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SCO opens online IP store

Get clean on credit

The SCO Group has put up a convenient online shopping Web site where Linux users can scrub themselves clean in a jiffy.

SCO last week covertly launched the IP Licenses store, allowing "customers" to purchase the right to use versions of Linux allegedly infected with Unix System V code. This site apparently caters to those Linux users who have not already been probed by SCO and who feel safer paying up now rather than waiting for the SCO/IBM case to go to court.

At present, SCO still has the discounted $699 per processor rate going for a "Paid Up" IP license. Last year, SCO warned a single CPU license would end up costing users $1,399. A two CPU license costs $1,149, a four CPU license costs $2,499 and an eight CPU license costs $4,999. Any additional CPUs cost $749 each. Annual licenses are also available at discounted rates. What a bargain!

Desktop users can also scrub their systems clean for $199 a pop. Given SCO's central concern with Unix SMP code put into Linux, this price seems a tad high.

Visa, Mastercard, AmEx and even Discover cards are all accepted at the SCO IP Store. The company, however, is not offering refunds on purchases should the courts deny its claims. This begs the question: Why buy now?

Away from its online IP shop, SCO is still busy mailing letters to large Linux users. One source at NASA sent us a letter detailing how the space monkeys plan to deal with SCO's demands.

"Most of you have probably heard about the pending litigation between SCO and IBM. This was initiated by SCO alleging violation of intellectual property rights, one area of which is that certain versions of the Linux operating system violate SCO's rights in UNIX technology. SCO recently sent out a letter to approximately 3000 UNIX licensees, including our office, informing them of their claim. Code G is responding to SCO, simply acknowledging receipt of the letter. What we have been advised to do by Code G is identify any vendors from which we have purchased Linux licenses so that we can issue a letter to each vendor informing them of our receipt of the SCO letter.

At this point we do NOT need numbers of licenses or any purchase costs. We are just looking to identify who we purchased Linux licenses from. If you've purchased through a third party, please identify them in addition to the OEM.

Note: This action applies to licenses held by NASA. If your contractor has licenses in their name, then no need to report. However, if they are buying for NASA, and NASA holds the license, then they need to be reported."

The NASA team could surely pull its attention away from Mars for a few minutes to fill their SCO shopping basket full of IP goodies. ®

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