[CLUE-Talk] SCO vs the computer industry

[Kirk Rafferty]

On Tue, Jun 17, 2003 at 10:05:52AM -0600, Joe 'Zonker' Brockmeier wrote:
> I don't recall that, but it doesn't mean it didn't happen. 
> 
> However, I still see this as a red herring -- the fact that a "rogue
> state" might download and use technology that's Open Source isn't really
> relevant. If they want a type of software that's commercially available
> badly enough, they can find a way to smuggle it in. 

Agreed.  US export restrictions have always been a joke.

I lived in the Middle East for 6 months (working for Lucent), and there
was nothing you couldn't buy.  And it's not like you had to buy this
stuff in a back alley either--a trip to the mall worked fine.  Arabs are
more gadget-crazy than the Japanese.  Hardware was a little pricier,
but multiprocessor systems could easily be had.  Software, operating
systems (ANY operating system, shrinkwrapped), anything.  One shop
specialized in Sun servers.  And not old stuff like Sparc 10s, but modern
UE servers, complete with Solaris installed.  (not sure what the support
contract options were :)

If IBM is guilty, so is Dell, Sun, HP--even SCO, I'm sure.  I don't recall
ever seeing it, but I know I could have got my hands on a shrinkwrapped copy
of Openserver/Unixware very easily if I had wanted to.

> I really wish they'd get in front of a judge and get this over with. If
> there is any justice in the world, SCO will be bankrupt and McBride and
> Sontag will be relegated to working in fast food the rest of their lives
> after the shareholders sue them into oblivion for completely ruining
> SCO. I can't imagine anyone would do business with them after this is
> all over. 

I can't believe anyone would want to do business with them now.  When SCO
sent those letters out, they were basically saying "if you're running
Linux, even a Linux that we sold to you, you are now fair game for our
lawyers."  Why on earth would you do business with a company that sues
it's customers for buying and using their products?  Seems to me the best
way to avoid litigation by SCO is to not use their products.

-k