Two on SCO Plans for Linux Customers, Distributors

InformationWeek: SCO Eases Customers' Worries

"A lot of Linux users are keeping a watchful eye on SCO Group's lawsuit against IBM and wondering what it means for them. For many Linux users, that question may not be answerable in the immediate future. SCO Group's allegations that IBM violated its Unix licensing by feeding Unix source code to the Linux community could threaten companies that have gotten comfortable with the open-source operating system.

"But SCO customers don't have to worry. SCO Group has assured its Linux customers that any company that's paying for Linux software and services from SCO Group is already paying for SCO's intellectual property..."

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ComputerWire: Linux Distributors Appear to be Safe From SCO

"Linux distributors are safe from legal action by The SCO Group Inc, because the company does not want to destroy Linux, according to SCO's SVP and general manager of the SCOsource intellectual property enforcement division, Chris Sontag.

"Although the Lindon, Utah-based Unix operating system vendor is sticking by its claims that Linux contains code that has been illegally copied from its Unix System V, it appears the company is unlikely to follow up its $3bn lawsuit against IBM Corp with similar actions against Red Hat Inc, SuSE Linux AG or others.

"'One of the reasons we haven't launched a suit against a Linux distributor is because of the GPL [open source General Public License],' Sontag told ComputerWire. 'It would blow up the GPL and destroy Linux and we do not want to do that...'"

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Related Stories:

• eWeek: Torvalds Speaks Out on SCO, Linux(Jun 23, 2003)
• InfoWorld: SCO Dispute Leaves IBM Road Map Untouched(Jun 23, 2003)
• VNUnet: Analysts Split Over SCO 'Evidence'(Jun 19, 2003)
• Forbes.com: What SCO Wants, SCO Gets(Jun 19, 2003)