Scornful members of the Linux community are signing an online petition to "highlight the pomposity" of SCO's claim to ownership of intellectual property in Linux.

Earlier this week, SCO sent letters to 1,500 international Linux users warning them that thay could be liable for using SCO's code.

Now the creator of an online petition is inviting users to sign up to challenge SCO to sue them.

A message on the website reads: "I am a Linux user. I feel that SCO's tactics toward an operating system of my choice are unjust, ill founded and bizarre.

"I am willing to be sued because I am confident that SCO's tactics toward Linux will fail. If I have published my email address as part of this petition it is so SCO representatives can email me and begin the process of serving me a court order."

In the letter to users, Darl McBride, SCO president and chief executive, said: "SCO's actions may prove unpopular with those who wish to advance or otherwise benefit from Linux as a free software system for use in enterprise applications.

"However, our property and contract rights are important and valuable; not only to us, but to every individual and every company whose livelihood depends on the continued viability of intellectual and intangible property rights in a digital age."

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