[NCLUG] Breaking news! SCO is full of crap (big surprise)

jbass at dmsd.com jbass at dmsd.com
Tue Aug 19 17:47:21 MDT 2003


Daniel Miles <milesd at cs.colostate.edu> writes:
> I'm actually confused on one issue, maybe somebody can help me clear it
> up:
>
> As I understand the American legal system, SCO's claims of code-copying,
> bad clean-room practices etc. etc. are invalid until they are proven in
> court. Because no trial has yet taken place, the statis of those
> claims/accusations is pending.
>
> So, (as I understand it) if the result of the trial is that everything
> they're saying is true, they may charge those fees that they've been
> threatening. However, attempting to collect them *before* the issues are
> decided can be considered bad and possibly unlawful (harrassment) and
> people who recieved the threats/bills may have a legally significant
> beef with SCO even if it is later proven that they were correct in their
> allegations.

Someone breaks into your home and steals every thing of value, you as a buyer
know where they came from and that they are "stolen". To purchase them is
a crime even BEFORE the criminal is sentenced.

Similar theory applies to knowingly buying pirate music and DVD movies.

A bunch of Linux supporters would like to believe that the same doesn't
apply to stolen software code.

John



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