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SCO Can't Sue Users
Under the U.S. Copyright Act (17 U.S.C.), the only entities that SCO can sue are those that violate their copy rights, i.e., those that copy and distribute infringed material. (See http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html Para 106).

Furthermore, it is NOT an infringement when a program is copied within a computer when that copying is an essential step in its use (See Para. 117 a).

Therefore, ordinary end-users are NOT infringers and SCO has no recourse except to pursue actual distributors like Red Hat, SuSE or companies that make copies of a Linux distribution for use on multiple computers.

SCO must also prove that the infringer actually has possession of infringing material, so they'll have to "show the code", plus they must prove that they are the rightful owners of that code. This would seem to be a showstopper for SCO since they have done everything possible in both the IBM and Red Hat actions to avoid doing so.

Lastly, because SCO themselves have distributed the disputed code under the GPL, the sole recourse left is to pursue the person(s) or company(ies) that actually copied "their" code into the Linux kernel. That leaves them right back where they started, trying to prove that the code that IBM (and others) wrote somehow belongs to SCO under their warped interpretation of derivative works.

SCO still can't put down their opium pipe. Now it seems, Boies, Flexner has taken a deep drag on the hookah; by accepting SCO stock as part of their contigency payments, they've exposed themselves to potential liability with the SEC should they make statements or act in such a way as to mislead investors in SCO stock.

SCO is full of bluster, false bravado and empty threats in their telephone conferences and press releases, but in court, their accusations will be shown completely lacking in substance and truth. Subsequently, IBM's countersuit will leave a radioactive crater where SCO once stood; hopefully, the fallout will include an SEC investigation into SCO's partners in greed.

SCO Caro Mortuum Erit!
Posted by: dgingras@...   Posted on: 11/19/03 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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shoot theyself in foot  lmaxwell | 11/18/03
re: shoot theyself in foot (if any feet left)  Still Lynn | 11/19/03
can't believe  stephen732@... | 11/19/03
Because it's funded by Microsoft Blood Money  brenthawkinsmd | 11/19/03
same same  lmaxwell | 11/18/03
p2p is a good example of this new culture  lmaxwell | 11/18/03
McBride is a socialist  RoyTyrellFl | 11/18/03
only m$  stephen732@... | 11/19/03
Small difference  Yagotta B. Kidding | 11/19/03
Re: Small difference  Chipper1963 | 11/19/03
Them Ambulance Chasing Lawyers  ddollinger | 11/20/03
This shill must really be dumb  zd-spam | 11/19/03
Dear backwoods capitalist *special* person  severance66 | 11/19/03
B.S.  blahblahblah | 11/19/03
Exactly right... it is BS  shawkins | 11/19/03
So tell me, did ya get that crap from Rush in Rehab?  dicktaurus@... | 11/19/03
more misconceptions  ryusen | 11/19/03
Driving the economy  Robert Hahn | 11/18/03
Bravo!  severance66 | 11/19/03
SCO Cannot Stop People From Giving Away...  RoyTyrellFl | 11/18/03
Sure they can!!  severance66 | 11/19/03
So Daqrl is a trust-fund-scum-kiddie as well! That explains some of his...  dicktaurus@... | 11/19/03
re: SCO Cannot Stop People From Giving Away...  Still Lynn | 11/19/03
$C0.die.die.die  warbirdnut | 11/18/03
No Good Deed goes unpunished  wilrisenhoover@... | 11/18/03
Agreed  severance66 | 11/19/03
They should be arrested  Antagonist | 11/20/03
SCO has limited respect for other copyrights...  B.O.F.H. | 11/18/03
No I didn't  NemesisNL | 11/18/03
No excuse for idiocy (unless your name is Darl McBride)  severance66 | 11/19/03
Aren't they two separate cases  voska | 11/19/03
basically  ryusen | 11/19/03
SCO Can't Sue Users  dgingras@... | 11/19/03
NT: VERY WELL PUT!!!  Antagonist | 11/20/03
Somebody ask him..  spinit | 11/18/03
Somebody DID ask and Chris Sontag replied...  Still Lynn | 11/19/03
Darl is a lying thief!  spinit | 11/19/03
SAMBA is GPL  Yagotta B. Kidding | 11/19/03
What option do they have ?  Scarlett_mftdt | 11/19/03
Your right  severance66 | 11/19/03
You're right, but Darl's wrong  Still Lynn | 11/19/03
Come on SCO, we support you!  pa2004 | 11/19/03
Doesn't Matter the side of the Zealot  nucrash | 11/19/03
Who's this "WE" white man!?!  Laff | 11/19/03
Piss off TROLL!  Antagonist | 11/20/03
I smell a Beast  seasidetribe | 11/19/03
You must mean Sun don't you?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
Sun to be trusted???  nucrash | 11/19/03
Nah, he meant M$. You ARE still an M$ employee, right, Bit/ _AX/ whatever?  dicktaurus@... | 11/19/03
both  Arrg | 11/19/03
SUN Micro is playing both sides  B.O.F.H. | 11/19/03
With the biggest rollout of Linux on the line......  Jose Jimenez | 11/19/03
Are you so very certain...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
bitty slips and tells the truth  zd-spam | 11/19/03
Unlike yourself, I admit when I don't know.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
of course,  ryusen | 11/19/03
Come ONNNNNN!!  Mack DaNife | 11/19/03
Do a little reading...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
SCO's licencing is per processor  B.O.F.H. | 11/19/03
Not to worry, it's almost time to call.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
Too soon or too late???  nucrash | 11/19/03
Amen....  Patrick Jones | 11/19/03
Don't count your chickens...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
One thousand two-hundred and sixty-two  Patrick Jones | 11/19/03
I agree about getting it resolved.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
Tell that to my wife  Patrick Jones | 11/19/03
I think it depends on how much money is involved.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
More FUD, Bit/AX? Oops! Forgot, you're a paid $hill...  dicktaurus@... | 11/19/03
Do you have an opinion or are you just ranting..  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
All just a game to you  Jose Jimenez | 11/19/03
You need to read the thread.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
You mean your post that was DELETED? LOL... funny and phony, you are...  dicktaurus@... | 11/19/03
First  Yagotta B. Kidding | 11/19/03
I agree Yaggota, not ready for a jury.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
That leaves you out  Mack DaNife | 11/19/03
Huh, how so...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
And after that...  B.O.F.H. | 11/19/03
WE already know where WE stand. Do YOU?  dicktaurus@... | 11/19/03
Message has been deleted.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
Message has been deleted.  Jose Jimenez | 11/19/03
Message has been deleted.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
Message has been deleted.  Jose Jimenez | 11/19/03
Message has been deleted.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
Message has been deleted.  Jose Jimenez | 11/19/03
Message has been deleted.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
Message has been deleted.  Jose Jimenez | 11/19/03
Message has been deleted.  B.O.F.H. | 11/19/03
Message has been deleted.  ryusen | 11/19/03
Hoping this doesn't get "deleted"  bgoss@... | 11/19/03
Judicical perspective is needed !  Chris.Papoudaris@... | 11/19/03
McBride doesn't have a clue  MarcB_z | 11/19/03
SCO LIES  MarcB_z | 11/19/03
Another nail in the Linsux coffin  Loverock Davidson | 11/19/03
Davidson...you're lost!  Tim Patterson | 11/19/03
But now I'm found  Loverock Davidson | 11/19/03
BSD is not safe!  B.O.F.H. | 11/19/03
Petrock, the half-arsed are always half-wrong.  dicktaurus@... | 11/19/03
*SMOOCH*  Loverock Davidson | 11/19/03
i doubt they will hit windows  ryusen | 11/19/03
Joke  Bill4 | 11/19/03
No Joke  Loverock Davidson | 11/19/03
This is what you're rooting for?  IT_User | 11/19/03
You just won 1st place for leading id10t M$ shill  zd-spam | 11/19/03
OMG YOUR SPELLING IS 1337  Loverock Davidson | 11/19/03
ZD, are you saying...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
Don't worry, Bit, I still think you're the #1 $hill!. And, no, it takes...  dicktaurus@... | 11/19/03
Mike Cox you ain't  Yagotta B. Kidding | 11/19/03
And not trying to be  Loverock Davidson | 11/19/03
Why?  bgoss@... | 11/19/03
I guess the Mafia has finally gone legit.....  Sceptical Observer | 11/19/03
just branching out  Hanover Phist | 11/19/03
Lawsuits are fought in court right?  blahblahblah | 11/19/03
SCO is now going after BSD  Tim Patterson | 11/19/03
... and MS ... and Apple ... and ?  George Mitchell | 11/19/03
Many would agree about "obliterated" (small tactical nuke would do), but...  dicktaurus@... | 11/19/03
SCO continuing with their planned suicide - GO SCO!  George Mitchell | 11/19/03
It's all a marketing trick  Arrg | 11/19/03
Zoot Suit vs Law Suit  bjornafreeman@... | 11/19/03
SCO admit they are destroying themselves  jellyclock | 11/19/03
don't be so sure  dg mh | 11/19/03
Huh???  bgoss@... | 11/19/03
How can they do this...  BitTwiddler | 11/19/03
Well the massive Linux user demostrations will  FilledOut | 11/19/03
Meanwhile on the home front  zd-spam | 11/19/03
17USC  Yagotta B. Kidding | 11/19/03
They know they don't have a copyright case.  Jose Jimenez | 11/19/03
But this new copyright suit won't be against IBM  Zogg | 11/19/03
That's good to hear  Arrg | 11/19/03
Does it really matter?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 11/19/03
wow, nice post  ryusen | 11/19/03
Interesting Don  bgoss@... | 11/19/03
Nice business you're running here....  DogBert_z | 11/19/03
SCO and Linux....  Laff | 11/19/03
The SCO has to move its headquarters to a MENTAL HOSPITAL.  Vily Clay | 11/19/03
SCO: The Embodiment of GREED  swbobcat | 11/19/03
Another Example of the State of Business Ethics  tspettel | 11/20/03
Make me pay Please! Make Supporting Open Source Profitable.  DeanMontana | 11/19/03
Problem  fallison@... | 11/20/03
In other news  Arrg | 11/20/03
New Business Model: Sue the end users  irjeremy@... | 03/01/04

What do you think?

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