Caldera (company)
Encyclopedia
Caldera was a US-based software company founded in 1994 to develop Linux- and DOS-based operating system products.
-funded software company founded in October 1994 and incorporated in January 1995 by former Novell employees Bryan Sparks, Ransom Love and others to develop the Caldera Network Desktop and later create a Linux
distribution named OpenLinux. The company was originally based in Provo
and later in Orem, Utah, USA.
The OpenLinux distribution was based on the German LST Power Linux distribution maintained by Stefan Probst's and Ralf Flaxa's company LST Software GmbH (with LST standing for Linux Support Team) in Erlangen
, Germany.
Looking for a DOS
operating system to bundle with their OpenLinux distribution, Caldera, backed up by The Canopy Group as their largest investor, acquired Novell DOS 7 and other Digital Research assets from Novell
on 23 July 1996. The deal consisted of a direct payment of as well as percentual royalties for any revenues derived from DR-DOS to Novell. Caldera filed the Caldera v. Microsoft antitrust law suit the same day.
This lawsuit related to Caldera's claims of monopolization
, illegal tying, exclusive dealing
, and tortious interference
by Microsoft
. An example was that certain beta versions of Windows 3.1 produced "non-fatal error" messages when installing and running them on DR DOS 6.0 due to a check known as AARD code
.
While active, Caldera, Inc. created a number of subsidiaries:
operating system in a converted barn (51.188306°N 1.487498°W) at the periphery of Andover
, Hampshire, UK. Caldera UK developed various DOS-based products including OpenDOS 7.01, DR-DOS 7.02, DR-DOS 7.03 and DR-WebSpyder. Caldera, Inc. closed the Caldera UK Ltd. development office in February 1999 soon after the release of DR-DOS 7.03, thereby effectively stopping any DOS development.
, Taiwan, run by Irrana and Henry Huang.
Under Sparks' lead, the shell company Caldera, Inc. remained responsible for the Caldera v. Microsoft law suit until, after a settlement with Microsoft on 7 January 2000, it ceased to exist.
The company reorganized in August 2000 and became Caldera International, Inc. (CII) in March 2001.
In May 2001, Caldera International, with investments of Fujitsu
and Hitachi
, opened the Caldera K.K. subsidiary, directed by Makoto Asoh, in Tokyo
, Japan.
In August 2002, Caldera International renamed itself into The SCO Group, Inc. under the lead of Darl McBride.
- and Linux-based thin clients and solutions for embedded systems. Originally located in Orem and later in Lindon
, it was meant to become the US-based "parent" company for Caldera UK Ltd., but when Gross resigned and Caldera UK Ltd. was disbanded in February 1999, and when the attempt to relocate the DR-DOS development into the US failed, Caldera Thin Clients under the new lead of Sparks soon refocused on Linux and was renamed into Lineo
, Inc. on 20 July 1999, who licensed a stripped down OpenLinux distribution from Caldera Systems and named it Embedix. Lineo continued to maintain the former Caldera sales office in Taipei in 1999. In January 2000, Lineo reincorporated in Delaware.
In July 2002, the company reformed as Embedix, Inc. under the lead of Matt Harris and ceased to exist later that year. Some of the DR-DOS assets fell to the Canopy Group and were acquired by DRDOS, Inc. aka DeviceLogics
in 2002. Key parts of the Linux-based Embedix assets were acquired by Motorola
's Metrowerks
on 17 December 2002.
Caldera
Caldera, Inc. was a CanopyCanopy Group
The Canopy Group is an investment firm founded by Ray Noorda, headquartered in Lindon, Utah. It serves as the parent company of various technology companies. One of its most well-known members was the SCO Group...
-funded software company founded in October 1994 and incorporated in January 1995 by former Novell employees Bryan Sparks, Ransom Love and others to develop the Caldera Network Desktop and later create a Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
distribution named OpenLinux. The company was originally based in Provo
Provo
Provo was a Dutch counterculture movement in the mid-1960s that focused on provoking violent responses from authorities using non-violent bait. It was preceded by the nozem movement and followed by the hippie movement...
and later in Orem, Utah, USA.
The OpenLinux distribution was based on the German LST Power Linux distribution maintained by Stefan Probst's and Ralf Flaxa's company LST Software GmbH (with LST standing for Linux Support Team) in Erlangen
Erlangen
Erlangen is a Middle Franconian city in Bavaria, Germany. It is located at the confluence of the river Regnitz and its large tributary, the Untere Schwabach.Erlangen has more than 100,000 inhabitants....
, Germany.
Looking for a DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
operating system to bundle with their OpenLinux distribution, Caldera, backed up by The Canopy Group as their largest investor, acquired Novell DOS 7 and other Digital Research assets from Novell
Novell
Novell, Inc. is a multinational software and services company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Attachmate Group. It specializes in network operating systems, such as Novell NetWare; systems management solutions, such as Novell ZENworks; and collaboration solutions, such as Novell Groupwise...
on 23 July 1996. The deal consisted of a direct payment of as well as percentual royalties for any revenues derived from DR-DOS to Novell. Caldera filed the Caldera v. Microsoft antitrust law suit the same day.
This lawsuit related to Caldera's claims of monopolization
Monopolization
The term monopolization refers to an offense under Section 2 of the American Sherman Antitrust Act, passed in 1890. Section 2 states that any person "who shall monopolize . ....
, illegal tying, exclusive dealing
Exclusive dealing
Exclusive dealing refers to when a retailer or wholesaler is ‘tied’ to purchase from a supplier on the understanding that no other distributor will be appointed or receive supplies in a given area...
, and tortious interference
Tortious interference
Tortious interference, also known as intentional interference with contractual relations, in the common law of tort, occurs when a person intentionally damages the plaintiff's contractual or other business relationships...
by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
. An example was that certain beta versions of Windows 3.1 produced "non-fatal error" messages when installing and running them on DR DOS 6.0 due to a check known as AARD code
AARD code
The AARD code was a segment of obfuscated machine code that is included in several executables, including the installer and WIN.COM, in a beta release of Microsoft Windows 3.1. It was a block of code which was XOR encrypted, self-modifying, and deliberately obfuscated, using various undocumented...
.
While active, Caldera, Inc. created a number of subsidiaries:
Caldera UK
Under the direction of Roger Gross as General Manager of Caldera's Digital Research Systems Group (DSG) the UK-based development center Caldera UK Ltd. (51.20531°N 1.478786°W) was incorporated on 20 September 1996 to continue the development of the DR-DOSDR-DOS
DR-DOS is an MS-DOS-compatible operating system for IBM PC-compatible personal computers, originally developed by Gary Kildall's Digital Research and derived from Concurrent PC DOS 6.0, which was an advanced successor of CP/M-86...
operating system in a converted barn (51.188306°N 1.487498°W) at the periphery of Andover
Andover, Hampshire
Andover is a town in the English county of Hampshire. The town is on the River Anton some 18.5 miles west of the town of Basingstoke, 18.5 miles north-west of the city of Winchester and 25 miles north of the city of Southampton...
, Hampshire, UK. Caldera UK developed various DOS-based products including OpenDOS 7.01, DR-DOS 7.02, DR-DOS 7.03 and DR-WebSpyder. Caldera, Inc. closed the Caldera UK Ltd. development office in February 1999 soon after the release of DR-DOS 7.03, thereby effectively stopping any DOS development.
Caldera Deutschland
The collaboration with LST since 1995 eventually led to LST becoming Caldera's German development center Caldera Deutschland GmbH for Linux-based technologies in May 1997.Caldera Taiwan
On 1 June 1998, Caldera, Inc. opened a sales office for its DOS-based products in TaipeiTaipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Taiwan, run by Irrana and Henry Huang.
Caldera, Caldera Systems and Caldera Thin Clients
On 2 September 1998, Caldera, Inc. announced the creation of two Utah-based wholly owned subsidiaries, Caldera Systems, Inc. and Caldera Thin Clients, Inc., in order to split up tasks and directions.Under Sparks' lead, the shell company Caldera, Inc. remained responsible for the Caldera v. Microsoft law suit until, after a settlement with Microsoft on 7 January 2000, it ceased to exist.
Caldera Systems, Caldera Holdings, Caldera International, Caldera K.K., and The SCO Group
Caldera Systems, Inc. (CSI), headed by Love as President and CEO since its incorporation in Orem, Utah, on 21 August 1998, targeted the Linux-based software business including OpenLinux, with Caldera Deutschland as their German Linux development center. The company reincorporated in Delaware on 2 March 2000 and completed an IPO of its common stock.The company reorganized in August 2000 and became Caldera International, Inc. (CII) in March 2001.
In May 2001, Caldera International, with investments of Fujitsu
Fujitsu
is a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's third-largest IT services provider measured by revenues....
and Hitachi
Hitachi
Hitachi is a multinational corporation specializing in high-technology.Hitachi may also refer to:*Hitachi, Ibaraki, Japan*Hitachi province, former province of Japan*Prince Hitachi and Princess Hitachi, members of the Japanese imperial family...
, opened the Caldera K.K. subsidiary, directed by Makoto Asoh, in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan.
In August 2002, Caldera International renamed itself into The SCO Group, Inc. under the lead of Darl McBride.
Caldera UK, Caldera Thin Clients, Lineo, and Embedix
Caldera Thin Clients, Inc. (CTC), incorporated in August 1998 and originally led by Gross as President and CEO, instead developed DOSDOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
- and Linux-based thin clients and solutions for embedded systems. Originally located in Orem and later in Lindon
Lindon, Utah
Lindon is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 10,070 at the 2010 census.The western sculptor Grant Speed resides in Lindon.-Geography:...
, it was meant to become the US-based "parent" company for Caldera UK Ltd., but when Gross resigned and Caldera UK Ltd. was disbanded in February 1999, and when the attempt to relocate the DR-DOS development into the US failed, Caldera Thin Clients under the new lead of Sparks soon refocused on Linux and was renamed into Lineo
Lineo
Lineo was a thin client and embedded systems company spun out of Caldera Thin Clients, on 20 July 1999.Caldera Thin Clients, Inc., had been created as a subsidiary of Caldera, Inc., on 2 September 1998...
, Inc. on 20 July 1999, who licensed a stripped down OpenLinux distribution from Caldera Systems and named it Embedix. Lineo continued to maintain the former Caldera sales office in Taipei in 1999. In January 2000, Lineo reincorporated in Delaware.
In July 2002, the company reformed as Embedix, Inc. under the lead of Matt Harris and ceased to exist later that year. Some of the DR-DOS assets fell to the Canopy Group and were acquired by DRDOS, Inc. aka DeviceLogics
DeviceLogics
DeviceLogics is a startup company in Lindon, Utah, United States of America, founded in 2002. Bryan Sparks co-founded DeviceLogics, and acquired DR-DOS from the Canopy Group, a Utah technology venture group...
in 2002. Key parts of the Linux-based Embedix assets were acquired by Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
's Metrowerks
Metrowerks
Metrowerks was a company that developed software development tools for various desktop, handheld, embedded, and gaming platforms. Its flagship product, CodeWarrior, comprised an IDE, compilers, linkers, debuggers, libraries, and related tools...
on 17 December 2002.