A group statement on SCO's actions

[Al Byers]

I agree that if it is just a letter signed by a bunch of geeks, SCO 
could probably care less.  But if the letter is associated with an event 
that draws media coverage (how about a huge signing party), then it 
might start making a difference.

We should not take the approach that we cannot make a difference. SCO 
has endangered our livelihood. If they did it in a straightforward 
manner it would just be competition, but they refuse to openly state 
their claim and are attacking Linux by innuendo. If they identified what 
the offending parts of Linux are, then the community and industry could 
make an assessment as to whether or not their claim would hold up in 
court, but they haven't. If we work hard to get public opinion on our 
side, it could make a difference.

Also, SCO makes most of their money off of large franchisees and 
companies that have multiple copies of Unix. If we were to organize a PR 
campaign in relation to those companies, perhaps SCO would pay attention 
then.

-Al

Steve Roundy wrote:

>I agree.  I don't think SCO could care less about the few of us who use
>Linux in Utah County.  Not that our feelings don't or shouldn't matter
>but the truth is that they don't matter to SCO.  So our statement would
>likely "fall on deaf ears".
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: pluglist-admin at plug.org [mailto:pluglist-admin at plug.org] On Behalf
>Of Mitch Anderson
>Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2003 2:46 PM
>To: pluglist at plug.org
>Subject: Re: A group statement on SCO's actions
>
>Personally, I don't really see the need for such a letter... I'm sure
>SCO has seen the reactions from the community.  Its all over every tech
>news feed I've seen.  Why continue what others have already done?  The
>OSI Position Paper I think sums most anything anyone could bring up. 
>Regardless I don't think any of it is going to change SCO's mind untill
>the court ruling.
>
>My .02 
>
>Mitch
>
>
>On Wed, 2003-05-21 at 08:37, Al Byers wrote:
>  
>
>>I floated a similar proposal to this in front of the PLUG list with
>>    
>>
>some 
>  
>
>>positive response. I think the Linux users in the area need to unite
>>    
>>
>and 
>  
>
>>make a statement about SCO's actions. With their agreement with 
>>Microsoft it makes them look legitimate and if there are not enough 
>>unified voices in opposition, it can only help their case. Utah Linux 
>>users should be the most vocal because we have the most to lose. Like 
>>all other Linux professionals, our access to Linux jobs and general 
>>interest in and enhancement of Linux will slacken if corporations take
>>    
>>
>
>  
>
>>SCO's bait and shy away from Linux. But more importantly, SCO's
>>    
>>
>actions 
>  
>
>>shame us as a community. Linux is an effort by hardworking programmers
>>    
>>
>
>  
>
>>to be free from control by proprietary vendors. In this regard, we are
>>    
>>
>
>  
>
>>not unlike the pioneers who settled this region. In my opinion, SCO is
>>    
>>
>
>  
>
>>hijaacking this hard work with spurious claims. It is time for us to
>>    
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>act 
>  
>
>>responsibly to send a message that we believe the SCO claims to be 
>>without merit and that this type of business activity does not
>>    
>>
>represent 
>  
>
>>the ethics of the majority in Utah.
>>
>>I would like to see a representative from each LUG get together to
>>    
>>
>draft 
>  
>
>>a unified statement that could be signed by members at the LUG
>>    
>>
>meetings. 
>  
>
>>Then I think we should have an event, website, etc. that will be 
>>press-worthy.
>>
>>I could use some help in forwarding this to other Utah LUGs.
>>
>>-Al
>>    
>>
>
>.===================================.
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>|      Don't Fear the Penguin.      |
>`==================================='
>
>.===================================.
>| This has been a P.L.U.G. mailing. |
>|      Don't Fear the Penguin.      |
>`==================================='
>
>
>  
>


-- 
Al Byers
Automation Groups Inc
777 S. State St.
Orem, UT 84058
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