SCO Sues Novell Over Linux Copyright

Linux adversary the SCO Group sued rival software maker Novell on Tuesday, alleging that Novell has falsely claimed that it controls the Unix operating system.

The suit, filed in Utah’s Third District Court in Salt Lake City, accuses Novell of slander and seeks an order that would require Novell to assign to SCO all Unix-related copyrights and to withdraw any statements claiming ownership of Unix.

SCO rattled the technology world last year when it filed a $3 billion lawsuit against IBM, claiming that the computing giant illegally incorporated into its Linux software source code from the Unix OS, which SCO controls. Novell became an early combatant in the dispute, claiming that it retained certain copyrights when it sold the Unix rights to SCO.

The companies have continued to clash over Unix ownership claims, as Novell has deepened its investment in Linux, most recently with its purchase of No. 2 Linux seller SuSE Linux.

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