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Wonderful ironies, just days after SCO sends off it’s letters warning doom and gloom for the US economy if Open Source is not outlawed, the USPTO announces that it is considering switching a substantial part of its infrastructure to Linux and Java solutions from IBM when the current contract expires this year.
“U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officials are looking toward Linux and Java technologies as they begin planning for a comprehensive new information technology and telecommunications services contract.”
Of course as I said this follows right on the heels of SCO sending letters to all members of Congress and various other government VIP’s demonizing OSS as the downfall of the US economy, way of life, and an undefendable security risk. Heck OSS even poisoned the apple pies…
SCO’s folks seem to read news backwards and upside down
“‘With dozens of countries considering regulating the use of open-source, SCO believes it’s ‘only a matter of time before others in our country would put legislation on the table around open-source software,’ said Stowell.”
When I first read it I thought, well yes, that’s pretty much true, except I don’t think it needs to be legislated, it will happen on it’s own. Then I remembered who was speaking. Stowell actually believes that there will be legislation against using OSS. All the legislation I know of is towards giving OSS a minimum of an equal opportunity to be considered in government systems. I am not aware of a single case where there is legislation against using OSS.
The good news is the more mainstream press is getting it – in describing Linux Computerworld had this to say:
“The most powerful software company in the world would love to kill it off. The most ridiculous software company in the world can’t stop suing over it.”