Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2010/06/11/sco_novell/
Linux wins the SCO vs Novell case
Six-year battle won by lawyers, and Novell
By John Oates
Posted in Software, 11th June 2010 08:09 GMT
The six-year-long Novell-SCO case is over - the judge ruled that Novell did indeed own Unix patents copyrights which SCO failed to license properly and therefore the case is closed.
Of course this case has closed before, but this really does seem like the end of the line.
Judge Ted Stewart said: "The jury could have rejected the testimony of SCO's witnesses for a number of reasons, including their lack of involvement in drafting the APA, the fact that there was little testimony on any actual discussions concerning the transfer of copyrights, or that many of the witnesses had a financial interest in the litigation."
SCO became little more than a source of lawyers' letters and was seen by many as the arch nemesis to the development of Linux.
There are other cases pending, including one against IBM, but they depended on the outcome of the Novell litigation.
The case began in 2004 over a transfer agreement made in 1995.
And finally, thanks to Groklaw, its volunteers and Pamela Jones, whose tireless efforts to follow and explain the twists and turns of this case showed what an obsessive compulsive with a blog can do and helped make the case understandable for those of us happy enough not to be lawyers. ®
Related stories
-
SCO trading suspended in US
(6 April 2011)
https://www.theregister.com/2011/04/06/sco_trading_suspended/
-
SCO gets sale approval
(1 September 2010)
https://www.theregister.com/2010/09/01/sco_sale_approved/
-
SCO rises from the dead (again)
(8 July 2010)
https://www.theregister.com/2010/07/08/sco_appeals_again/
-
SCO: jurors too busy Facebooking to rule on Unix claim
(29 April 2010)
https://www.theregister.com/2010/04/29/sco_judge_trial_jury/
-
Novell (not SCO) owns UNIX, says jury
(30 March 2010)
https://www.theregister.com/2010/03/30/jury_rules_novell_own_unix/
-
SCO's Linux litigation architect angles for SCO's mobile biz
(1 March 2010)
https://www.theregister.com/2010/03/01/sco_mcbride_to_buy_mobile_assets/
-
Jobs go at Novell
(4 November 2009)
https://www.theregister.com/2009/11/04/novell_job_cuts/
-
SCO boots boss McBride
(19 October 2009)
https://www.theregister.com/2009/10/19/sco_mcbride_removed/
-
New trial means Unix ownership still up for debate
(25 August 2009)
https://www.theregister.com/2009/08/25/unix_sco_judge_reversal/
-
SCO sale blocked by court
(6 August 2009)
https://www.theregister.com/2009/08/06/sco_sale_stopped/
-
SCO's lifesaver 'profited from Iraq war'
(24 June 2009)
https://www.theregister.com/2009/06/24/sco_merchantbridge_iraq/
-
SCO inks last-second life-saving Unix pact
(16 June 2009)
https://www.theregister.com/2009/06/16/sco_finds_investor_before_chapter_7_bankruptcy_hearing/
-
SCO threatened with Chapter 7 destruction
(6 May 2009)
https://www.theregister.com/2009/05/06/us_bankruptcy_trustee_chapter_7_request/
-
SCO boss to customers: 'Blah. Blah. Blah'
(5 February 2009)
https://www.theregister.com/2009/02/05/sco_blah_blah_blah/
-
SCO auctions Unix and mobile assets to continue fight
(13 January 2009)
https://www.theregister.com/2009/01/13/sco_auction/
-
SCO ordered to pay Novell $2.5m in Unix royalties (again)
(24 November 2008)
https://www.theregister.com/2008/11/24/sco_novell_final_judgement/
-
SCO details bleak future
(6 February 2008)
https://www.theregister.com/2008/02/06/sco_annual/
-
More woe for SCO as Nasdaq says 'go'
(31 December 2007)
https://www.theregister.com/2007/12/31/sco_nasdaq_bye/
-
Novell vs SCO will go to court after all
(28 November 2007)
https://www.theregister.com/2007/11/28/novell_sco_to_court/
-
SCO files for US bankruptcy protection
(14 September 2007)
https://www.theregister.com/2007/09/14/sco_bankruptcy_protection/
-
Novell won't pull a SCO
(16 August 2007)
https://www.theregister.com/2007/08/16/novell_wont_pull_a_sco/
-
SCO 'disappointed' as shares plunge 70 per cent
(13 August 2007)
https://www.theregister.com/2007/08/13/sco_responds_novell/
-
SCO tries to grok Pamela Jones (again)
(5 April 2007)
https://www.theregister.com/2007/04/05/sco_groklaw/
-
SCO faces new setback in IBM case
(19 January 2007)
https://www.theregister.com/2007/01/19/sco_setback/
-
SCO punts on Novell bankruptcy claim
(17 January 2007)
https://www.theregister.com/2007/01/17/sco_assets/
-
Bell tolls for SCO, Novell claims
(10 January 2007)
https://www.theregister.com/2007/01/10/sco_bankruptcy_allegation/
-
Why the Novell and Microsoft deal is good for Linux
(2 January 2007)
https://www.theregister.com/2007/01/02/novell_microsoft_deal/
-
Microsoft and Novell: Bambi meets Godzilla?
(29 November 2006)
https://www.theregister.com/2006/11/29/ms_novell_deal_comment/
-
NewSCO broadens case against Novell
(6 January 2006)
https://www.theregister.com/2006/01/06/sco_novell_filing/
-
SCO lodges 'infringing' code with court
(1 November 2005)
https://www.theregister.com/2005/11/01/sco_files_code/
-
SCO's Unix and IP revenue dwindles
(8 September 2005)
https://www.theregister.com/2005/09/08/sco_q3_dips/
-
Novell axes European staff
(2 August 2005)
https://www.theregister.com/2005/08/02/novell_cuts_emea/
-
Novell moves for sudden death in SCO case
(2 August 2005)
https://www.theregister.com/2005/08/02/novell_sco/
-
SCO moves to limit Smoking Gun Memo damage
(15 July 2005)
https://www.theregister.com/2005/07/15/sco_no_smoking_gun/
-
SCO knew Linux doesn't infringe - memo
(15 July 2005)
https://www.theregister.com/2005/07/15/sco_knew/
-
SCO, Groklaw and the Monterey mystery that never was
(30 April 2005)
https://www.theregister.com/2005/04/30/groklaw_monterey_mystery/
-
SCO makes Unix revenue disappear in Q1
(14 April 2005)
https://www.theregister.com/2005/04/14/sco_q1_05/
-
SCO settles boardroom dispute with Canopy
(14 March 2005)
https://www.theregister.com/2005/03/14/sco_execs_settle/
-
SCO faces ejection from Nasdaq
(17 February 2005)
https://www.theregister.com/2005/02/17/sco_nasdaq_delist/
-
SCO parent sued by former execs
(31 January 2005)
https://www.theregister.com/2005/01/31/canopy_sued/
-
SCO not sure pro-SCO site is a good idea
(2 November 2004)
https://www.theregister.com/2004/11/02/sco_site_onhold/
-
Novell to defend against open source IP attack
(13 October 2004)
https://www.theregister.com/2004/10/13/novell_oss_patent_defence/
-
SCO's profit turns to loss as Q3 revenue tumbles
(31 August 2004)
https://www.theregister.com/2004/08/31/sco_q3_revenue_tumbles/
-
Bank bails out of SCO
(7 May 2004)
https://www.theregister.com/2004/05/07/bank_sells_sco_stock/
-
SCO case doesn't slow Linux take-up
(21 April 2004)
https://www.theregister.com/2004/04/21/big_linux_debate/
-
SCO vs. IBM vs. SCO: Is the end in sight?
(31 March 2004)
https://www.theregister.com/2004/03/31/sco_vs_ibm_vs_sco/
-
SCO shares keep on sliding
(11 March 2004)
https://www.theregister.com/2004/03/11/sco_shares_keep_on_sliding/
-
'We're just like the RIAA,' says SCO
(4 March 2004)
https://www.theregister.com/2004/03/04/were_just_like_the_riaa/
-
SCO takes Linux-loving auto industry to court
(3 March 2004)
https://www.theregister.com/2004/03/03/sco_takes_linuxloving_auto_industry/
-
SCO ‘customer’ admits to IP license purchase
(1 March 2004)
https://www.theregister.com/2004/03/01/sco_customer_admits_to_ip/
-
SCO abandons trade secret attack on IBM
(7 February 2004)
https://www.theregister.com/2004/02/07/sco_abandons_trade_secret_attack/
-
SCO sues Novell – retaliation expected
(20 January 2004)
https://www.theregister.com/2004/01/20/sco_sues_novell_retaliation_expected/
-
SCO says it's time for Linux users to pay up
(21 July 2003)
https://www.theregister.com/2003/07/21/sco_says_its_time/
-
SCO's Second Amendment rebuffs Novell Unix claim
(6 June 2003)
https://www.theregister.com/2003/06/06/scos_second_amendment_rebuffs_novell/
-
SCO sues IBM for $1 billion for ‘devaluing Unix’
(7 March 2003)
https://www.theregister.com/2003/03/07/sco_sues_ibm/