[oclug] Case Closed

[Rod Giffin]

To be totally honest, I wish LUGS, other Open Source advocates had keept
their noses out of this.

Basically it originated as a contract dispute over intellectual property
rights between SCO and IBM. It should have stayed a contract dispute
between SCO and IBM and the only reason it didn't was because of FUD,
statements, and actions by the LUGS, Open Source advocates et al.

I've spent the better part of the last 14 days examining kernel sources
and modules.  I can tell you there is an enormous number of files which
have IBM banners in the copyright - yes numbering perhaps in the hundreds.
 I can't tell if those same files are based or derived on anything. 
Without knowing what intellectual property and knowledge passed into IBM's
hands, it is _impossible_ for anybody to say whether or not SCO's claim
has any validity _OR_ not.  So, anything said by us is simply FUD in our
own right.

Certainly SCO/Caldera has not been a Linux or Open Source poster child,
but for that matter, neither has IBM.  IBM is, just in case you hadn't
considered it or the ramifications of such an organization playing in the
Linux space, the world's largest holder of proprietary intellectual
property - they hold more patents and copyrights than the 10 next biggest
players in the US market.

I'm not saying they're unfriendly towards Linux.  I'm not even saying we
should take up SCO's banner.  I'm just saying that this issue should have
been left as a simple contract dispute between SCO and IBM.  SCO and IBM
are the experts in their respective IP holdings, not us.

If you want my opinion of what OCLUG's stance should be, or what any LUG
should be doing, it's keeping out of the arguement.   Also, for what it's
worth, my opinion is that anybody who makes a statement that they
represent "OCLUG" in this case, without taking a vote of the membership is
misrepresenting themselves.  Speak for yourself, you don't speak for me.

Rod.