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How Much Would You Pay for the Linux Kernel?

A recent GrokLaw story mentions an interesting occurance. Apparently Jeff V. Merkey, affiliated with the Canopy Group, which itself is a major shareholder in SCO, offered to buy a snapshot of the Linux kernel for $50,000 under a BSD license:

We offer to kernel.org the sum of $50,000.00 US for a one time
license to the Linux Kernel Source for a single snapshot of a single Linux version by release number. This offer must be accepted by **ALL** copyright holders and this snapshot will subsequently convert the GPL license into a BSD style license for the code.

To which Iglo Molnar replies with an evaluation putting the value of the Linux kernel at somewhere around $175,974,824. And of course, there is the small issue of dead people not able to relicense their code. The interesting question you have to ask yourself is what is the motivation behind this offer. Even though this individual seems to be affiliated with the Canopy Group, and it is affiliated with SCO, what would SCO gain from a BSD license?

UPDATE: GrokLaw posts a more detailed evaluation putting the value of the kernel at $612 million.

UPDATE #2: GrokLaw posts an update including Merkey calling himself “a loyal servant of Microsoft”. They also pulled up some interesting court filings including some which prove that he is highly deceptive. And to top it off, he is still trying to buy the kernel, albeit piecemail:

On a side note, the GPL buyout previously offered has been modified. We will be contacting individual contributors and negotiating with each copyright holder for the code we wish to convert on a case by case basis

Tags: Linux, open source, sco —

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