[Am-info] CNET: Microsoft to license SCO's Unix code

[Roy Bixler]

On Mon, May 19, 2003 at 07:40:02PM -0700, Mitch Stone wrote:
> I'm thinking of an episode from not that long ago. Microsoft was forced 
> to release SCO from an onerous license agreement that required them to 
> carry Microsoft code in SCO Unix and pay Microsoft a license fee even 
> though SCO had been trying for years to jettison the code.

Ah, I think I found a cite for this:

http://www.hri.org/news/europe/midex/97-11-24.midex.html

It indicates the timeframe for this is late 1997.

> The 
> settlement such as it was came as a result of a European Union 
> decision, but what I don't know is if SCO had also sued Microsoft 
> civilly over this issue. If they did, this could be the legal 
> settlement.

If they did file suit, given how slowly the legal system works, it's
possible that they have only now arrived at a settlement.  Still, the
timing of it seems awfully fortuitous for both SCO/Caldera and
Microsoft.  "Oh, please don't throw me in that there briar patch!"

> The model for this is Microsoft's 1997 investment in Apple 
> -- a deal which to this day most people do not understand had nothing 
> to do with Microsoft's desire to be nice to Apple or invest in the 
> future of the company.

It is ironic that perhaps SCO and definitely Caldera were recently in
court against Microsoft.  Aside from possible lawsuit seattlement, I
would say that now Microsoft has another more strategic reason to
invest in SCO/Caldera.  They can use SCO/Caldera's lawsuit against IBM
as ammunition against open source software.

R.