[H-GEN] RFC: SCO

[Greg Black]

On 2003-06-17, Raymond Smith wrote:

> I've been approached by a journalist for comment about why Australian
> Linux Groups appear silent on SCO's lawsuit against IBM. Specifically:
>     Why? Doesn't this concern the Linux community here? Or is everyone
>     just not bothered enough to get up and do something?
> [...]
> To start things off: I am not concerned about it as I see it as the last
> desperate attempts of an irrelevant company to survive. Furthermore, I
> have confidence in IBM's ability to win this lawsuit.

I agree that the SCO silliness is hardly worthy of comment; they
are clearly doomed and their wishes won't have any impact on
users of Linux or Unix.

I also have confidence in IBM's ability to litigate until SCO
withers on the vine -- but that does not in any way make IBM the
good guys here, and I see no value in portraying them either as
saviours of Linux or as the white knights that bashed SCO into
submission (assuming that's what they end up doing).

I'll have more to say about IBM in another message.

> The second part of his question is, I think, a little odd. But in my
> case, I can't see what HUMBUG could do about it. Perhaps we could send
> letters of support to IBM or issue a press release like AUUG.

As an AUUG member, I felt that AUUG's response was adequate and
I really see little need for anything more than simple support
for that statement.  I certainly do not think we should offer
kind words to IBM.

I interpret the final question in the quote at the top as a bit
of an attempt to stir the pot in order to get a quotable (and
possibly inflammatory) comment.  I think we would do well to
ignore it.

Greg

-- 
Greg Black <gjb at gbch.net> <http://www.gbch.net/gjb.html>
GPG signed mail preferred; further information in headers.
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