[Techtalk] Re: Makes you want to go hmmm: "Are Linux Users Infringing on SCO's Property?"

[Jacinta Richardson]

I don't think the ScoSource group is as bad as some people are making out.
Kieran's email below might explain the SCO take on it a bit more clearly.
I suspect the media has taken a muddled view and decided to run with it.
*sigh*  

There were rumours regarding SCO and Linux last week, so I'm surprised
it's taken this long to come out.  My summary of the below is as follows,
Linux as a general rule is safe, some people have attempted to make SCO
softare which is only licensed to run on SCO OSes run on Linux, these
people will now have to pay appropriate licensing fees, but SCO will work
ot make all SCO unix thingies work better with Linux.

	Jacinta

----- Forwarded message from Kieran O'Shaughnessy <kierano at sco.com> -----

From: "Kieran O'Shaughnessy" <kierano at sco.com>
To: <kierano at sco.com>
Subject: SCO News: SCO Establishes SCOsource to License UNIX Intellectual Property
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 18:42:20 +1100

Good afternoon,
In an effort to keep you informed of new offerings and services provided
by SCO, we would like to inform you of a business division, announced
today, within SCO called SCOsource which will manage the licensing of
its UNIX intellectual property. SCOsource will manage the substantial
UNIX intellectual property assets owned by SCO, and will operate an
array of licensing programs.

Key components of this announcement include:
*  The creation of SCOsource, a division of SCO that will expand the
licensing of the company's core intellectual property, including the
core UNIX source code.
*  The first offering from SCOsource will be SCO System V for Linux-an
end-user licensed product for use on Linux systems. SCO System V for
Linux provides unbundled licensing of SCO's UNIX System shared libraries
for use with UNIX applications, enabling them to run on Linux.
*  The appointment of David Boies and the law firm of Boies, Schiller
and Flexner to help research and advise SCO on the company's
intellectual property.

** SCOsource **
SCO's patents, copyrights and core technology date back to 1969 when
Bell Laboratories created the original UNIX source code. SCOsource will
manage the licensing of this software technology to customers and
vendors.

"SCO is the developer and owner of SCO UnixWare and SCO OpenServer, both
based on UNIX System V technology," said Darl McBride, president and
CEO, The SCO Group. "SCO owns much of the core UNIX intellectual
property, and has full rights to license this technology and enforce the
associated patents and copyrights. SCO is frequently approached by
software and hardware vendors and customers who want to gain access to
key pieces of UNIX technology. SCOsource will expand our licensing
activities, offering partners and customers new ways to take advantage
of these technologies."

** SCO System V for Linux **
The SCO System V for Linux license will provide access to SCO's UNIX
System Shared Libraries for use with Linux. Customers frequently use
SCO's shared libraries to allow UNIX applications to run on Linux. In
the past, SCO's UnixWare and OpenServer license agreements did not allow
these UNIX libraries to be used outside of SCO's operating systems. With
this announcement, customers can now license these libraries from SCO
for use with Linux without having to license the entire SCO operating
system. This will enable customers to now run thousands of UNIX
applications on Linux.

"The most substantial intellectual property in UNIX comes from SCO,"
said Chris Sontag, Senior Vice President for Operating Systems and
SCOsource, The SCO Group. "While Linux is an Open Source product, it
shares philosophy, architecture and APIs with UNIX. Starting today,
SCO's libraries will be available to third-party application developers,
OS vendors, hardware providers, services vendors, and end-users. SCO
will help customers legitimately combine Linux and UNIX technology to
run thousands of UNIX applications. SCOsource plans to create other new
licensing programs to make our rich inventory of UNIX System technology
available to the market."

SCO will offer SCO System V for Linux for $149 per CPU. Volume licensing
discounts will also be available to enterprise customers and OEMs.

SCO is offering customers of SCO Linux Server 4.0 a license to SCO
System V for Linux as a free value-add to their use of SCO Linux. Future
updates to SCO Linux Server will include a license to SCO System V for
Linux.

For more information, please email the TeamSCO Partner Programs Team at
partners at sco.com or your local Channel Sales Manager.

Thank you,

Kieran O'Shaughnessy
Regional General Manager ANZ
The SCO Group
Level 11, 56 Berry Street
North Sydney NSW 2060
Australia
Tel +61 2 9440 7577
Fax +61 2 9440 7588
Mob 0419 66 00 16
email kierano at sco.com 
web www.sco.com

______________________________________________________________________
This message was sent by The SCO Group Inc.

If you prefer not to receive future e-mail from The SCO Group please
reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line
   

----- End forwarded message -----

-- 
Jens Porup -- <jens at cyber.com.au>
Programmer, Consultant, Technical Writer
Cybersource Pty Ltd
Phone: 03 9621 2377
Fax:   03 9621 2477

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