As a veteran journalist, I know. The person who writes the story almost never writes the headline to accompany it. (The justice scales pictured are from the U.S. Department of Transportation site.)

In the case of newspapers and magazines there's a natural reason for this. The headline must fit the space, or "deck," available to it. It must "sell" the story, convincing people to read it.

So headlines are written by editors, working for lay-out people. Publishers, with an eye toward sales, oversee the process.

Thus I'm inclined to forgive headlines in ways others may not be. But once in a while we get something like this and I have to speak up.

The headline reads, "IBM Won't Oppose SCO's Copyright Claim," but the story doesn't support the headline. (This logo is from Germany.)

What has happened, as reporter Alexander Wolfe makes abundantly clear, is that IBM has chosen not to oppose the entry by SCO of its copyright claim in an ongoing legal battle.

In other words, IBM wants to have the SCO claim of copyright over Linux aired in court, once and for all, disposed of. IBM wants SCO's claims declared null and void. It believes it has the evidence to prove them null and void. It wants that evidence heard by a court of conpetent jurisdiction.

IBM hasn't given up. IBM has just begun to fight. The headline writers at Internet.com didn't want that made clear, but Wolfe did make it clear. And so, now, have I.