[ale] Business Week - The Linux Uprising

[cfowler]

One thing SCO can do is hold patent with the processes and the internals
of Unix internals.  But could they patent POSIX standards.  That I don;t
know.



On Fri, 2003-02-21 at 20:14, Chuck Huber wrote:
> On Fri, Feb 21, 2003 at 05:14:22PM -0500, John Wells wrote:
> > Joe said:
> > > From which:
> > >
> > > "What could derail Linux? The biggest risks are intellectual-property
> > > issues. SCO Group, holder of the original patents for Unix software upon
> > > which Linux is based, has announced plans to form a licensing division
> > > and hire superlawyer David Boies to press its claims against sellers of
> > > Linux."
> > >
> > > Since Linux contains no AT&T code, is this really likely to go
> > > anywhere? Or are they talking about algorithm patents, rather
> > > than actual implementation?
> > 
> > You know, if SCO has a legitimate case against Linux, and further, if I
> > were  the owner of a certain Redmond, WA based company, I'd consider SCO
> > as a pretty important acquisition.  If the claims are legitimate and the
> > patents enforceable, this could be used to derail Linux in the short-term.
> > 
> > John
> 
> There's the issue of OpenBSD, too.  While OpenBSD is actually based on
> Unix, Linux is not.  Linux was independently developed and is POSIX compliant.
> 
> Additionally, the fact that Linux originated outside the US and was developed
> under an international effort (Aus, Jap, UK, US, etc), the final
> judgement would probably wind up in front of a world court.  It's use is so
> widespread, it'd be hard to really go after them.
> 
> As far as acquiring the SCO group, the SEC would probably have some input
> on that issue.
> 
> Enjoy,
>     - Chuck
> 
> -- 
> "The purpose of encryption is to protect good people
> from bad people, not to protect bad people from the government."
>      Scott McNealy, CEO Sun Microsystems
> "The best way for government to control people is to remain in
>    a constant threat of war." ---Karl Marx
> "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
>    safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin


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