Judge orders IBM to open up code

A judge overseeing the legal fight between the SCO Group and IBM over Linux and Unix on Tuesday ordered Big Blue to show all versions of its two Unix products, AIX and Dynix. Although US magistrate Judge Brooke Wells denied SCO's request for access to IBM's actual code repositories, Wells said that SCO would be allowed "unfettered access" to those repositories if IBM fails to produce the Unix versions and changes by 18 March. In addition, Wells ordered IBM to provide all notes and design documents from 3,000 of the 7,200 people who made changes to AIX and Dynix.

During this discovery phase of the trial, SCO also has sought testimony on IBM's Linux strategy from chief executive Sam Palmisano and other top executives, but Wells postponed a decision on whether IBM must comply until after the company files its objections.