SCO waves AIX at Big Blue
Vendor revokes IBM's licence, but resellers remain confident of happy ending
IBM's spat with SCO intensified last week after the software vendor revoked Big Blue's AIX Unix licence.
But IBM VARs are confident that the IT behemoth will be able to resolve the dispute.
Earlier last week SCO filed a permanent injunction requiring IBM to "cease and desist all use and distribution of AIX" and to return all copies of Unix source code to SCO.
Darl McBride, chief executive of SCO, said: "IBM has been moving key parts of AIX into Linux. [SCO's] own legal team confirms the case is bullet-proof."
While SCO's $3bn lawsuit against IBM is in its early stages, the revocation of IBM's licence leaves customers in limbo.
Ray Titcombe, chairman of the IBM Customer Users' Association, said: "Customers may feel the safest action is to put IBM AIX projects on hold until they feel more confident about what is happening.
"We will lobby IBM to issue an insurance statement guaranteeing customers that they will not be in any worse position as a result of this action."
Despite revoking the licence, David Roberts, chairman of The Infrastructure Forum, said: "I don't think SCO is in a position to threaten anybody."
Robin Porter, IBM business manager at reseller Repton, agreed. "I'm completely behind IBM. I'm confident it will resolve the situation and work with its resellers to support the users," he said.
Gary Barnett, principle consultant at analyst Ovum, said: "I'm sure [IBM chief] Sam Palmisano would have checked with the legal department and if there was any chance IBM could lose he would buy SCO out of its toner budget. The grounds on which SCO has terminated the licence have not been established.
"Is it reasonable to expect IBM to cease distribution of AIX? I don't think so. Should AIX customers be concerned? No. SCO cannot retreat. It's a game of chicken, but one is a turkey."
Additional reporting by Peter Williams.