Wow, I hadn't realized how serious these guys were. SCO is not onlyI see this as a general attack against Linux and opensource/free software. If SCO can prove that indeed their IP was put into Linux, then it is possible that they could insist some sort of external IP regulation occurs with Linux. This of course takes away the freedom of Linux developers, and puts it directly into the hands of corporations. When everything must be OK'd by a series of coporations (and believe you me, Linux developers will have to pay for this process, I'm talking money.) then free and unrestricted coding can no longer take place. It will be too much of a hassle, and there will be too many lawsuits to make it worth it. So as I see it. IBM must win the suit, and follow with a counter-suit (well the counter-suit could be issued by anyone, the FSF or Linus himself) or else the very way of life, the way of coding will be threatened by the onslaught of lawsuits. One can no longer look at Richard Stallman's comments on Software Patents, Freedom to develop software, or the importance of a free community, and call him too extreame. His established his views directly with this sort of a thing in mind.
attacking IBM, but they are also attacking the fundamentals of the open
source world... "The suit also adds illegal export issues stemming from the
worldwide availability of open-source software". If they win this, this
could have serious implications on how open source will work.
You know it's sad that a company who once supported OpenSource/Free Software so fully, and made so many contributions to it, would so quickly turn it's back, raise it's head, and bite the community. Ransom Love where are you now?!
Art
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