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the riaa, we all can admit, is really really really bad at public relations at large, worse even than bush and his foreign policy with "old europe" or clinton and his zipper.
it doesn't matter whether they're right or not if people hate them so much (which seems to be the case) that they ignore them altogether.
well, sco has been going down that path now, but i very much think it's finally fallen off the precpice...
SCO wants $32 for each embedded Linux device
and
SCO to government Linux users: Pay up
honestly, do they seriously expect to make friends this way? oy... anybody could have handled sco's claims far better than sco itself has done... except maybe the riaa, bush, clinton...
even if sco has a valid claim, it's hard to imagine people paying them after the initial round... i doubt that linux will survive if these claims prove true, and in the next cycle, i doubt linux or sco unix will be purchased.
it doesn't matter whether they're right or not if people hate them so much (which seems to be the case) that they ignore them altogether.
well, sco has been going down that path now, but i very much think it's finally fallen off the precpice...
SCO wants $32 for each embedded Linux device
SAN JOSE, Calif. The SCO Group said Tuesday (August 5) it wants $32 for each embedded system using Linux. That request stems from the Lindon, Utah company's claim that Linux versions 2.4 and above contains code that infringes on its Unix software.
SCO is currently suing IBM Corp. for breech of contract for allegedly supplying some of that Unix code as part of the open source development process for Linux.
After IBM, large businesses using Linux servers are SCO's first target. The company sent letters to about 1,500 large companies it believes could be running such servers. Through October, it will charge them $699 for rights to its Unix code for each single-CPU Linux server they operate, after that charge double.
In a less well-publicized part of the company's licensing terms, announced Tuesday (August 5), SCO said it will charge OEMs $32 per unit for each embedded Linux device they own.
The $32 fee applies to any embedded system regardless of whether it is a Tivo set-top box which uses embedded Linux or some models of the Sharp Zaurus which also use that kernel.
A diverse group of embedded systems that market watchers number in the millions currently use embedded Linux. They range from consumer and handheld systems to networking devices such as routers and firewalls, medical equipment and some military electronic systems use Linux. Venture Development Corp. pegs sales of embedded Linux tools and services at $62.6 million in 2002, a market growing at compound rate of 20.1 percent through 2007.
SCO will seek royalties from OEMs though it is not yet pursuing such companies actively, according to a company spokesman.
...
If SCO is successful in establishing its claims, "Linux would die," said Haff. But he doesn't expect that will happen."It's hard to say what will happen in a complicated legal case, but from my perspective this is a Hail Mary pass from a company that the market has passed by," said Haff.
It its most recent earnings report, SCO reported declines in product and services revenue in the six months ending April 2003 compared to the same period last year. However, those declines were offset by $8 in new licensing revenues. The company also turned a profit of $3.7 million in the recent period compared to a $17.6 million net loss for the year-ago period.
The embedded Linux licensing move "is extortion based on fraud. They are out to shake down people for what they can get," said Inder Singh, chairman of the Embedded Linux Consortium and chief executive of embedded Linux and real-time operating system maker LynuxWorks (San Jose). Neither the consortium nor his company has had any communications from SCO on the royalty demand, Singh said.
"We will wait until they show us something," that infringes their code, before taking any action on the licensing move, he added.
SCO is currently suing IBM Corp. for breech of contract for allegedly supplying some of that Unix code as part of the open source development process for Linux.
After IBM, large businesses using Linux servers are SCO's first target. The company sent letters to about 1,500 large companies it believes could be running such servers. Through October, it will charge them $699 for rights to its Unix code for each single-CPU Linux server they operate, after that charge double.
In a less well-publicized part of the company's licensing terms, announced Tuesday (August 5), SCO said it will charge OEMs $32 per unit for each embedded Linux device they own.
The $32 fee applies to any embedded system regardless of whether it is a Tivo set-top box which uses embedded Linux or some models of the Sharp Zaurus which also use that kernel.
A diverse group of embedded systems that market watchers number in the millions currently use embedded Linux. They range from consumer and handheld systems to networking devices such as routers and firewalls, medical equipment and some military electronic systems use Linux. Venture Development Corp. pegs sales of embedded Linux tools and services at $62.6 million in 2002, a market growing at compound rate of 20.1 percent through 2007.
SCO will seek royalties from OEMs though it is not yet pursuing such companies actively, according to a company spokesman.
...
If SCO is successful in establishing its claims, "Linux would die," said Haff. But he doesn't expect that will happen."It's hard to say what will happen in a complicated legal case, but from my perspective this is a Hail Mary pass from a company that the market has passed by," said Haff.
It its most recent earnings report, SCO reported declines in product and services revenue in the six months ending April 2003 compared to the same period last year. However, those declines were offset by $8 in new licensing revenues. The company also turned a profit of $3.7 million in the recent period compared to a $17.6 million net loss for the year-ago period.
The embedded Linux licensing move "is extortion based on fraud. They are out to shake down people for what they can get," said Inder Singh, chairman of the Embedded Linux Consortium and chief executive of embedded Linux and real-time operating system maker LynuxWorks (San Jose). Neither the consortium nor his company has had any communications from SCO on the royalty demand, Singh said.
"We will wait until they show us something," that infringes their code, before taking any action on the licensing move, he added.
and
SCO to government Linux users: Pay up
Government agencies must pay up to $699 for each copy of the Linux operating system that they use, the SCO Group Inc., Lindon, Utah, announced Tuesday in a new licensing program.
...
In May, IBM Corp., Amonk, N.Y., reported that it has more than 75 government customers using Linux solutions, including the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Energy’s National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center. Between private and public sector customers, IBM has over 6,300 Linux-based implementations.
“IBM has remains absolutely committed to providing Linux-based solutions to its customers,” a spokeswoman said.
...
According to the new licensing program, Linux use on a server will cost $699 per central processor unit, or CPU, through Oct. 15. Use on desktop computers cost $199 per copy. Pricing for multiple CPU systems and embedded systems are also available. The pricing structure can be found at www.sco.com/scosource/description.html.
Stowell said the company has no immediate plans to file suit against government agencies using Linux, but rather plans to speak with individual offices about buying licenses first. The company has no dedicated sales office, but does have representatives dedicated to government sales.
SCO reported $64.2 million in revenue for 2002, with a loss of $24.9 million, according to Hoover’s Online of Austin Texas.
...
In May, IBM Corp., Amonk, N.Y., reported that it has more than 75 government customers using Linux solutions, including the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Energy’s National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center. Between private and public sector customers, IBM has over 6,300 Linux-based implementations.
“IBM has remains absolutely committed to providing Linux-based solutions to its customers,” a spokeswoman said.
...
According to the new licensing program, Linux use on a server will cost $699 per central processor unit, or CPU, through Oct. 15. Use on desktop computers cost $199 per copy. Pricing for multiple CPU systems and embedded systems are also available. The pricing structure can be found at www.sco.com/scosource/description.html.
Stowell said the company has no immediate plans to file suit against government agencies using Linux, but rather plans to speak with individual offices about buying licenses first. The company has no dedicated sales office, but does have representatives dedicated to government sales.
SCO reported $64.2 million in revenue for 2002, with a loss of $24.9 million, according to Hoover’s Online of Austin Texas.
honestly, do they seriously expect to make friends this way? oy... anybody could have handled sco's claims far better than sco itself has done... except maybe the riaa, bush, clinton...
even if sco has a valid claim, it's hard to imagine people paying them after the initial round... i doubt that linux will survive if these claims prove true, and in the next cycle, i doubt linux or sco unix will be purchased.
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