SuSE delighted big bro HP helping Linux fend off SCO

By Matt Whipp

Posted on 25 Sep 2003 at 16:56

SuSE happy at HP indemnities, but feels no pressure to offer same

HP's action yesterday to offer its Linux customers indemnification against any legal action from SCO has made SuSE, one of the Linux vendors used by HP, very happy.

'It's like our big brother coming to help deal with the schoolyard bully,' said Joe Eckert, VP of Corporate Communications at SuSE.

However, he said that SuSE would not be doing the same: 'We just haven't felt the desire, the pressure, the need to offer this - we haven't been pressured by our customers at all,' he said. 'Our Linux business is doing great, particularly the enterprise sector where we're seeing triple digit growth year on year.'

But even HP's Linux man Martin Fink said during the initial announcement that its Linux customers were not bothered by SCO. When asked whether the indemnification was a response to fears of HP's own Linux customers, he said: 'On the contrary, we have found that customers are not concerned about the current litigation [between SCO and IBM].'

Eckert's take on HP's actions is that, if anything, it's merely a bit of marketing and sales FUD to counter the FUD served up by SCO. And of SCO's response to HP's indemnification proving its IP claims have substance, he offered: 'Wow, they put a great spin on that, don't you think?'

However, HP's actions do pose a question. HP has clearly considered the risks and decided it can afford them, so maybe it doesn't think SCO's claims have much substance to them. But if that's the case, why isn't the rest of the industry coming forward to offer the same indemnity? Red Hat set up a SCO litigation fund with an opening balance of $1m, suggesting other Linux vendors contribute, but we haven't heard any more of that either.

But HP has categorically denied having paid any monies or signed anything with SCO either, unless there were perhaps agreements already in place that puts HP in a unique position to offer indemnity where other vendors can't, or won't.

However, Eckert doubts this is the case. 'I can't believe that HP would have an agreement with SCO about this and not go public on it,' he said.

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