On Wednesday, Lindon, Utah-based SCO suspended sales of its SCO Linux operating system and warned users that: Linux is an unauthorized derivative of Unix and that legal liability for the use of Linux may extend to commercial users.
Despite the warnings, the Linux market continued with business on Thursday, with the leading Linux distributors Red Hat and SuSE both dismissing SCO’s suggestions that Linux infringes on its Unix intellectual property.
We have not had any conversations with SCO on the allegations at hand. We are unable to comment as we have yet to learn what exact code they are claiming is questionable, a statement from Red Hat read. Red Hat takes intellectual property very seriously, we put significant resources towards ensuring that we do not violate *valid* [Red Hat’s emphasis] copyrighted claims.
The company also maintained that customers were unconcerned by SCO’s allegations and warnings. We’ve seen no indication from enterprise customers that these statements from SCO have been a deterrent from viewing Red Hat as a trusted provider of Linux solutions, the company’s statement continued.
Meanwhile, SuSE, which is still a partner, at least in principle, of SCO in the UnitedLinux initiative also dismissed SCO’s allegations. SCO’s actions are again indeed curious, commented Joe Eckert, SuSE VP of corporate communications. We are not aware, nor has SCO made any specific attempt to make us aware, of any unauthorized code in any SuSE Linux product.
Eckert added that SuSE had attempted without success to get an explanation from SCO as to exactly how Linux was infringing on its IP. As a matter of policy, we have diligent processes for ensuring that appropriate licensing arrangements, open source or otherwise, are in place for all code used in our products, he said. We have asked SCO for clarification of their public statements, SCO has declined to comment.
While SCO has suspended its distribution of Linux, SuSE has vowed to continue to support the UnitedLinux code base on which both SCO Linux and SuSE Linux are based, as well as Turbolinux Inc’s Enterprise Server and Conectiva SA’s Conectiva Linux.
The UnitedLinux code base, jointly designed and developed by SuSE Linux, Turbolinux, Conectiva and SCO, will continue to be supported unconditionally by SuSE Linux, said Eckert. We will honor all UnitedLinux commitments to our customers and partners, regardless of any actions that SCO may take or even allegations they may make.
On Wednesday SCO sent letters to around 1,500 of the world’s top corporations informing them of its legal efforts and encouraging them to seek legal advice if they intended to continue using the operating system.
The warning was the second move from SCO to enforce its Unix IP and follows the recently launched $1bn legal action against IBM Corp, which SCO has accused of IP violation and breach of licensing agreements.
Source: Computerwire
