Mitigating Risk on Your Technology Investment
Recently the origin of some of the code for the Linux Operating System Kernel has come into question. The SCO Group based in Lindon, Utah has filled suit against IBM for $3 Billion in damages due to Intellectual Property infringement. SCO has since then created a license for corporations that would license the use of the code, but for a fee of $199 per desktop and introductory price of $699 per processor on a server. This is a steep price to pay for a “Free Operating System”. SCO’s CEO, Darl McBride said businesses that continue using Linux without a SCO license can expect legal action. "We're absolutely, 100 percent going to fight for our intellectual property rights," he said. "If we don't get there with licensing, we will have to move to enforcement actions."
It is important to note that this litigation may take years to resolve and even if SCO does not prevail, the very fact that these Intellectual Property issues exist at all should cause any corporation to consider its use with extreme caution.
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