By the way, we still use the "forgotten" DOS because it's the quickest wa=
y
how to write some support programs for developing an application.

Igor

-----Original Message-----
From: pic microcontroller discussion list [mailto:PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU]=
On
Behalf Of Mike Singer
Sent: Saturday, May 24, 2003 10:34 PM
To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: [PIC]: "PIC-killer" is coming.


Marc Nicholas Geekythings Inc., UNIX, Database, Security
and Networking Consulting wrote:

> With a PIC, you can buy a single unit AND get the
> functionality you need. You don't have to drop $25,000
> for a CPU core, $5000 for a async core...

When MS gets involved in a business, things changed.
Where are all the simple Operating Systems now?

Significant symptom:
From
http://www.sco.com/scosource/letter_to_linux_customers.html

-------------------------------------------
Dear commercial Linux user:

SCO holds the rights to the UNIX operating system software originally
licensed by AT&T to approximately 6,000 companies and institutions
worldwide (the =93UNIX Licenses=94). The vast majority of UNIX software u=
sed
in enterprise applications today is a derivative work of the software
originally distributed under our UNIX Licenses. Like you, we have an
obligation to our shareholders to protect our intellectual property and
other valuable rights.

In recent years, a UNIX-like operating system has emerged and has been
distributed in the enterprise marketplace by various software vendors.
This system is called Linux. We believe that Linux is, in material part,
an unauthorized derivative of UNIX.

As you may know, the development process for Linux has differed
substantially from the development process for other enterprise
operating systems. Commercial software is built by carefully selected
and screened teams of programmers working to build proprietary, secure
software. This process is designed to monitor the security and ownership
of intellectual property rights associated with the code.

By contrast, much of Linux has been built from contributions by numerous
unrelated and unknown software developers, each contributing a small
section of code. There is no mechanism inherent in the Linux development
process to assure that intellectual property rights, confidentiality or
security are protected. The Linux process does not prevent inclusion of
code that has been stolen outright, or developed by improper use of
proprietary methods and concepts.

Many Linux contributors were originally UNIX developers who had access
to UNIX source code distributed by AT&T and were subject to
confidentiality agreements, including confidentiality of the methods and
concepts involved in software design. We have evidence that portions of
UNIX System V software code have been copied into Linux and that
additional other portions of UNIX System V software code have been
modified and copied into Linux, seemingly for the purposes of
obfuscating their original source.

As a consequence of Linux=92s unrestricted authoring process, it is not
surprising that Linux distributors do not warrant the legal integrity of
the Linux code provided to customers. Therefore legal liability that may
arise from the Linux development process may also rest with the end
user.

We believe that Linux infringes on our UNIX intellectual property and
other rights. We intend to aggressively protect and enforce these
rights. Consistent with this effort, on March 7, we initiated legal
action against IBM for alleged unfair competition and breach of contract
with respect to our UNIX rights. This case is pending in Utah Federal
District Court. As you are aware, this case has been widely reported and
commented upon in the press. If you would like additional information, a
copy of the complaint and response may be viewed at our web site at
www.sco.com/scosource.
...
-------------------------------------------------


Mike.

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http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different
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