“IBM has launched a counterstrike against SCO Group’s attack on
Linux users, arguing that SCO’s demands for Unix license payments
are undermined by its earlier shipment of an open-source Linux
product.“IBM’s assertion came in a message to its sales force Thursday
evening, four days after SCO said Linux users must pay the company
for a Unix license or face possible legal action. SCO Group, owner
of the Unix intellectual property, contends that Unix code was
illegally copied line by line into Linux and that companies such as
IBM illegally transferred improvements made to Unix into
Linux…“‘SCO itself has distributed Linux under the GNU General Public
License (GPL), which grants a free copyright license and requires
that users be granted the right to freely redistribute the code
free of claims,’ Bob Samson, vice president of IBM’s systems sales,
said in the message, which was seen by CNET News.com. IBM confirmed
the authenticity of the memo. ‘SCO has not explained how it can now
make a claim in the face of its distribution of Linux under these
terms,’ Samson said…”
Related Story:
IBM,
Industry Respond to New SCO Threats(Jul 22, 2003)