IBM/SCO/GPL update

[XMEN Gambit]

Well, let's see. SCO has decided to declare the GPL "unconstitutional, unenforcable, and void," apparently trying to get everything which has been released under the GPL into the public domain, while at the same time backing off a bit from their original claims of thousands of lines of infringing code in the Linux code base. Heh.<br><br>But I found this interesting quote from a poster on the groklaw message board:<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>I think I have a serious explaination for the latest batch of wierdenss that SCO<br>had the gumption to give to a judge: They're scared out of thier minds, and with good reason.<br><br>Everyone here knows the REAL reason the GPL has never seen the inside of a courtroom: Every other time a company was going to take it to court, their lawyers read the GPL, experienced Bowel Liquifying Terror, and then they proceeded to settle out of court rather than have their heads handed to them by a judge.<br><br>SCO on the other hand obviously refuses to listen to their lawyers - otherwise they wouldn't have been shooting their mouths off constantly for months prior to the trial. Thus their lawyers are experincing that BLT feeling, but can't run and hide like most other businesses by settling. After all those other guys were dealing with the FSF which, while effective, is run by relatively humane people. SCO on the other hand is talking serious smack, and has gone up against IBM in such a way that IBM is essentially forced to go for blood to prove to all and sundry that they do NOT breach contracts or give away trade secrets.<br><br>If that isn't enough to mess with SCO's lawyers' heads I don't know what is.<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END-->I particularly liked the "Bowel Liquifying Terror" phrase. Well, that and the contrast between the "relatively humane" Free Software Foundation lawyers and those of IBM. I figured Bug would love that bit. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :D --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/happy.gif ALT=":D"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br><br><br><!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :bounce --><img src=http://www.thzclan.com/forums/images/sm ... bounce.gif ALT=":bounce"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> Die, SCO, DIE! <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :bounce --><img src=http://www.thzclan.com/forums/images/sm ... bounce.gif ALT=":bounce"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.xmenclan.org/xmengambit.gif"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--><br>XMEN member<br>Card-carrying DTM<br>OKL Fish-napper<br><br>Though a program be but three lines long, someday it will have to be maintained.<br><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em> The Tao of Programming</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></p><i></i>

[Spinning Hat]

I haven't ever read the GPL, but honestly, if I had any dealings with an attorney for IBM, I'd be experienceing "BLT" as well, unless, they were giving me a contract in which I'd make some serious money... Hopefully this will all be over in the next 6 mos or so, and we can all watch as SCO fades away into oblivion, or is bought by MS... <p><!--EZCODE HR START--><hr /><!--EZCODE HR END--><!--EZCODE CENTER START--><div style="text-align:center"><br><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:red;font-family:Arial;font-size:medium;"><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>"Never, Never, Never Quit"</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> -Winston Churchill</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--></div><!--EZCODE CENTER END--></p><i></i>

[Ambush Bug]

Somehow I am not surprised. That post was pure gold, though, Gambit. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> IBM's lawyers, while not quite as publically prolific as Microsoft's, are far, far more effective. Big Blue does not screw around. <p></p><i></i>