See also: last week's Commerce page.

Linux and business

• Here is Caldera's amended S-1 filing. Details to be found in this huge legalese document: the offering will be 5 million shares, priced at a (low) $7-9 per share. There will be just over 38 million shares outstanding overall. They brought in $500,000 in revenue over the last quarter, losing over $5 million.

  The amended filing continues to talk about Caldera's intended "directed share program." Up to ten percent of the initial offering will be reserved for this program, which will be managed by Wit Capital. Opening a Wit account will be necessary to participate. There is also mention of a separate program to offer shares to "international participants." It's still not clear when this program will actually be implemented.

• Linuxcare has submitted this amended S-1 filing (640K of legalese). Added details include that they will be offering 4.5 million shares at $13-15 each; there will be 30 million shares outstanding overall. Thus they are selling 1/7 of the company, a slightly larger piece than one sometimes sees with these high-tech IPOs. The financial figures are updated through the end of 1999; the total revenue is $1.5 million, a threefold increase over their performance through September (which was on the initial S-1). Their losses exceed $21 million. Their top three customers (Motorola, Sun, SGI) provide 55% of their income.

  There is still no mention of a directed share program in Linuxcare's filing (which does not mean they do not intend to implement such a program).

The actual IPO dates will not be known for a while yet; the offerings are likely to take place sometime in April.

Are Linux stocks good buys? As the next round of Linux IPOs nears, investors must surely be wondering about the quality of the investments they represent. Consider: Red Hat has fallen to just over a third of its peak value (in January), and VA Linux Systems is only worth a third of the value it hit on its first day. Some of the sparkle has clearly gone out of these stocks.

Of course, these things are all relative. Both companies still have quite high valuations for their size and revenues. If Linux Mania hadn't happened, and both stocks had reached their current valuations from below, few people would probably be disappointed.

As things are, however, anybody who bought VA on its first day - or almost any time thereafter, for that matter - is not likely to be happy about the investment. Investors looking at the upcoming IPOs would do well to keep that in mind. Linux stocks are not necessarily a good buy at any price, be careful out there.

Ericsson's cordless screen phone. Ericsson has announced its "Screen Phone HS210" product - a Linux-based telephone with a touchscreen that can be used for email, web browsing, etc.

TurboLinux made a number of announcements this week, including:

• This announcement that its distribution will be offered as an option on Dell servers and workstations in Hong Kong and China.

• A bundling deal with Merlin Software Technologies that will get Merlin's products shipped with the TurboLinux distribution.

• The appointment of T. Paul Thomas as the new President and Chief Operating Officer of the company, replacing founder Cliff Miller (who remains CEO). Thomas was previously the President and CEO of Artisoft. Those who are into speculation will certainly note that an IPO is usually preceeded by the assembly of a new management team designed to appeal to investors...

Procom to release NetBEUI stack to Linux Community. Procom Technology has announced that it will release its NetBEUI implementation under an open source license. "The NetBEUI stack comprises a significant body of code and several man-years of effort, and will be posted with the instructions and tools necessary for integration with Samba.... 'This is our way of giving back to the community whose technology serves as the foundation for our NAS technology,' said Alex Razmjoo, Procom's President and CEO."

VA Linux Systems reports second quarter revenue. VA Linux Systems has reported that its revenues for the last quarter were $20.2 million, "up 537% from the same quarter last year." $300,000 of that was professional services revenue; they turned in a total loss of $8.4 million.

See also the transcript of VA's analyst conference call on the results. Among other things, VA claims that SourceForge now hosts one third of all known free software development projects.

Section Editor: Jon Corbet.

Press Releases:

Open Souce Products:
• Centura Software Corp. went live with its first open source data management solution for Information Appliances. Centura's db.linux is available for downloading and for collaborative development on OpenAvenue's hosting site at http://www.openavenue.com/db.linux.

• Corel has announced that the development of its print services library will be hosted on SourceForge.

• Futureware 2001 announces KQuick. KQuick is an open translation system to translate words between languages, resolve acronyms, lookup numbers. KQuick is the first User-Interface of the *Quick system. Other user interfaces, such as Gnome (GQuick), will follow. KQuick is offered under the GPL.

• MandrakeSoft announced Linux-Mandrake 7.0 PowerPack edition, now available at local retailers and through mail-order in the US.

• Orasoft has officially released version 1.0 of their Oracle ObjectManager. This is significant because of the lack of client access software on the Linux platform compared to that of lesser platforms. Object Manager makes Linux a viable client in addition to it's usual role as server. Object Manager uses the Gtk+ toolset, and is released under the GPL.

• R3vis Corporation has announced the release of its "OpenRM Scene Graph API" product under the LGPL; it can be downloaded via SourceForge.

• Webb Interactive Services Inc. announced the formation of Jabber, Inc., a subsidiary focused on the commercialization of an open source, XML-based instant messaging platform.

  Commercial Products for Linux:

• Blue Wave Systems Inc. announced that its ComStruct line of communications processing building blocks now supports the Linux operating system.

• C-bridge Internet Solutions, Inc. announced the expansion of its company-operated C-bridge University. Four new learning centers will open nationwide and abroad, and 14 new courses, including programs in Linux and XML will be offered.

• Computer I/O Corporation announced the release of the Easy I/O Server, a Linux-based network I/O server.

• Diversinet Corp. announced that its client Software Development Kit has been extended to Linux and Unix formats.

• EST announced BRU Backup & Restore Utility v.16.

• I-Link, Inc., an enhanced voice/data service provider, announced support for the Linux operating system.

• I-Logix unveiled plans to launch a strategic initiative designed to drive the advancement of the Linux market and support the growing demand for Linux-based embedded applications. They also announced a strategic partnership with MontaVista Software to support MontaVista's Hard Hat Linux embedded operating system as a target for code developed in its Rhapsody application development platform.

• Image Power, Inc. introduced a Linux image viewer for FaxPC that supports JBIG2 image decoding plus a variety of other file formats. The first version of this new viewer is available at the FaxPC Web site and supports Red Hat, Debian, Caldera, SuSE and Slackware versions of Linux.

• Impera Software Corp. announced the release of the PowerBox product, a 2U rackmount server. While this product can support various Linux distributions, it has been specifically designed for Red Hat Linux and is RedHat certified.

• Insignia has announced that its "Jeode" Java platform will be included in Lineo's Embedix SDK product.

• Level 8 Systems, Inc. announced the availability of Geneva XIPC for Linux, a message-oriented middleware software product specifically designed for the Linux platform. Red Hat, Inc. will include a demonstration version of Geneva XIPC on the next release of the Red Hat Linux Application Library CD.

• LinuxPPC announced a Box Set for all new and current subscription customers. The Box Set includes the LinuxPPC 2000 CD-ROM set, a t-shirt, and printed manual.

• Lynx Real-Time Systems, Inc. announced that PacketStream's Synchronous Packet Streaming (SPS) solution will run on the LynxOS real-time operating system (RTOS) and BlueCat Linux operating system.

• MoJo Designs announced that the Eyelet GUI has been ported to Motorola's 68K and Intel Corporation's x86 processors. The royalty-free embedded graphical user interface is now available for five processors and six operating systems. Besides Linux the the following Real Time Operating Systems are supported: pSOSystem from Integrated Systems Inc. (ISI), Precise/MQX from Precise Software Technologies Inc., uCOS, eCos from Cygnus Solutions and LynxOS from Lynx Real-Time Systems, Inc.

• NETsilicon and and their Linux development partner, WireSpeed Communications Corporation, have announced the availability of Net+Lx, a port of uCLinux to the NET+ARM system-on-silicon chip.

• Plesk, Inc. announced the release of Plesk Server Administrator v.1.2, which features a point-and-click interface to perform comprehensive server management tasks.

• Procom Technology put out a press release outlining how it will push deployment of Linux-based Network Attached Storage (NAS) technology.

• Progress Software Corporation announced the Developer Edition of its Progress SonicMQ Internet messaging server will support the Linux operating system.

• Rainfinity announced the introduction of a Linux version of its high availability Rainwall clustering solution for the Secure Virtual Network (SVN) architecture.

• TimeSys Corporation announced the TimeSys Linux Real Time System. "TimeSys Linux/RT actually extends the Linux kernel, rather than adding a proprietary non-Linux RTOS as an abstraction layer between Linux and the system hardware."

• TRISIGNAL Communications announced the availability of its Phantom Embedded Modem reference design for the Linux operating system.

• VariCAD, developer of one of the few professional CAD systems running under Linux. released VariCAD version 7. 3. - 0. 0

  Products Using Linux:

• ATEC Group, Inc. announced they are now authorized OEM reseller for Red Hat Linux. ATEC will offer its Nexar Empower series, with a choice of processors, including the Intel Pentium III, Intel Celeron, AMD-K6-2 and AMD Athlon, and Red Hat Linux.

• Microtest Inc. introduced FileZerver, a network appliance designed to meet the growing file storage and management needs of departments and workgroups, at the CeBIT.

• NETsilicon, Inc. announced the introduction of NET+Lx, a comprehensive embedded network connectivity system using the Linux operating system.

• Splash Technology, Inc. announced its first color servers for Canon digital color copiers. The Splash T200e, T200, and T240 are part of the new Splash T200 product line, which features a Splash-Linux architecture based on Splash's advanced compression and color technologies, combined with the Linux operating system and standard Intel processors.

• Splash Technology, Inc. announced the ColorPort for the DocuColor 2000 Series. The Xerox ColorPort was developed by Splash Technology and is part of a product line featuring a Splash-Linux architecture.

• uniView Technologies Corp. announced the introduction of its new entry level set top box, model uniView 110, which runs on the Linux operating system.

  Java Products:

• Espial announced Espial Architect 2.0. They claim to be "the industry's only rapid application development environment for PersonalJava".

• VSI (V-Systems Inc.) announced the immediate availability of Breeze XML Studio, a commercially available development environment that binds XML to JavaBeans.

• VSI (V-Systems Inc.) and Software AG announced a strategic alliance to integrate and distribute VSI's Breeze XML Studio with Software AG's X-Studio, which is the developer part of Software AG's XENON architecture for XML based applications.

  Products with Linux Versions:

• 8x8 Inc. announced the immediate availability of its Veracity Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Software.

• Advanced Digital Information Corporation announced Linux support for their CentraVision File-sharing System.

• Argus Systems Group, Inc. announced its plans to develop a version of its PitBull security product line on the Linux platform. Products should be ready by the 4th quarter of 2000.

• BLAST, a supplier of automated file transfer solutions, has been chosen by software point-of-sale developer Synchronics as the communications engine for its CounterPoint V7.3 software.

• CodeGen, Inc. announced the availability of its SmartFirmware product on all Cogent Computer Systems development platforms.

• The Computer Systems Group (CSG) of Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. announced the M500D, the next-generation, entry-level server featuring dual-processor capability. Its compatible with most small to medium business networks, including Red Hat Linux 6.0.

• Cyclone Commerce, Inc. announced the newest release of its Cyclone Interchange Trading Engine. Version 2.3 expands platform support to provide Linux and AS/400 users with trading community development and management solutions.

• Easy Software Products announced the ESP Print Pro v4.0.4, a complete printing solution.

• eRedi, Inc. announced the release of expandable Network Attached Storage (NAS) Towers and Racks called ScalarRAID.

• FOCUS Enhancements, Inc. announced today that CoCom International, Ltd., is launching an Internet set-top box utilizing FOCUS' FS450 as its TV display technology. CoCom's Internet set-top box design is called Netmine.

• IBM announced the IBM WebSphere Transcoding Publisher, software that dynamically translates, or "transcodes," Web information, text and images, to a format readable on a variety of Internet appliances.

• Interstar Technologies offers free beta version of LightningFAX 6.5 for Red Hat Linux.

• Legato Systems, Inc. announced Legato GEMS Storage Resource Manager (SRM) and Legato GEMS SRM for Exchange, Web-based storage resource management solutions.

• Mylex, a subsidiary of IBM, announced the company showcased its latest Fibre Channel and Ultra 160 SCSI products at CeBIT.

• NetMorf, Inc. introduced SiteMorfer 2.0, a wireless e-business product that transforms e-commerce sites to wireless devices by integrating directly with a company's back-end data sources.

• OpenConnect announced the launch of its new Voodoo Engine Web server.

• Perle Systems Limited announced the addition of the new SX+ host card to the Perle Specialix "Direct Connect" product range.

• Platform Computing Corp. unveiled its newest version of the resource management solution, LSF 4.0.

• Quantum Corporation's DLT and Storage Systems Group's Snap Division announced the Snap Server 4000, a 120GB RAID 5 capable workgroup file server.

• Rogue Wave Software announced major upgrades for two of its top selling software packages: Threads.h++ and DBTools.h++.

• Sane Solutions, LLC announced the release of NetTracker 4.5, a new version of the NetTracker line of web site traffic analysis software.

• Secant Technologies, Inc. announced Extreme Internet Server, an application hosting environment for Internet and Application Service Providers.

• V-ONE Corporation announced that it has released SmartGate version 4.0. SmartGate client versions are available for Linux.

• Xybernaut Corporation announced it has been issued a U.S. patent for a "transferable core," which the company believes will radically change mobile computing.

  Books:

• O'Reilly & Associates announced the 2nd Edition of Volume 6B, Motif Reference Manual", a complete programmer's reference for the Motif toolkit.

• O'Reilly published a new book on The Perl Database Interface, better known as the Perl DBI, called "Programming the Perl DBI", by Alligator Descartes & Tim Bunce.

• Prentice Hall PTR announced the launch of its Open Source series. Titles include:
  • Linux Desk Reference, by Scott Hawkins.
  • Linux Network Administrator's Interactive Workbook, by Joe Kaplenk.
  • Linux System Security, by Scott Mann and Ellen Mitchell.

  Partnerships, Investments and Acquisitions:

• Computer I/O and Montavista Software have announced a partnership to produce easily-programmed embedded I/O systems, based on Montavista's real-time distribution.

• EarthWeb's dice.com announced that it has signed an agreement with Go2Net to exclusively provide the dice.com job search engine and other content throughout Go2Net's computer and career channels. dice.com already powers the job areas of fourteen Web sites including RedHat.com, UserFriendly.org, 32BitsOnline and PenguinApps.

• EBIZ has announced a deal with Corel that will result in Corel Linux being bundled on systems sold at TheLinuxStore.com.

• eConnect has entered into a strategic alliance with Empire Financial Group Inc. to offer the Instant Cash Trading Account system that utilizes an ATM card with PIN. Customers will get an eCashPad+ which attaches to their PC keyboard. Then triple encrypted transactions can be routed from the user's PC to a regional ATM card bank system for approval via an eConnect/RGTecq Linux Transaction Server.

• Fujitsu Siemens Computers announced that it is to partner with Argus Systems Group. One part of the partnership has Argus working with Intel and Fujitsu Siemens Computers on the implementation of security products for Fujitsu Siemens Computers' forthcoming IA-64-based Primergy servers running under Linux.

• IKON Office Solutions announced an agreement with Splash Technology for exclusive North American distribution rights to the Splash T Series color server line.

• Lineo Inc. announced that it joined the Extend the Internet (ETI) Alliance, founded by emWare Inc.

• Maxspeed Corp. announced it has received $14.2 million in mezzanine venture financing from Westbury Equity Partners, Walden International Investment Group, Champion Consulting Group, and other investors.

• Midnight Cafe's Gamers Depot has signed on as the first gaming affiliate for the Maximum PC Network.

• Opera Software and Ericsson have announced that Ericsson's (Linux-based) HS210 "Screen Phone" will incorporate the Opera web browser.

• Perle Systems Limited released details of plans for the distribution of its enlarged range of network and server connectivity products, following its acquisition of Chase Research Limited. Perle's product support UNIX/Linux and Windows NT.

• Red Hat, Inc. and ODS Networks, Inc. announced that they will work together to complete Red Hat certification and the design of a hardened Linux operating system for use with ODS' SecureCom family of Internet Security products.

• SGI and SuSE have announced their intention to work together to bring SGI's clustering technology to Linux.

• ThePlanet.com announced that they have received $2.35 million in venture capital funding from Interfase Investments, LP, an Austin, Texas-based venture capital firm. ThePlanet provides managed dedicated hosting on leading hosting platforms, including Sun Solaris, Linux, and FreeBSD and hosts over 1,000 Web sites on its proprietary ServerMatrix architecture.

• VA Linux Systems, Inc. announced the launch of its Linux Solutions Partner Program for independent software vendors and independent hardware vendors.

  Who is using What:

• Advanced Management Solutions announced that iPool has selected the AMS REALTIME suite of enterprise project and resource management software to help manage its development programs. AMS REALTIME will run on Red Hat Linux Version 6.0 at iPool.

• Digital Island, Inc. announced that Tripwire, Inc. is using its global network services to sell enterprise security solutions over the Internet.

• GameCom and AMD have announced the "Net GameLink" entertainment system. You have to look fairly far down in the press release to see that it is a Linux-based system.

• National Semiconductor Corporation announced that it has licensed Citrix Systems, Inc.'s Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) client software for the Linux operating system.

• Sumisho Datacom and Internet Pro Corporation have chosen RAS (Remote Access Server) products from Digi International Inc. to help build Linux-based Internet point-of-presence (POP) servers for Japan's fast-growing community of Internet service providers (ISPs).

• TurboLinux, Inc. announced that one of Japan's largest consumer e-commerce web sites is running on TurboLinux Server and a cluster of IBM Netfinity 5000 Servers.

• Unify Corporation announced that Nortel Networks has selected Unify's application development platform for the Linux operating system.

• VMware, Inc. announced that Informatica has deployed VMware software to support multi-platform application development.

  New Personnel:

• EBIZ Enterprises Inc. announced that Jean L. Francois has joined their management team as chief technology officer.

• Maxspeed Corp. announced the election of Joseph G. Fogg III to its board of directors.

• MontaVista Software Inc. announced the appointment of David Warner as chief financial officer.

• O'Reilly & Associates, Inc. announced that Jon Orwant is the new Chief Technology Officer.

• Terra Soft Solutions, Inc., developer of PowerPC Linux solutions, announced that Dave Herres will join Terra Soft as the Liaison to Federal Sales as well as serve as Chief Financial Officer.

• Terra Soft Solutions, Inc. announced their year 2000 Board of Directors: Chris Gulker, VP Marketing Montclare Technologies and a former Director for Apple Computer; Janet Logothetti, former market analyst for US West International; and Joel E. Allen, President Site-View.com.

  Other:

• EBIZ Enterprises Inc., owner of TheLinuxStore.com and other Linux sites, announced that information on their stock is now available on Linux Weekly News' (LWN) Linux Stocks Page http://lwn.net/stocks/. In addition to the LWN Linux Stocks Page, EBIZ stock information is also available on the Linux Quotes section of the recently launched CNET Linux Center.

• Evans Marketing Service announced that the expectation of deploying Linux apps by Development and IT Managers in large corporations increased by 75% during the last six months of 1999 and that the percent of companies running Linux increased by 95%.

• Hypermedia Communications Inc. announced the first wave of sponsors and advertisers for newmedia.com, a new site specifically for Internet architects. The site is divided into three information centers: business, design, and technology. Content is further indexed under topic centers, where content is catalogued under hot topic headings such as e-commerce, media distribution, Linux, and convergence.

• Linuxcare has announced the opening of its Japanese office (Linuxcare Kabushuki Kaisha) in Tokyo.

• NETsilicon, Inc. reported that revenue for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2000 ended January 31, 2000 rose 68 percent. The company has decided to invest in a new business initiative to develop and launch embedded networking system products based on Linux and Java operating environments.

Section Editor: Rebecca Sobol.

Next: Linux in the news