[P1] OT: Unix code lawsuits

[david]

On Thursday, June 19, 2003, at 01:26  PM, Mark Winter wrote:

> Folks;
>
> Does anyone know what's the story behind the lawsuits against IBM and 
> Apple in regards to the Unix code?

The Apple lawsuit and the IBM lawsuit are two different animals. Apple 
uses the word Unix many times in its advertising and descriptions of OS 
X. The term Unix is protected by trademark and Apple hasn't payed up to 
be permitted to use the term according to the Open Unix Group. Apple 
contends that their use of the term Unix is completely proper.

The IBM case involves a question of improper code useage. SCO contends 
that IBM uses code in their version of Unix that they don't have the 
right to use. IBM contends that they own the license to use that code 
and the fact that SCO bought the company that licensed them the 
original rights doesn't negate the license.

Both are sleazeball lawsuits and will make tons of money for lawyers. 
The Apple case is thoroughly unimportant but the IBM case has far 
reaching consequences for open source if SCO wins.

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Good qualities are easier to destroy than bad ones, and therefore
uniformity is most easily achieved by lowering all standards.
  ~~ Bertrand Russell

David