (5 responses)

Sick - and yet strangely satisfying. They're still peddling the rhetoric, and managing to convince some significant people too (Deutsche Bank, anyone?). But at the same time, they're obviously deeply scared, hence the gradual climbdowns. When my disgust for SCO dies away, I'm almost tempted to apply those famous words: "forgive them, father, for the know not what they are doing".

SCO Backs Down on Invoicing and SGI

Posted Oct 17, 2003 14:59 UTC (Fri) by sjdg (guest, #5384) [Link] (2 responses)

Naah. Far too understanding. Burn 'em. Forever.

Simon.

SCO Backs Down on Invoicing and SGI

Posted Oct 17, 2003 15:14 UTC (Fri) by ccchips (subscriber, #3222) [Link] (1 responses)

Actually, those famous words were somewhat tongue-in-cheek if you ask me. Jesus would have known that the Classical world was in for a big fall, and why (since He knew everything.)

...so, I stand with the first poster. It's not a good idea to awaken a sleeping penguin.

SCO Backs Down on Invoicing and SGI

Posted Oct 17, 2003 15:52 UTC (Fri) by wweber (guest, #11678) [Link]

Maybe one day this whole affair will be chronicalled in a book titled The Tabernacle and the Bazaar ;->

SCO Backs Down on Invoicing and SGI

Posted Oct 17, 2003 15:33 UTC (Fri) by ballombe (subscriber, #9523) [Link] (1 responses)

No, they well know what they are doing and have succeeded
so far. Their business has nothing to do with Linux, IBM,
or the GPL. They use them as tools to spread FUD to sell
their stock at high price before all hell break loose upon
them.

And they are very clever. They don't conceal anything.
They well know SCO will ultimatly loose the trial, but
since everybody can make an opinion for themself, they
will probably escape prosecution after the final crash.

In summary, it is not a Linux related story, but a Enron related one...
with more clever people in the bad guys roles.

SCO Backs Down on Invoicing and SGI

Posted Oct 17, 2003 20:19 UTC (Fri) by ccchips (subscriber, #3222) [Link]

Once again, I can't resist the first analogy.

There was a lot at stake in Judea 2000 years ago, and I'm sure the local authorities, like Herod and Pilate, knew exactly what. This Guy comes along and mucks things up for them, so they have to get Him on *something.* But He has a very, very much larger agenda than any one of them could have forseen.

I've mentioned before that the astrologers see the same kind of major, major changes coming ove the next 500 years. A lot of the people in power right now are getting very nervous. They have no idea.

SCO Backs Down on Invoicing and SGI (Computer Business Review)

Posted Oct 17, 2003 15:21 UTC (Fri) by mmarq (guest, #2332) [Link] (4 responses)

Well, dont burn'em dont forgive'em...

I really couldn't care less any way!

Who or what the hell is SCO, any way ??!!

It was a former software company called Caldera, and now its a fraud and a scam that has very little to do with software and nothing to do with Linux/FLOSS. It was transformed by the Ma$ters, the real enemys of Linux/FLOSS, to be used as a weapon and a distration against the world Free Software community. They entered with a real bang, and where "crack" amusing as a distraction, but now is more than obvious they are going away with a "puf" of smoke. They are starting to get dead boring every day that pass...

WHY NOT JUST FORGET'EM ??!

SCO Backs Down on Invoicing and SGI (Computer Business Review)

Posted Oct 17, 2003 16:06 UTC (Fri) by djabsolut (guest, #12799) [Link]

WHY NOT JUST FORGET'EM ??!

Because then some other schmuck company will attempt a similar extortion scam. SCO has to be burned and the whole world has to see it and remember it.

SCO Backs Down on Invoicing and SGI (Computer Business Review)

Posted Oct 17, 2003 16:33 UTC (Fri) by ccchips (subscriber, #3222) [Link]

This happened before when Della Croche tried to trademark Linux surrepticiously, probably with the notion that he could somehow "buy" it at some point. If the Free Software community had not put that to rights, there could have ben any number of problems. In that case, there were threats of criminal prosecution against Della Croche at the end.

My hope is that there will be *real* criminal prosecution against the people who have used SCO as a stock springboard and been so abusive toward Linux users and companies.

SCO Backs Down on Invoicing and SGI (Computer Business Review)

Posted Oct 17, 2003 17:06 UTC (Fri) by rev (guest, #15082) [Link]

WHY NOT JUST FORGET'EM ??!

Hmm.. forgetting SCO implies their FUD being forgotten? Don't think so...

SCO Backs Down on Invoicing and SGI (Computer Business Review)

Posted Oct 17, 2003 17:37 UTC (Fri) by ballombe (subscriber, #9523) [Link]

Well, if that can increase the number of paying subscribers
to Linux Weekly News, it is already something :-)

SCO Backs Down on Invoicing and SGI (Computer Business Review)

Posted Oct 17, 2003 20:29 UTC (Fri) by mmarq (guest, #2332) [Link]

OK , OK i was wrong in the words of the above comment;

I meant i dont "we" just give'em no credit, publicity, and specialy dont lose time with them!

Be prepared for the long haul

Posted Oct 20, 2003 16:57 UTC (Mon) by lshurr (guest, #10094) [Link]

I'm afraid we're going to have to live with this squalid little campaign for some time to come. Boies, Schiller, & Flexner has plenty of junior-grade staff attorneys and legal assistants to go on researching and filing motions for a long time to come... maybe years, though I hope not. It'll good experience for them (good for what, I'll leave to the reader) and it won't be too hard on the firm's partners in the meantime. Trial is a long way away and may never happen.

In the meantime, we can't afford to ignore it, for as the expression goes, "Nibbled to death by ducks or torn apart by wild horses -- you're just as dead." Of course saying "we" may be a bit grandiose on my part since I can't (yet) claim to be personally harmed by the threat of litigation. I doubt if I'll ever so much as see one of those threatened invoices (threat? what threat? we never threatened, anyone! yeah, right). Many other other businesses and individuals who are more centrally involved in Linux-based work bear the main burden of this nasty little affair, but I think you take my meaning. Even those of us who are more peripherally involved still have a stake in the progress of the dispute as well as its outcome.