Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 11:04:19 -0500 From: Josh Slobin <jslobin@schwartz-pr.com> To: <lwn@lwn.net> Subject: Red Hat and Japan's Daiei Information System Forge Open Source Alliance FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For additional information: Melissa London Bryan Scanlon/Josh Slobin Red Hat, Inc. Schwartz Communications for Red Hat (919) 547-0012 (781) 684-0770 melissa@redhat.com redhat@schwartz-pr.com RED HAT AND JAPAN’S DAIEI INFORMATION SYSTEM FORGE COMPREHENSIVE OPEN SOURCE ALLIANCE End-to-End Strategic Agreement Includes 8,000-store Open Source Installation, Multi- Tiered Support and Future Development LINUXWORLD NEW YORK, NY--January 31, 2001--Red Hat, Inc. (Nasdaq:RHAT), a leader in developing, deploying and managing open source Internet infrastructure, today announced that Daiei Information System Co., Ltd. (DIS) of Tokyo, Japan has chosen Red Hat Japan to provide a comprehensive system of end-to-end open source solutions for the company and its subsidiaries and customers. As previously announced, DIS plans to install a total of more than fifteen thousand Red Hat Linux systems inside the (Daiei group) Lawson convenience store chain, which includes approximately 7,600 stores nationwide. Red Hat Linux 7J, the Japanese- language version of Red Hat’s most recent distribution, will replace Microsoft Windows, enabling Lawson’s in-store customers to download multimedia content such as music and movies from terminals throughout the stores. Red Hat, which maintains the largest open source market share in both the United States and Japan, and its Japanese subsidiary, RHJ, supplier of Red Hat Linux in Japan, will provide support and services for the Lawson installation. As another key piece of the agreement, DIS has built its internal Linux development environment around Red Hat Linux, and already uses more than 200 Red Hat systems internally. RHJ will provide engineering expertise with the GNU development environment for DIS’s future technology development. Also, using the experience gained from the Lawson installation, DIS will become a strategic integration partner for Red Hat in Japan. The company plans to aggressively develop Red Hat-based open source solutions for other Japanese businesses, with RHJ contracted to provide full technical support. "Daiei Information System chose Linux for its stability and superior reliability, and a careful study of Linux suppliers revealed that Red Hat leads the pack in technical ability, support services and reliability," said Hidefumi Sano, senior vice president of DIS. "Through this extensive strategic agreement, Red Hat has showcased its ability to provide open source solutions that truly span across the enterprise?an ability that can now be extended to businesses throughout Japan." "Red Hat’s strategy to provide complete open source solutions spanning across the enterprise from Internet infrastructure to handheld devices continues to be an enormous differentiator for partners like Daiei Information System," said Matthew Szulik, CEO of Red Hat. "Red Hat is the unmistakable brand and market leader in the United States, and now Japan has also embraced Red Hat as the de facto standard for Linux and other open source solutions." About Daiei Information System Co., Ltd. Daiei Information System (part of the Daiei group), founded in 1985, is a provider of distribution solutions, and supports network business, which provides connections between manufacturers, retail stores and consumers. DIS established its extensive and dynamic SCM (Supply Chain Management) system-configuring technology by applying their original advanced Web-EDI technology, based on extensive know-how gained from experience in chain-store system development. SCM systems enable users to enhance communications efficacy between companies, including business meetings, master registration of commodities and inventory control, and exchange of POS information. DIS positions this system-configuration technology as its core business. It is establishing a perfect business organization including consulting and support in order to meet the increased needs of Internet-based information systems configuration. DIS is also a total-solution provider and has held exhibitions and seminars aimed at system management engineers or potential users considering adopting SCM systems for their organizations. DIS has earned a high reputation from companies in a variety of fields. Detailed information about DIS’s organization, products and service can be found on their Web site: www.dis.daiei.co.jp. Red Hat, Inc. Red Hat (Nasdaq:RHAT) offers users one single, trusted point of contact and a common platform for developing, deploying and managing open source across Internet infrastructure and devices that connect to the Internet, ranging from small embedded devices to high availability clusters and integrated Web server/e-commerce OSes. And the Red Hat Network, Red Hat’s unique management technology, helps companies worldwide easily manage it all by delivering open source products, service, support and information on-line in real-time. In addition to the award-winning Red Hat Linux server operating system, Red Hat offers Stronghold Secure Web Server, Interchange and Credit Card Verification Software for secure e-commerce, and is the principal provider of GNU-based developer tools and support solutions for a wide variety of embedded processors. Red Hat also provides run- time solutions such as Linux, eCos, Red Hat Embedded, the award-winning RedBoot, custom engineering services, support and training to organizations in all embedded and Linux markets. Red Hat is headquartered in Research Triangle Park, N.C. and has offices worldwide. Please visit Red Hat on the Web at www.redhat.com. For investor inquiries, contact Gabriel Szulik at Red Hat, 919-547-0012. ### LINUX is a trademark of Linus Torvalds. RED HAT is a registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc. All other names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Forward-looking statements in this press release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. 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