[Sussex] A development in the SVO v IBM case

[Andrew Guard]

> All
>
> I've just read an interesting article on Groklaw
>    http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20050129060736295#c268231
>
> IBM issued a subpoena on PointServe middle of December.  The CEO of
> PointServe and its Chief Scientist had previously been at MIT's
> Lincoln Laboratory.  Speculation is that this is (one of) the MIT
> "Deep Drive" experts that analysed the code for SCO.
>
> There is a lot of speculation that Microsoft may be working behind
> the scenes in this case.  I personally don't subscribed to that
> view point, but I don't rule it out altogether either.  If they
> M$ were working behind the scenes I thought that this would be
> nothing but a bit of bad PR if it came to light - in this I was
> wrong.  Webster, a regular poster on Grawlaw, and a criminal law
> attorney, has this to say:
>
[snip]
>
> To me this one post has changed the SCO v IBM case, now it has
> a little more interest.  As one poster put it "[g]rab your
> popcorn..this is getting good."


First of all this doesn’t surprise me not at all.  There is a big plane in
action by IBM, hum what about those 500 patent’s.  First any one who going
to take on IBM is very brave, IBM is past masters of legal actions.  For
good sake they put Microsoft to shame.

For people who don’t know, once upon a time not so long ago IBM was the
big bad wolf in IT from view point of USA government.  IBM was the boss of
IT, it controlled the mainframe market.  To make long story short they got
in lot trouble because of this but it the USA having a monopoly on a
market is not a crime.  But IBM also sold support contracts etc, rivals
couldn't get on in the action blar, blar.  It was going on for years and
years.  Lot people say that USA government got wounded for long time after
that.  The first time they did anything against anyone in IT after then
was Microsoft and this nearly didn't happen.

Now this is game plan I see from IBM.  IBM doesn’t care about SCO in fact
I wouldn't be surprise if they just don’t want to put SCO out of business
so they can get to buy there IP (copyrights/patents) for next to nothing.

IBM is getting this order to use ageist Microsoft, in fact I believe IBM
doesn’t want to sue Microsoft.  But do a deal with Microsoft so they
wouldn't be able to sue any one in open source if they infringe on
Microsoft patent.

Also I think attacking anyone in open source would be one of the worst PR
actions ever by Microsoft.  Don’t under estimate open source, it can not
be brought, it can not be owned, it is worth nothing, but it can if wants
to it can have endless amounts of cash.  As such open source is bigger
business then Microsoft by a factor of x.  How many of you would give £10
a month to support defending such actions?

Remember all those big media groups are using open source.  Now at the
moment they could be on the Microsoft side as they are making so much from
there adds.  But when find out Microsoft is suing open source and if
Microsoft win's they could have make large payout to them, hum could this
change.  Have you wondered why IBM never sues anyone for patent
infringement without some one trying to sue them first.

Now in UK which media business isn't worried about putting a bad slant
upon Microsoft, BBC.  Why do they give so much time to reporting security
problems in Windows.

Now are staring to understand why I made a big point about SCO getting
something which is nothing.  As they are not up to the job, they are now
trying to stall on this action.  That say that there software which looks
at code to see if they anything there isn't up to the job and it should be
done by humans as it would take years to complete.  It a sign they know
that they are going to lose this case and if they don't do anything to
stall this there going to go to the wall.

And that ends my lesion on, taking on IBM on just plan stupid 101.


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