Red Hat Fights Back

By Bill Claybrook
http://aberdeen.com/ab_company/bios/claybrook.htm

August 5, 2003

In July, I predicted that it was only a matter of time until a Linux supplier would sue SCO (July 29 Weblog, “Elusive IP, Watch Out!”). Well, Red Hat has finally done it, filing suit this week against SCO for alleged “unfair and deceptive” business tactics.

This was bound to happen because SCO, with its suit against IBM [ http://www.aberdeen.com/ab_abstracts/2003/06/06030008.htm ], is trying to destroy the Linux business and thwart companies like Red Hat [ http://www.aberdeen.com/ab_abstracts/2002/12/12022968.htm ] that are distributing Linux. SCO has been blackmailing [ http://www.aberdeen.com/ab_abstracts/2003/06/06030020.htm ] end users, trying to coerce them into buying a UnixWare 7 license that would serve only to protect them from the wrath of SCO. And they are doing this, in my opinion, without a shred of evidence [ http://www.aberdeen.com/ab_company/hottopics/askanalyst/claybrook061603.htm ].

Red Hat has set up a $1 million fund that it hopes other companies will contribute to in order to fight SCO. Red Hat has more cash than most of the smaller Linux-based companies. If other companies donate money, and some likely will, I would like to see one serious counter suit filed against SCO, rather than several lawsuits by vendors who really cannot afford to go it alone.

3:00 ET

Copyright 2003