Re: [Nolug] The Inevitable Thread

From: Ron Johnson <ron.l.johnson_at_cox.net>
Date: 19 Jun 2003 15:43:01 -0500
Message-Id: <1056055381.3212.12.camel@haggis>

On Thu, 2003-06-19 at 15:27, jacklinux@cox.net wrote:
> One thing Ive noticed is the lack of mention of this SCO law suit.
> I dont know how contentious the subject is but if it can be
> friendly, I have a few questions that are more speculative. For
> example, theres a lot of rhetoric online about whos right and whos
> wrong, the Microsoft® connection, etc. But I havent really seen
> anything definitive on the impact on Linux if SCO wins. And maybe
> Im being simple-minded about it, but if SCO could identify the
> copied code then shouldnt the distros be able to do the same
> thing and then rewrite it. Wouldnt that make the suite moot?
> Or would it? And if this isnt an option, then what are some of
> the alternatives? Are any of the distros immune? What about the
> kernel itself? Im sure the philosophy from which Linux was born
> will survive, but I find myself full of FUD and Im just one
> novice user so I can only imagine what IT shops using or
> considering an open source solution must be going through.

"We" just don't know enough yet to say anything accurate. Thus,
most of what you've read so far is speculation.

As for it's possible, theoretical impact on Linux, no one can
really say, since SCO really seems to be saying "All your Unix-
like OS belong to us".

If the courts totally agree with them, Linux (and *BSD) may become
illegal in the US.

If the courts find that, yes, there was copying, but, relative to
the size of the kernel, it was insignificant, it may just say,
"rip it out of the next version".

If the courts find that, yes, there was copying, but, both Linux
and SCO "borrowed" from BSD, then both Linux and SCO would have
to re-write a few hundred/thousand lines of code.

And maybe the courts will tell SCO that it's full of feces and
to go away...

We just don't know, yet.

And until I do know more, I'm not worried.

-- 
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| Ron Johnson, Jr.     Home: ron.l.johnson@cox.net          |
| Jefferson, LA  USA   http://members.cox.net/ron.l.johnson |
|                                                           |
| "Oh, great altar of passive entertainment, bestow upon me |
|  thy discordant images at such speed as to render linear  |
|  thought impossible" (Calvin, regarding TV)               |
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Received on 06/19/03

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