Tuesday, January 27, 2004

Wake up SCO, time to meet your nemesis!

Those who know their movies will recognise this entry's title as a misquote from the "Blade Runner" when Leon says: "Wake up Deckard! Time to die!".

So what's this entry all about then? Well you might have guessed by now that I'm not really very supportive of SCOs predatory and imflamatory tactics relating to its patent claims. By all means defend you intellectual property rights if you're legally allowed to, but at least do it with some humility in the face of the fact that patent claims are frequently never upheld in court, and until they are upheld in court your claims are just that - claims. Which also means that infringements are actually just alleged infringements. That means if you run around (like Geoworks did) trying to extract large somes of money from every customer who ever bought the product that you say infringes your patent, then it means there's quite a reasonable chance you're going to end up with egg in your face. Or in this case MyDoom.

Yes it seems that the MyDoom virus is set to target SCO and bring down their website on February 1st. Such revelations do bring out the worst in me so I can honestly say that it raised a little grin when I read it. Not because I think its a particularly clever way to get even (I'm suprised it didn't happen a long time ago), just that it is a fitting retribution for SCOs dirty tricks to date, a case of reaping what you sow if you like. Can you just imagine people at SCO waking up this morning, reading the news and saying to each other, "Why do they hate us?".

Well SCO, regardless of why they hate you, or indeed regardless of who "they" are*, it seems you are about to meet your nemesis. Don't know what a nemesis is? Well continuing with the movie quote theme I'll give you a definition of nemesis straight from "Snatch":

Nemesis: A righteous infliction of retribution manifested by an appropriate agent.

Don't know what a righteous infliction of retribution is? Well how about this quote from Ezekiel 25:17 given by Jules in "Pulp Fiction":

The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness. For he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you.

So watch out SCO, it looks like the shepherd is out to get you and rain some down some doom on your web site. I suggest you pick up the phone and dial 1-800-CALL-FBI while the phones are still working.

*See also my entry on why using Linux may one day be considered terrorism

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