Re: [tlug] A SCO letter

[Marc Christensen <marc@example.com>]

Godwin Stewart wrote:

>>I find this letter in SCO page...
>>What do you think about it?
>>
>>http://www.sco.com/scosource/letter_to_linux_customers.html
>>    
>>
>
>Pure BS.
>
>The kernel was rewritten from scratch.
>
>The rest of the GNU/Linux O/S is GNU, which as wer all know, stands for "GNU
>is NOT UNIX", and was also rewritten from scratch.
>
This is not true either.  GNU software makes up a _portion_ of most 
Linux systems.  However, looking not just other programs but also at 
lines of code, XFree, Apache, KDE, and several peices of software which 
use the OpenSource linceses as well as the GPL but are not part of the 
GNU project, make up a majority of the content on most Linux systems 
(The use of the GPL/LGPL is a choice of license and does not align the 
software or it's authors with the GNU project).

<soapbox>

With that logic, we should also be calling most BSDs "GNU/*BSD", Apple's 
OSX, "GNU/OSX", etc.

</soapbox>

Back on the subject, the whole SCO fiasco is unbeleivable.  I have a 
hard time with it - not the fact that the IBM may have contributed code 
that could actualy be infringing on their IP (that remains to be seen) 
but that SCO's attitude is of the devil IMO.  They are acting like a 
company that is about to go over the "out of business cliff" and 
grabbing  for anything that will help them climb back.  It's their own 
actions that have placed them so close to the edge in the first place.

If the code IBM contributed really is infringing on SCO's IP, then as 
soon as the community knows what it is, it'll be ripped out the same day 
and work to replace it will begin.  By not revealing the code, SCO is 
forcing infringement.

--
Marc C.
http://www.mecworks.com