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#16926 05/15/03 04:51 AM
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UnitedLinux. A project aimed at unifying Linux into one homogenous standard to better it in the business and desktop markets. Here is an little piece from Learner's post in debate concerning who is invloved in this, and some info on the project:

Quote:
Partners

Conectiva ..... http://www.conectiva.com/

The SCO Group ..... http://www.sco.com/

SuSE Linux AG ..... http://www.suse.de/en/

Turbolinux Inc. ..... http://www.turbolinux.com


Now these aren't the most major players on the field, SuSE and Turbolinux are big enough. Then you have the Tech partners.

AMD ..... http://www.amd.com/

HP ..... http://www.hp.com/linux

IBM ..... http://www-1.ibm.com/linux/UnitedLinux-Application-Brief.pdf
... ..... http://www-1.ibm.com/linux/?S_TACT=lnxatibm&S_CMP=d2w&S_PKG=ul&ca=lnxatibm&me=u


The FAQ's
http://www.unitedlinux.com/en/info/faqs.html
And my opinion in a nutshell:

Quote:
Oh great, so a bunch of companies that already produce their own individual Linux flavours get together to put out yet another? This confuses me, and unless they get more of the major distro's (ie. redhat, slackware, debian) onboard this will only ever be 'just another distro'. Granted the idea sounds good, but I seriously doubt this project will amount to what it intends to be.
And I stand by that even more so with recent developments. Why you ask? Well let me tell you.

One of the major participants in this endevour has taken it upon themselves to start suing a fellow UnitedLinux member. Say what? That's right. Even these companies that share a common goal of promoting Linux can't see to play nicely. By this I am reffering to SCO's lastest actions in suing IBM for what it claims are intellectual property infringements. See, SCO is the owner of Unix. Through the ins and outs of business SCO has come to hold the rights to the Unix operating system, of which there are quite a few offshoots. IBM is responsible for one of these offshooots, called AIX. Now here's the kicker, SCO is accusing IBM of copyright infringement because they feel that portions of the Unix operating system have been copied line for line into Linux. Recently SCO has slapped a $1 billion lawsuit on IBM for this alledged copyright infringement. And now SCO has started sending threats to other major companies who use Linux within their corporate IT structures warning them that they could be liable because of this. So not only is SCO taking shots at fellow Linux vendors, they are threatining the very companies that are promoting the use and creating demand for the Linux platform.

In light of this I think IBM will probably refuse to work with SCO in the future, and SUSE has already begun to rethink their relationship with SCO. While this may just result in SCO being excluded from the UnitedLinux project, the full repercussions of these actions have yet to be seen.

When companies that suposedly share a common goal with a common product cannot play nicely together it is the product that will be hurt in the long run. And with SCO threatining the users of Linux, the possibility of these companies dropping Linux increases dramatically, while companies who are considering implementing Linux will now shy away because they do not want to become a target of SCO.

Unless this issue is resolved quickly and cleanly the Linux platform will be forever damaged clean accross the board.

And we have a member of UnitedLinux to thank for this.

http://news.com.com/2100-1016_3-999371.html?tag=rn
http://mq.moo.net/Linux03/ScoSource-04_Story01.html
http://www.forbes.com/2003/03/07/cx_ld_0307sco.html
http://news.com.com/2100-1016_3-1001609.html?tag=fd_lede1_hed

Infinite

#16927 05/15/03 11:18 AM
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Reading the articles, the thing that comes across my mind is what exactly was copied line by line, or modified so it will not look like the Unix source code, and incorporated in Linux. SCO refused to say or to declare exactly and said the evidence will be showed in court.

IBM had the license for Unix, and developed their own Unix called AIX. Later when the advantages of the Open Source became clearly, IBM began supporting the development of Linux Servers, and was (and still is) one of the majors supporters of Linux. If, in their attempts to support, promote and develop Linux technologies, IBM took advantage of the SCO Unix source code, then I can see why SCO is pissed off. But that remains to be seen in court, when evidence will be revealed.

On the other hand, the fact that SCO send letters of warning to about 1500 companies warning them that by using Linux Servers can be sued, shows their desperate atempt to grab a little more of the servers market. If they indeed sued IBM because they felt their property was violated and if they had good evidence about this, they should have waited until the finish of the lawsuit against IBM, and then if it had a favorable outcome, to begin and take this kind of actions.

For now this only shows, in my opinion and until the so called evidence of the "stolen" code will be showed, that SCO begun this process just to attract attention, maybe make a few more clients, and to get some money out of IBM, who was threatened that the license for their unix version could be revoked.

While I see why a major player such as IBM would become involved with the UnitedLinux movement, I fail to see what was SCO doing there, except maybe gathering information for this lawsuit. In their declarations they trash the Linux community and developers. They make it clear they are upset about the fact that what started as a very simple project, with some help from the key players who invested in this project, Linux is coming and taking their business away from them.

And as Infinite said if this issue isn't resolved quickly and cleanly the Linux platform will be forever damaged clean across the board. I'm curious to see what will happen with the UnitedLinux movement, and expect that SCO will be excluded from this project.

I can almost see the grin on Bill's face, because if this will not end quickly, MicroSoft will be the only one to gain from this, and what a moment for all of this to happen ... just when Windows Server 2k3 came out.

#16928 05/15/03 03:32 PM
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This is from SCO's Linux page

http://www.sco.com/products/ssvl/

Quote:

The sale of this SCO Linux product to new customers is currently suspended due to intellectual property (IP) issues associated with the Linux operating system. Accordingly, SCO has announced the suspension of its own Linux activities until the issues surrounding Linux IP and the attendant risks are better understood and properly resolved. More information can be found at the SCOsource home page. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact SCO, toll free, at 1-888-465-4689.

SCO continues to honor our contractual relationships with customers; and will continue to support our Linux customers.
Apple could also bennifit from this. With iTunes out and Windows iPod sucking the way it dose. OSX (I think comeing from BSD source) could gain a share in the market. However Linux is free, the Apple platform costs more than the P.C. platform.

/me feels the dark side at work here. Across the internet galaxy emperor Gates says "It is all comeing together as I have for seen." Soon you will join me on the dark side. Let the greed fill you.


And surprise they are not sueing thier own customers...

http://www.sco.com/company/presskit/

Quote:

SCO Suspends Distribution of Linux Pending Intellectual Property Clarification; Announces Greater Focus on UNIX and SCOx Strategy

LINDON, Utah, May 14, 2003 -- The SCO� Group (SCO)(Nasdaq: SCOX), the owner of the UNIX operating system, today warned that Linux is an unauthorized derivative of UNIX and that legal liability for the use of Linux may extend to commercial users. SCO issued this alert based on its findings of illegal inclusions of SCO UNIX intellectual property in Linux. The company also indicated that until the attendant risks with Linux are better understood and properly resolved, the company will suspend all of its future sales of the Linux operating system.

"SCO is taking this important step because there are intellectual property issues with Linux," said Chris Sontag, senior vice president and general manager of SCOsource, The SCO Group. "When SCO's own UNIX software code is being illegally copied into Linux, we believe we have an obligation to educate commercial users of the potential liability that could rest with them for using such software to run their business. We feel so strongly about this issue that we are suspending sales and distribution of SCO Linux until these issues are resolved."

SCO will continue to support existing SCO Linux and Caldera OpenLinux customers and hold them harmless from any SCO intellectual property issues regarding SCO Linux and Caldera OpenLinux products.

A link to their warning

http://www.sco.com/scosource/gartner_warning.html


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