Frequently Asked Questions about SCO System V for Linux

1.      Why is SCO creating the SCO System V for Linux product?

SCO has a large amount of intellectual property in its shared libraries that are required to run UNIX applications on top of Linux. We are simply asking vendors, developers, and customers who make use of these libraries to pay a reasonable software-licensing fee to SCO in order to use these libraries.

2.      What are these SCO shared libraries called?  How can they be identified?

In SCO OpenServer as an example, there is a directory named “/shlib” which stands for shared libraries. This is the directory that is copied into Linux and allows UNIX applications to then be run on Linux.  The directory may be called /shlib on Linux, but it can also appear as /emul/osr5.shlib.  UnixWare libraries, which are located in directories like /usr/lib and /lib in UnixWare, would be in similarly named directories under /emul/uw7.

The shared libraries that are most often used include those from UNIX SVR3 through UNIX SVR5. (In UNIX, “SVR” stands for “System Five Release.” Thus SVR3 stands for System Five Release 3 and so on).

3.      How long have SCO’s libraries been used on Linux systems?

SCO believes that these libraries have used within Linux dating back to as early as 1995.

4.      Why didn’t SCO make these libraries available before now?

The way the software licenses for UnixWare and OpenServer were written did not allow for these libraries to be uncoupled from the UNIX operating systems. Today, SCO is announcing we will open up these operating systems to legitimately allow companies to use these libraries without having to purchase the entire UnixWare or OpenServer operating system.

5.      Isn’t this really a scheme to get money out of other Linux companies?

It is the responsibility of SCO to its customers, shareholders and employees that we protect the software licenses, patents and copyrights that are maintained as part of our software. If we did not try to formalize the process for licensing our technology, we would be doing a great disservice to all of our stakeholders. 

6.      Are there other technologies that you plan to license to customers? 

Yes. In fact, we plan to create some additional value add on top of these software libraries that will tie into future technologies such as .NET, J2EE and Web services frameworks. All technologies from SCO will be licensed under SCOsource.

7.      How much will it cost for vendors or customers to license these technologies? 

The list price for a license to the SCO System V Libraries will be $149 for non-SCO Linux systems. The license covers the use of the libraries on a single processor Linux server.  Registered users of SCO Linux 4.0 can obtain the libraries without charge for use on their SCO Linux systems via the SCO Linux Update Service.  The next issue of the SCO Linux media kit will  contain the libraries  on  the value add CD.

8.      Won’t this financially hurt a lot of Linux companies that are using these libraries?

SCO isn’t forcing any Linux companies to use these libraries, but there are a great number that are telling customers how to use them or illegally copy them. With every copy of UnixWare and OpenServer that is distributed, SCO pays various royalties to companies that license their technology to us to make UnixWare and OpenServer great products. We’re simply asking other vendors and customers to operate under the same set of rules that we do.

9.      What penalties will apply to customers who do not wish to become compliant?

SCO will plan to take a normal course of action that most software companies use to combat software piracy via litigation.

10. How can customers know if they are running these SCO shared libraries within their network environment?

If customers are running UNIX applications on Linux in an Intel environment, there is a high likelihood that they are illegally using SCO’s shared libraries.

11. Won’t this move on the part of SCO ultimately help competitors of Linux such as Microsoft?

SCO wishes to see Linux succeed in the marketplace as a strong alternative to Microsoft. Customers come to SCO and other Linux companies because we offer them a better alternative, more flexible licensing, lower cost, greater reliability than Windows and a better business model. We hope that Linux market share continues to grow and flourish.

12. Won’t this make Linux a more expensive solution than previously thought if customers wish to use UNIX applications with Linux?

SCO is aware of many customers who moved from UNIX to Linux while using the same UNIX applications within their environment because the customer saw it as a substantial cost saving. Ultimately, many customers were pirating SCO’s libraries for use with Linux to try and gain the benefits of UNIX, without having to pay the UNIX price or to pay for new versions of the applications. With the introduction of SCOsource, Linux customers will have to pay SCO for the use of our software if they wish to run legacy UNIX applications on Linux. 

13. What are the alternatives for customers with SCO UNIX applications that they would like to run on Linux?

A customer wishing to running a UNIX application on Linux could try to purchase or develop that same application natively on Linux without requiring SCO’s libraries, but changing application formats could be a tenfold cost increase over licensing SCO’s libraries.

14. Does SCO intend to offer these SCO shared libraries as part of their Linux products in the near future?

Yes, SCO will include a license for the SCO shared libraries with SCO Linux.  We think this  is a major differentiator from the Linux versions that all other companies offer, and the Linux that comes from SCO.

15. Will SCO offer this same license pack to other Linux companies who wish to license it from SCO?

SCO will license these libraries to other Linux companies who wish to offer them to their customers.

16. If a customer is already using a copy of our libraries on Linux, do they need to reinstall the libraries after they obtain an SSVL license?

No, they do not have to reinstall the libraries.  The only legal requirement is that they purchase a license for each Linux processor that is using a copy of any of our libraries.  The SSVL product will consist of the latest versions of OpenServer and UnixWare libraries since these are backward compatible with all previous libraries.  However, if a customer already has installed an older version of our shared libraries they can continue to use that under the SSVL license.

17. How will the licensing of SCO’s shared libraries impact the company’s future earnings?

SCO can not comment on the affect that the licensing of these libraries could have on future earnings. Certainly the company will gain additional revenue from customers who are now using unlicensed copies of the libraries  and from future customers who wish to license this software.   SCO is a publicly traded company, and it would be improper for us to speculate on how much additional revenue could be realized from this development.