This is purely hypothetical, but even IF SCO would
somehow miraculously win this case...

Exactly HOW does Darl/SCO expect to collect licensing
fees from the likes of CHINA, Germany, UK and basically
every 'other' country and government in the world?
Last time I checked, crying and begging wasn't productive.

WHEN SCO goes bankrupt after losing, don't be surprised
to see Microsoft buy (directly or through proxy) the
remaining assets of SCO, and continue to appeal this case
until they win. As we all know, it IS standard procedure
for MS to appeal continuously until they do win.
(Whether they play the part of plaintiff or defendant)

Basically it will be a battle to see who runs out of money first, SCO/Microsoft or IBM & Novel.

Maybe we need to get everyone on earth who has ever been
victimized by Microsoft's poor programming abilities
to collectively launch a class action suit against MS to
get compensation. Idea behind this being to occupy MS
financially and legally and give them their own problems
to worry about, so that they don't have the time or resources to fund SCO's futile attack.

I REALLY HOPE SCO LEAVES A VICIOUSLY BAD TASTE
IN MICROSOFT'S MOUTH.

There is no such thing as "negative publicity"!

Darls ass will be on sale on Ebay very soon, we are all going to get to share him around, his ass will be open & on the GPL by the time we're finished him.

Time to start puttin on that lipstick Darl baby.

Sorry but you missundrestand, SCO is gonna get very damaged out of this little attempt at reigning in the Pirana!

Don't you worry about Linux too much. the mascot should've been a Pirana, not a penguin, SCO is a DEAD man walking.

Nathan, your original letter proceeded from a false assumption: that Darl McBride was a "reasonable man". Darl's behaviour has been, at its best, contemptible.

No, the time for truce has long since passed.

Censer TSG esse delendam.

You mean you were serious with the 'truce' offer? I thought it was more like a list of all the problems we have with SCO while trying to make the Linux community look like the rational one.

The terms of your truce are utter surrender from SCO's point of view, why surrender when they can be delusional?

> The image of Linux is being harmed even though we have the facts on our side.

Maybe now. But once SCO is just a distant memory, Linux will be the word people will remember. So, thanks SCO. Nice PR for Linux.

Dear Mr. Hand,

First of all, i don't see why you can offer a truce.

If the truce offer is your personal truce with Darl McBride, don't post it here. If it's a truce on behalf of every Linux user out there, how can you claim to be the leader to propose this ? Did you contact other Linux users about the proposal ?

Furthermore, your logic in your continued letter is flawed.

"I'd like to remind everybody that The SCO Group is not in litigation with the Linux community."

Technically true, but not for long. SCO has made it very clear they will sue Linux users (the community).

"A truce between The SCO Group and the Linux community doesn't affect those lawsuits in any way!"

By offering a truce you deliver a weapon to Darl McBride to show how strong their case is (at least he thinks it is). In that respect, it might affect the lawsuits.

"I'd also point out that in a war of words there is no winner; there are only losers"

That would mean you can't win an argument on words ?

"The image of Linux is being harmed even though we have the facts on our side. The general media doesn't care about the facts, they care about the controversy. The SCO vs IBM lawsuit doesn't even begin for another 14 months. Although I'm certain The SCO Group will be defeated, should we suffer 14 more months of negative publicity?"

Yes, we should. The harm being done to Linux is short-term. Because of the headlines Linux makes, it will gain.
And yes, the general media are only interested in the controversy. So ?

"My proposed truce would put an end to the negative publicity now. It brings The SCO Group into compliance with the General Public License now. It removes all the fear, uncertainty and doubt surrounding the legal status of Linux now. IBM, Novell and Red Hat can pick over the bloody carcass of The SCO Group in 14 months or more, but I want an end to the war of words now."

Now that's some fantasy. SCO has nothing to lose. They will go bankrupt without the licensing, or they will go bankrupt over the lawsuits. In Darl's universe, they might even win and be the new Microsoft. Why would he accept a truce ?

If this case has such devastating effects on you, maybe it is better to take a step back and look at it again. Let's be realistic, it is nothing more then a soap. Playing the US legal system any way it can, bringing in any law that could even remotely be beneficial.

There is only one thing we can do. FIGHT. Because Linux is anything but weak.

Why would SCO want to call a truce? What is in it for them? The more they spread FUD, the more chance they have of muddying the waters and perhaps they will win even when confronted with the facts. And if they do win, it'll be a big payday indeed.

For the linux community to ask for a truce, we must be willing to give something up. I don't know about you, but I don't think the linux community HAS anything to give up to offer for a truce.

Sure darell mcbride will give you a TRUCE. Pay up the $699 for a linux license sucker and youll have it. And darell can laugh all the way to the bank. For the rest of us Free software and linux users/developers we: "Gotta Fight for our Right to Party".

True, the war SCO is mounting is, legally, only bound to RH, IBM, and Novell, but philosophically it is against Linux in general. There will be no truce--SCO is dying because of Linux, and it wants to go down fighting. I don't think this war is hurting Linux, not in the short term nor in the long term. This war has yet to cut heavily into Linux adoption. In fact, it's only bringing Linux a lot of press. I think most people know SCO is bluffing, but now they hear about Linux all the time and they're curious what all the fighting is about. In the end, once SCO is dead and buried, I believe we'll find that what didn't kill Linux only made it stronger.

I think Mr. hand's reasoning and hope makes no sense based on the following reasoning and history.

Does he equally think that blacks in the USA in 1900's would (or did) get any sane or cooperative response from the KluKlux clan and segregationists with an appeal for reason and not to be hateful.

Linux (sic), or correctly GNU/Linux will or will not be harmed, irrespective of SCO's hopeful attitude transition,
simply because no "perfect attitude and behavior" from members of "the GNU/Linux Community" or anyone else can sway those who for whatever (ridiculous) reasons dont support the Open Source/Free Software community of concept.

Although SCO is not 'currently' litigating against Linux
users, they ARE threatening to litigate against Linux users.

Basically put, if Linux users that SCO can identify don't
voluntarliy cough up licensing fees to SCO, they WILL
litigate against individuals in the community. Although the
are not attacking the community as a collective whole, they
pretty much ARE attacking or threatening to attack
individuals in the community.

A slap in the face to ANYONE in the community for 'THIS'
reason, is a slap in the face to the WHOLE community!!!!!!

"WHEN" SCO finally closes it's doors after bankruptcy,
I reeeeally hope Darl McBride has a hell of a time finding
a job anywhere else. I bet McDonald's wouldn't even touch
him with a 10 foot pole to cook burgers.

...Hey Darl, you 'puppet'... Pull your tiny little head
out of Bill Gates' ass and BITE ME!!!!!

(Sorry for the language LinuxWorld!)

At Comdex on November 18, 1993, McBride stated that SCO would target Linux users in legal proceedings within 90 days--that gives McBride until Wednesday to begin legal proceedings.