PC Magazine: Killing Linux

[ Thanks to Flash for this link. ]

"The Linux community seems to be taking very lightly the recent events surrounding the SCO-versus-IBM lawsuit and SCO's claim that Linux relies on Unix in unfair ways. One writer calls the situation a farce, while another thinks it's laughable and stupid. Linus Torvalds has reportedly said it is not much different than a Jerry Springer Show--mere entertainment. The Linux community seems to have put its collective head in the sand. Nobody seems to realize that Linux and the entire open-source movement are at grave risk. Apparently the open-source idealists don't understand the quirks of the legal system.

"I have posted a complete timeline of events regarding this episode on a Web page as an attempt to give people some clue about how this is unfolding. (Additions and corrections are welcome.) Personally, I don't think any of this bodes well for the open-source community. Nowadays, you can patent a business practice or something as idiotic as one-click purchasing. Software patents have gone crazy. Juries are flaky. I was an expert witness in a case where the defendant lost just because 'patented' was stamped onto a plastic case. The word referred to the plastic case design. The suit was over software..."

Complete Story

Related Stories:

• AlwaysOn: SCO & UNIX: A Comedy of Errors(Jun 03, 2003)
• I, Cringely: Going for a Streak-Free Finish(Jun 02, 2003)
• Linux and Main: When Good Dogs Go Bad(May 20, 2003)
• CNET News: The Fear War Against Linux (May 19, 2003)