[Sussex] An interesting Law suit....

Sat Jul 2 08:30:53 UTC 2005

On Sat, 2 Jul 2005 08:59:15 +0100
Steve Dobson <steve at dobson.org> wrote:

> Matt
<snip />
> > I'd better start learning how to crack computers and post
credit
> > card details to the internet, seems I'm not an advocate of OSS after
> > all... ;)
> 
> So Merkey is up to some new tricks.  As you will see here is is well
> known to Groklaw - and last year offered money if Linux was to drop
> the GPL and use a BSD licence.
> 
> Of course Linus (or anyone else) can't do that.  The copyright of the
> code in Linux is owned by hundreds, if not thousands, of people (and
> companies).  For example the JFS code is owned by IBM, and has their
> copyright notice at the top.  If the license of Linux is to change to
> a non-GPL one then all contributors will have to agree to that switch
> (or their code will have to be ripped out).

<voice type="andy">yeah, I know...</voice>

> I did a little searching and found an old article on Groklaw which
> reports that Merkey (assuming it is the same person) was involved in
> the Novell v. Timpanogos Research Group, Inc. case.  In his ruling
> the judge had the following to say about Merkey:
>
>     "123. Major testified that even though he has such a close
>     business relationship with Merkey, he has to filter what Merkey
>     says to find the truth, he is unable to control Merkey, Merkey is
>     able to create his own reality which may have no basis in fact,
>     and Merkey is prone to exaggeration.
> 
>     "124. In fact, however, Merkey is not just prone to exaggeration,
>     he also is and can be deceptive, not only to his adversaries, but
>     also to his own partners, his business associates and to the
>     court. He deliberately describes his own, separate reality.
> 
>     "125. Major acknowledges that Merkey does not see boundaries; that
>     if he feels strongly or wants to do something, he does it."

It probably is the same person, I just thought that it was interesting
accusations.  I'm aware of the past history between Groklaw and Merkey,
I'm just stunned that a court would even bother to hear this case.

Guess I should put my sarcasm quotes if posting this early on a saturday
morning next time... :p

Matt