The recent passing of Darl McBride, former CEO of SCO Group, has sparked significant discussion in the tech community about one of the most contentious chapters in Linux history. While his death on September 16, 2024, initially went largely unnoticed, it has reignited conversations about the infamous SCO-Linux disputes and their lasting impact on the open-source world.
The Rise and Fall of SCO Under McBride
Before the controversial lawsuits, SCO was actually a respected company with valuable products. Community members recall that SCO OpenServer and UnixWare were robust solutions that powered thousands of point-of-sale systems and restaurants. The company had built a strong network of Value-Added Resellers (VARs) who made their living supporting these products. However, under McBride's leadership, the company pivoted from product development to litigation, ultimately leading to its downfall.
Microsoft's Role and Industry Impact
A significant point of discussion in the community centers around Microsoft's involvement in the SCO saga. Microsoft's decision to support SCO's legal campaign against Linux was seen as a strategic move to undermine the growing open-source movement. This alliance highlighted the complex relationships and power dynamics within the tech industry during the early 2000s.
The Groklaw Effect
The community particularly remembers the role of Groklaw, a blog run by Pamela Jones (PJ), in covering the legal battles. The site became instrumental in analyzing and exposing the weaknesses in SCO's claims. The subsequent attempts to reveal PJ's personal information, including her home address and family details, are now viewed by the community as particularly egregious, with many noting that such actions would face much stronger condemnation in today's environment.
Technical Legacy and Lessons Learned
One of the most significant technical aspects of the dispute was SCO's claim about Linux containing copied Unix code. The community quickly proved these claims were baseless when researchers discovered the contested code was actually from BSD, covered under its permissive license. This episode demonstrated the importance of proper code provenance and the strength of the open-source community's ability to self-defend.
The Business Impact
The SCO case served as a cautionary tale about how corporate decisions can devastate established businesses. The company's transformation from a successful software vendor to a litigation-focused entity ultimately resulted in bankruptcy. Today, while the SCO technology lives on through Xinuos, which acquired OpenServer and UnixWare, the products remain largely unchanged, with features that now seem antiquated, such as support for Java 1.5 and maximum RAM limits that would be considered minimal by today's standards.
Conclusion
McBride's passing at age 64 from ALS marks the end of an era that significantly shaped the modern open-source landscape. While his actions were widely criticized, the episode ultimately strengthened the Linux community's resolve and helped establish better practices for protecting open-source software. The SCO saga remains a crucial lesson in the importance of maintaining focus on product development and innovation rather than relying on legal strategies to compete in the technology sector.