Linux二十年产权官司告终：IBM赔偿近亿元，期间“熬死”一位起诉方
Linux's Two-Decade Copyright Lawsuit Ends: IBM Pays Nearly $100 Million, One Plaintiff "Outlasted" in the Process
“Linux是否抄袭Unix”之争
The Dispute Over Whether Linux Copied Unix
博雯 发自 凹非寺
By Bowen, from AIfeishi (a Chinese tech media)
量子位 报道 | 公众号 QbitAI
Reported by QbitAI (official account)
这场状告Linux抄袭Unix的官司，终于在20年后结束了。
The lawsuit accusing Linux of copying Unix has finally come to an end after 20 years.
起诉方为SCO（Santa Cruz Operation）公司，主要业务为运营并销售UNIX及其相关产品。
The plaintiff was SCO (Santa Cruz Operation), a company whose main business was operating and selling UNIX and related products.
而在昨天下午，代表SCO公司的TSG集团与IBM达成了和解：
Yesterday afternoon, TSG Group, representing SCO, reached a settlement with IBM:
SCO将放弃，并再也不会对Linux进行违反Unix或Unixware知识产权的指控。
SCO will abandon and will never again make any claims that Linux violates Unix or UnixWare intellectual property.
同时，IBM将也支付1425万美金（折合人民币9217万元），作为对SCO的全部赔偿。
At the same time, IBM will pay $14.25 million (approximately 92.17 million RMB) as full compensation to SCO.
“谁背叛了联盟？”
"Who Betrayed the Alliance?"
到底什么官司，居然打了20年？
What kind of lawsuit lasted 20 years?
故事开始于1998成立的一个联盟，Project Monterey。
The story begins with an alliance formed in 1998, Project Monterey.
这是一个由IBM、SCO以及其他公司所创立的一个项目，目的是开发一个适用于多种硬件平台的UNIX版本。
This was a project established by IBM, SCO, and other companies to develop a version of UNIX that could run on multiple hardware platforms.
也是Linux正在做的事。
It was also what Linux was doing.
到2001年，IBM的Big Blue超级电脑已经创建了一个类Unix的AIX操作系统（实验版本）。
By 2001, IBM's Big Blue supercomputer had created a Unix-like AIX operating system (experimental version).
而这一系统使用了一些SCO代码。
And this system used some SCO code.
这时候，IBM认为Linux才是未来，于是退出了Project Monterey项目。
At that point, IBM believed Linux was the future and withdrew from Project Monterey.
但SCO表示了反对，理由是IBM属于联盟，或者说属于SCO的知识产权贡献给了Linux。
But SCO objected, arguing that IBM, as part of the alliance, had contributed SCO's intellectual property to Linux.
于是，2003年3月6日，SCO公司一纸诉状将IBM告上法庭：
So on March 6, 2003, SCO filed a lawsuit against IBM:
SCO对Unix和UnixWare操作系统源代码具有所有权，而Linux 2.4.x和2.5.x是 Unix的未经授权的衍生物，或者说是“抄袭”行为。
SCO claimed ownership of the source code for Unix and UnixWare operating systems, and that Linux 2.4.x and 2.5.x were unauthorized derivatives of Unix, i.e., "copying."
也就是说，IBM传播Linux代码这一行为造成了严重侵权。
In other words, IBM's distribution of Linux code constituted serious infringement.
同时，他们还致函全球500强企业，警告他们如果继续使用Linux，将可能承担法律责任。
At the same time, they sent letters to Fortune 500 companies warning them that continued use of Linux could result in legal liability.
并且还表示：
And they also stated:
未来可能拒绝通过Linux使用者的许可证申请。
They might refuse license applications from Linux users in the future.
IBM和Linux分销商Red Hat也不甘示弱，反手一个诉讼将SCO与相关公司告上了法庭。
IBM and Linux distributor Red Hat fired back, filing counterclaims against SCO and related companies.
于是，这场围绕知识产权的战争就此打响。
Thus began the war over intellectual property.
起诉方几经变换，最终千万美金和解
The Plaintiff Changed Hands Several Times, Finally Settled for Tens of Millions
一开始，SCO就这一行为向IBM索赔10亿美元，而这个数字后来增加到了50亿。
Initially, SCO sought $1 billion in damages from IBM, a figure later increased to $5 billion.
在旷日持久的激烈争斗中，甚至一度有“SCO对IBM的诉讼可能终结Linux”的说法。
During the protracted and fierce battle, there was even talk that "the SCO v. IBM lawsuit could spell the end of Linux."
连起诉方几经易主，都没能阻挡这场上诉、结案、推翻、再上诉的重复战争。
Even as the plaintiff changed hands multiple times, the cycle of appeals, rulings, reversals, and re-appeals continued.
没错，最初发起上诉的SCO公司，其实在2007年就已经申请破产。
Indeed, the original plaintiff, SCO, had already filed for bankruptcy in 2007.
在2011年时，SCO将资产出售给了Xinuos公司。
In 2011, SCO sold its assets to Xinuos.
Xinuos的CEO曾在2016年表示：
Xinuos's CEO stated in 2016:
我们是购买产品的投资者，并没有买到对IBM进行诉讼的能力，我们对此完全没有兴趣。
"We are investors who bought products, not the ability to sue IBM. We have absolutely no interest in that."
但在5年后，Xinuos又一纸诉状，控告IBM和Red Hat公司版权侵权和反垄断：
But five years later, Xinuos filed another lawsuit against IBM and Red Hat for copyright infringement and antitrust.
而今天站在起诉方终结这场官司的，是代表SCO公司的债务人：TSG集团。
And today, it is the TSG Group, representing SCO's creditors, that stands as the plaintiff to end this lawsuit.
最终，IBM以缩水的赔偿金，换来了Linux未来再受“违反知识产权”指控的可能。
In the end, IBM paid a reduced settlement in exchange for Linux being free from future allegations of intellectual property violations.
至于为什么最终达成了和解？
Why did they finally reach a settlement?
SCO公司一方的法律代表Stanley B. Tarr表示：
SCO's legal representative, Stanley B. Tarr, stated:
想要拿到索赔，就必须向评审团证明多年前发生的的事件构成了不正当竞争，并造成了SCO的损害。
To obtain compensation, they would have to prove to the jury that events from many years ago constituted unfair competition and caused damage to SCO.
并且，即使上述的申诉成功，SCO所要求赔偿的损失金额也并不确定。
Moreover, even if that claim succeeded, the amount of damages SCO sought was uncertain.
事实上，受相关损失限制条款、以及IBM反诉的影响，陪审团不可能作出对SCO有利的判决。
In fact, due to relevant damage limitation clauses and IBM's counterclaims, it was impossible for the jury to rule in SCO's favor.
但不论背后的原因究竟为何，至少在20年后，SCO vs. IBM的争斗终于走到了终点。
But regardless of the underlying reasons, at least after 20 years, the SCO v. IBM battle has finally reached its end.
参考链接：
References:
[1]https://www.zdnet.com/article/after-almost-20-years-the-sco-vs-ibm-lawsuit-may-finally-be-ending/
[1] https://www.zdnet.com/article/after-almost-20-years-the-sco-vs-ibm-lawsuit-may-finally-be-ending/
[2]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCO_Group,_Inc._v._International_Business_Machines_Corp.
[2]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCO_Group,_Inc._v._International_Business_Machines_Corp.
[3]https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/30/sco_tsg_vs_ibm_settlement/
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/30/sco_tsg_vs_ibm_settlement/
