SCO's case against IBM will harm Linux's commercial prospect
crn.com | at | by Mike
Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates said the intellectual property battle between SCO and IBM is hurting the business of Linux. Gates, speaking to financial analysts at the company's Redmond, Wash., headquarters Thursday, said it's unclear if Microsoft is benefiting from customer worries about the liability of deploying Linux when the lawsuit between SCO and IBM hasn't been resolved.
However, Gates said the controversy has exposed a fundamental weakness of Linux--that the General Public License (GPL) makes it difficult for companies to engage in the cross-licensing deals that have become standard in the software industry.
That's a big Achilles heel, Gates said.