Microsoft Recycles Cash in Campaign Against Free Software

According to Matt Asay, justice is served by the recent $2.5M judgment against SCO in favor of Novell.

The wheels of justice grind slowly, but exceedingly fine.

Closer inspection reveals that while justice was served, it was within a very narrow scope. It seems that Microsoft has succeeded in recycling some of the cash spent propping up SCO in the campaign against free software.

It was established that Microsoft supplied a very large cash infusion to SCO transferred under the guise of "licensing fees" and investment from a Microsoft-related benefactor.

The question of whether or not there was a relationship between the Microsoft cash infusions and the lawsuits subsequently filed by SCO against companies using GNU/Linux can be left to the common sense of the reader.

When SCO filed lawsuits against IBM and Novell, it turned out that their charges of copyright infringement were scurrilous. Currently, Novell is serving as a proxy for Microsoft's attacks against GNU/Linux.

The new strategy with Novell is based on software patent agreement between Microsoft and Novell.

Taking into account the patent indemnification agreement and Microsoft's heavy investment in Novell, one can't help but notice how the $2.5M judgment against SCO in favor of Novell results in a transfer of funds from one Microsoft puppet to another.

Justice delayed is justice denied.

Apparently, the glacial pace of the legal process cannot keep up with the quick maneuvering of capital which Microsoft uses in its campaign to end free software.

Yes, the wheels of justice are turning and they do grind exceedingly fine, but this case illustrates another truism - justice delayed is justice denied.

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