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IBM subpoenas Microsoft, Sun, and HP in SCO case

news
Feb 23, 20061 min

IBM filing could reveal interesting information about SCO's relationship with Microsoft

The long-running legal battle between The SCO Group and IBM over source code ownership could uncover some interesting relationships, after IBM requested this week that Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, and BayStar Capital turn over documents relating to their communications with SCO.

IBM filed the orders for documents and depositions on Tuesday. The orders seek communications between the companies and SCO, documents concerning efforts to maintain the secrecy of the Unix source code, and information related to royalties paid for Unix.

The dispute between IBM and SCO dates back to 2003, when SCO charged IBM with offering open source software based on source code SCO claimed to own.

IBM’s filings this week, however, could reveal interesting information relating to other SCO relationships, particularly with Microsoft. Just after SCO filed its lawsuit against IBM, Microsoft signed a Unix licensing agreement with SCO.

BayStar, a venture capital firm that invested in SCO, said Microsoft had referred it to SCO.

HP, Microsoft, Sun, and BayStar have all been asked to hand over the documents by March 7. The companies have each been given mid-March dates to appear for depositions as well.

nancy_gohring

Nancy Gohring is a freelance journalist who started writing about mobile phones just in time to cover the transition to digital. She's written about PCs from Hanover, cellular networks from Singapore, wireless standards from Cyprus, cloud computing from Seattle and just about any technology subject you can think of from Las Vegas. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Computerworld, Wired, the Seattle Times and other well-respected publications.

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