Friday, August 30, 2002

UNIX > Novell > SCO > Caldera > SCO = ? Playing musical chairs has one predictable result--only one player is left when the music stops for the last time. So what shall we make of the return of SCO? SCO (The Santa Cruz Operation) started in 1979. It's been a Santa Cruz institution for that long, long enough that I can remember wanting to work there long before I knew what UNIX was. . . is. It  had a nice little UNIX business, with a fun little annual gathering at UC Santa Cruz known as SCOForum. I attended twice as a freelance writer contracted by SCO World magazine. The second time (2000) it was clear that something was going on, but nobody knew what it was, did they Mr. Jones? SCO staff was talking up the professional services end of the biz, touting their expertise in writing custom drivers for whatever hardware or software. There was talk in the trenches that the smart move might be for SCO to release its own distribution of Linux, taking advantage of all the in-house intellectual prowess, marketing channels, goodwill and intellectual property. It made some sense. But Doug Michels, the CEO/house slob, said some ugly things about Linux, and about SCO being "positioned" for a comeback--biz-speak for "we're dead." What they weren't saying was they were on the verge of being bought by Caldera--the Linux company--and dropping the name SCO. So it's two years later, Caldera is struggling, and 90% of their business is still in UNIX! What to do? Move the annual gathering to Las Vegas and change the name back to SCO, of course! Here are the links to three articles in Linux Journal evaluating Caldera's move. The New SCO: Lessons for Linux in Business. It turns out that SCO was bigger than Caldera after all. What can we learn from a former "Linux company" whose UNIX business is 90+% non-Linux? [Linux Journal] Geeks on Bikes: The SCO Group/Caldera Product Development Plan. The second in a series of on-site reports from GeoFORUM. [Linux Journal] A Rose by Any Other Name--Is It Still the Same?. Reaction to the Caldera/The SCO Group announcement at GeoFORUM, Part 1. [Linux Journal] I for one am happy to see the name return, and wish them luck. It would be nice to see some of the old glory--such as it existed in Santa Cruz--return. 7:58:54 PM    Questions? Comments? Flames? []

Ever wonder about "lorem ipsum"? Being a literary sort of guy and not a little knowledgable about Latin, I certainly have. And since you can find anything and everything on the Web, here's the story:  "Lorem Ipsum" , courtesy a link from Daypop Top 40. Now you know as much as I do--at least about "lorem ipsum." 7:25:17 PM    Questions? Comments? Flames? []

Jay Leno says: "The reason there are two senators for each state is so that one can be the designated driver." [Quotes of the Day] Too bad neither of the Senators from Calfornia can see straight. 1:43:59 PM    Questions? Comments? Flames? []

Who said: "Somebody has to do something, and it's just incredibly pathetic that it has to be us." Answer: Jerry Garcia. [Quotes of the Day] 1:42:24 PM    Questions? Comments? Flames? []

Congressperson Farr responds Unlike the two Senators from the great state of California, my Representative, Sam Farr, actually answers his mail. This time he wrote in response to my suggestion that he vote against Tauzin-Dingell, H.R. 1542. Sam took my advice, and voted against the bill, unlike most of the House, which passed it 273-157. Tauzin-Dingell is the infamous act that frees the Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) from regulation, leaving them free to carry out monopoly abuse of their customers--us. From Sam Farr's letter: The Internet is no longer just a source of information for our children's geography reports; it now serves as an integral part of our businesses, our education, and our lives. All Americans should be able to participate in the worldwide online community. The state of California and the rest of the nation will thrive if companies are allowed to operate under marketplace conditions that encourage the greatest number of technologies and providers for consumers. Unfortunately, H.R. 1542 draws the blueprint for duopoly control of the networks, and that would be a terrible outcome for consumers everywhere. Be assured that I will continue to promote Internet access throughout the Central Coast and the nation. Sometimes I'm convinced that Sam gets it; other times--like when his friend Howard Berman wants to authorize vigilantism on the Net--I wonder. We'll have to discuss if he really means what he says. 1:35:56 PM    Questions? Comments? Flames? []

© Copyright 2002-2005 Fred Sampson. Last update: 5/21/05; 10:13:41 PM.