SCO Puts Unix Assets On the Block

itwbennett writes "SCO Group announced Thursday that it plans to auction off most of its Unix assets, including 'certain UNIX system V software products and related services,' ITworld reports. 'This asset sale is an important step forward in ensuring business continuity for our customers around the world,' said Ken Nielsen, SCO chief financial officer, in a statement. 'Our goal is to ensure continued viability for SCO, its customers, employees and the Unix technology.' Interested parties must submit a bid for the assets by Oct. 5."

Let's bid on it

[MrEricSir]

Maybe we could all get together and chip in a buck or two to buy the assets, then open-source the whole thing.

How does that sound?

First Bid!

[Skjellifetti]

$0. SCO doesn't have any Unix assets.

Re:Can they do that?

[spun]

They didn't say they own Unix, this time. They said they own Unix technologies and "certain UNIX system V software products and related services." Meaning, SCO Unix. Anyway, the news here is that they are officially not any sort of software or technology company anymore, they are now officially nothing more than a shambling, undead lawsuit factory. I suppose the one guy who still licenses anything SCO related will be happy they are selling his support contract to someone else.

System V source code

[plcurechax]

I take it this does not include a complete set of System V (Release 4.2 or 5) source code does it?

Having never seen any AT&T Unix code newer than the reprint of Lions' A commentary on the Unix Operating System, (based on V6 - 1975) and the "ancient" Unix source from The Unix Heritage Society [tuhs.org].

It would be purely academic and novelty, but it would be of geeky interest to have access to System V's source code.

Re:Microsoft Should Buy Them

[Greyfox]

Wow. Hmm, if I had to choose between using SCO UNIX or MS Windows, that would be a tough call. I've had to use SCO UNIX on a few projects and just despised the system. Of course, most of that was being cockblocked by missing system components that SCO wanted another $1500 for. By the time you finish getting SCO UNIX fixed up to the point where it's usable (strictly from a user-interface perspective) you may as well have just installed Linux anyway. At least then you'll have a decent packaging system.

I guess MS could buy the kernel and bundle it with apt, gcc and Windowmaker and sell it as "Windows 8"...

Re:Let's bid on it

[Trailer Trash]

There *is* a business model there, though. SCO Unix sucks by today's standards but is widely used in a number of vertical markets. All of them are ripe for replacement with Linux. Buying the assets and creating an "official" migration path to Linux, supporting and maintaining current users, and turning it into a service company could likely be a decent money maker. SCO was making money before they set out on these ludicrous lawsuits. Their revenue was declining as they refused to embrace Linux, but, well, that's the key, right?