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Wednesday, May 28, 2003

SCO/Linux Debate Takes Center Stage at USENIX Annual Technical Conference

Former Slashdot Editor and Open Source Spokesperson Chris DiBona Leads First Public Discussion on SCO Infringement Claims

San Antonio, TX -- The 2003 USENIX Annual Technical Conference, to be held here, June 9-14, provides the first public forum for the debate on infringement claims by SCO against Linux.

Chris DiBona, former Slashdot editor, Damage Studios founder and Open Source spokesperson, discusses the intellectual property issues at the heart of the SCO vs. IBM case and its implications for Linux kernel developers and distributors. DiBona was recently nominated by Linus Torvalds to represent the Open Source community on a panel of experts chosen by SCO to review the Linux kernel for code copied or derived from UnixWare. The session, "Intellectual Property in an Age of Commerce," co-sponsored by No Starch Press is scheduled for Thursday, June 12 at 4 p.m.

"The discussion will delve into the effects the SCO lawsuit will have on Linux and other Open Source technologies," DiBona said. "We expect substantive debate that will enlighten those that attend. Ultimately, I am confident that Linux kernel developers are facile enough to deal with this kind of confusion with aplomb, and the end result will be an ever stronger Linux kernel."

The SCO/Linux discussion is among the many highlights of the six day, multiple-track USENIX Annual Technical Conference which attracts the most respected computing experts to share their research on topics including Open Source software, security, wireless computing and nanotechnology. Neal Stephenson, award-winning science fiction author of novels including Snow Crash, The Diamond Age and Cryptonomicon will deliver the conference keynote.

Invited Talks and refereed technical papers serve as the foundation for the conference and reflect the continued growth of the Open Source software community with diverse topics including the latest features in the Linux 2.5 and FreeBSD 5.0 kernels, anti-spam techniques, and OSS experiences such as town-wide wireless deployment and a sub-orbital amateur rocket and support system by the Portland State Aerospace Society.

Along with forward looking research, the conference addresses the immediate needs of computing professionals including tools to ease administrative burdens, solutions that provide flexible access to large collections of information, self-tuning system services and practical security infrastructures.

The conference also features Gurus and BoF sessions for informal information exchange, plus a special author signing from publisher Addison-Wesley/Prentice Hall PTR featuring Kay and Steven Robbins, Bill Cheswick, Jim Mauro, Marshall Kirk McKusick, Radia Perlman, Avi Rubin and Peter Salus.

Press Badges and Registration
For complimentary badges to technical sessions or to arrange interviews, contact Wendy Grubow at 831-626-7503 or wendy@usenix.org

2003 USENIX Annual Technical Conference
June 9-14
Marriott Rivercenter
San Antonio, TX
https://www.usenix.org/usenix03

About the USENIX Association
USENIX is the Advanced Computing Systems Association. For over 25 years, it has been the leading community for engineers, system administrators, scientists, and technicians working on the cutting edge of the computing world. USENIX conferences are the essential meeting grounds for the presentation and discussion of technical advances in all aspects of computing systems. For more information about the USENIX Association, visit https://www.usenix.org.




USENIX Media Contact:
Wendy Grubow, River Meadow Communications · 831.626.7503 · wendy@usenix.org
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