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The end of the party for Linux stocks? The decline in the prices of
Linux stocks is not a new story - it has been a steady process for most
of the year to date. A new milestone was reached, however, in last week's
ugly market: shares of Caldera Systems, VA Linux Systems, Andover.Net, and
Eon Communications all fell below their IPO prices. Linux stocks are no
longer an instant fountain of wealth.
As LWN has said before, this return to earth is not an entirely bad thing.
The stock values we were seeing back in December made very little sense.
Was VA Linux really worth more than, say, United Airlines? Irrational
valuations will, in the end, right themselves. Better sooner than later.
Having that amount of money flying around also distorts the Linux community
in a number of ways. When cash seems to be raining from the sky, it's hard
to concentrate on the code. A great deal of effort was going into press
releases, acquisitions, and the all-important IPO. None of that will go
away now, but perhaps we have at least seen the end of the idea that
instant riches are a natural right of Linux companies.
It is also true, though, that a difficult market will make life harder for
Linux businesses. Businesses need to raise cash to grow, and that has
gotten harder to do. It remains to be seen whether all of the companies
that are planning IPOs this year will be successful in going public; if
not, some of them could find themselves hurting.
Linux, however, remains as strong as ever. Free software is a better way
of doing things, regardless of what is going on in the stock market.
Linux deal-making proceeds, heedless of the movements of the
markets. Here's some of what came out this week:
- Corel has announced
the taking of a 10% equity stake in Simply.com, which will be bringing
its videoconferencing tools to Linux.
- Oracle and TurboLinux have announced
an agreement.. Oracle will take an equity position in TurboLinux and
TurboLinux will make a version of its operating system optimized for
Oracle8i.
- LinuxMall.com has announced
a cooperative marketing agreement with UserFriendly.org. Expect to
see dust puppies on the LinuxMall site shortly.
- Lineo has announced two separate acquisitions. The first announcement concerns INUP, a French company that
deals with fault-tolerant, clustered embedded systems. Then, they
have picked up FirePlug, the
Vancouver-based providers of the ThinLinux embedded distribution.
- VA Linux Systems has announced
the completion of its acquisitions of TruSolutions and NetAttach.
- LinuxMall.com and TheLinuxStore.com have announced
a deal. The essence of it seems to be that TheLinuxStore gets the
Linux-installed computers turf, while LinuxMall stays with the retail
software, books, penguins, and dust puppies.
- ZDNet announced
the acquisition of LinuxDevices.com.
- Red Hat acquired
BlueCurve, a provider of Internet performance management
services.
- Atipa announced
the appointment of Jeffrey Keenan as President. Mr. Keenan has a long
resume; this looks like a classic pre-IPO appointment of a
high-profile manager.
The business of Linux is still clearly on the move.
Expanded LPI certification exam incentive program. The Linux
Professional Institute has announced an expanded
incentive program designed to get people to take its second certification
exam. A 50% discount will be offered until May 12; people who have already
taken the first exam will be able to take this one for free. Those who
pass both exams qualify for the LPI's level 1 certification.
Online PhotoLab launches. The Online PhotoLab has announced
its existence.
Section Editor: Jon Corbet.
Press Releases:
Open Souce Products
- Lineo announced the completion of its first project with Cosource.com: an integration of
htDig with Kdevelop.
- PySol 4.0 is a collection of 173
solitaire card games, freely distributed under the terms of the
GNU GPL.
Commercial Products for Linux
-
Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (SAN JOSE, Calif.) announced that it
will offer its verification software tools on Linux-based
platforms.
- The "Canvas7" graphics design package has been ported for
Linux and appears to be
available for download in beta form.
-
Continuus Software Corporation (IRVINE, Calif.) announced that it
has begun shipping Continuus Change Management (CCM 5.0)
supporting Red Hat Linux.
- CopperZ has
announced a line of rackmount Linux server systems with a
large selection of preloaded software.
-
Csoft International and Neoware Systems (CHICAGO) will soon unveil
an e-Commerce-based Linux point-of-sale solution, using
Neoware's Eon information appliances running NeoLinux, an embedded
version of Red Hat Linux, hosting Csoft iPos.
-
EBIZ Enterprises Inc. (SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.) announced the launch of
the Linux Internet Service Provider, LinuxWired.net.
-
eOn Communications Corporation (MEMPHIS, Tenn.) announced that
Computer Telephony magazine selected eOn's Web Center software
suite "Best of Show" at the recent CT Expo 2000 in Los Angeles.
-
eSoft Inc. (BROOMFIELD, Colo.) announced that the U.S. Department
of Commerce has granted them permission to export stronger
versions of its firewall and virtual private network (VPN)
technology to international markets.
- HancomLinux, Inc. (Korea) has completed development of an
English/Chinese/Japanese Version Linux Word Processor.
-
Inprise/Borland (SEBASTOPOL, Calif.) announced plans to release
Delphi for Linux (code-named Kylix).
- KANGAROOT (Belgium, Antwerp) has
opened a one-stop shopping point for all European linux
-afficionados.
- The Linux Business Expo has
announced that it has "lead retrieval" software for the
Linux system. This is a little package which allows exhibitors to
capture information by swiping attendees' badges at the booths. It's
been a long time coming for Linux, even though it doesn't seem like it
should be that hard. The actual coding was evidently done by
Linuxcare; no word on licensing...
-
Lynx Real-Time Systems, Inc. (SAN JOSE, Calif.) announced that the
driver for the M-Systems Flash Disk Pioneers Ltd. DiskOnChip is
being freely distributed with LynxOS real-time operating systems
(RTOS).
-
Neoware Systems, Inc. (KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.) announced Neoware's
Eon information appliance platform and NeoLinux embedded operating
system are now available for online purchase via Red Hat's new
site at www.redhat.com/marketplace.
- Rt-Control (MONTREAL) announced the release of the latest
uClinux system builder kit, version 2.0.38.1 pre 5.
-
Speedware (MONTREAL) announced that it will provide its North
American customers with Visual Speedware V2.00, its enterprise
client-server development technology, for free.
-
Sphera Corporation (NEW YORK) announced Sphera HostingDirector
2.0, a software solution offering Web hosting providers a platform for
deploying new services and applications.
-
Tripp Lite (CHICAGO) announced its PowerAlert UPS Management
Software has been tested and approved by Red Hat to install and
run on Red Hat Linux.
- Vividata, Inc. (Berkeley, CA)
announced new reduced prices for Personal and Not-for-profit users of
its OCR Shop, ScanShop and PostShop software.
Books
- O'Reilly (Sebastopol, CA) announced the follow-up to the first
collection of User Friendly comic strips, "Evil Geniuses in a
Nutshell".
- No Starch Press (San Francisco, CA) announced LINUX MUSIC &
SOUND, an in-depth look at recording, storing, playing, and
editing music and sound under Linux.
Products Using Linux
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Apropos Retail Management Systems and Informix Corporation
(CHICAGO) announced the release of the Apropos E-Comm suite of
products,
Now Available At TheLinuxStore.com
-
Acrylis Inc. (Chicago) recently announced its Web-based
WhatifLinux.com service that helps Linux Administrators monitor
and manage open-source software assets helping them to increase
service levels and system uptime.
-
3ware, Inc. (PALO ALTO, Calif) announced a 3ware's high
performance ATA RAID controllers will be available through
TheLinuxStore.com.
Java Products
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Sun Microsystems, Inc. (PALO ALTO, Calif.) announced that it is
shipping its Forte for Java, Community Edition 1.0 integrated
development environment (IDE) for the Java 2 Platform.
Training
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AXENT Technologies, Inc. (ROCKVILLE, Md.) announced "Everything
you Need to Know About Installing a Secure Linux Environment", the
latest in a series of free Webcast seminars.
-
SkillsVillage.com (SANTA CLARA, Calif.) announced that it is
working with three leading professional services companies to deliver
its online IT Education and Training Center.
Products with Linux Versions
-
Advanced Digital Information Corporation (REDMOND, Wash.)
announced the introduction of StorNext, a family of innovative
network attached storage (NAS) appliances.
- Century Software, Inc. (CHICAGO) introduced HostML and
ViewML, its new XML-based host access and rendering technologies.
-
Dell Computer Corporation (ROUND ROCK, Texas) announced immediate
availability of Dell PowerEdge 6400 and Dell PowerEdge 6450
servers. Red Hat 6.2 versions are available.
-
IBM (RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.) announced new Netfinity thin
servers designed to deliver the highest computing power per square
foot on Intel based platforms.
-
ICL (CHICAGO) announced WebSTORE, a browser-based solution
for retailers designed to integrate their in-store management,
e-Business and Customer Relationship Management systems.
-
MathSoft, Inc. (SEATTLE) announced a promotion to offer free
copies of S-PLUS for Linux to customers buying new UNIX
licenses.
-
Novas Software, Inc. (SAN JOSE, Calif.) announced nLint, a
new design rule checker for Verilog and VHDL.
-
Pervasive Software Inc. (TOKYO) announced that it has localized
Tango 2000 for the Japanese market.
-
Pervasive Software Inc. (AUSTIN, Texas) announced that it will
post its Tango Objects for Dreamweaver 3 on the new Macromedia
Exchange for Dreamweaver site.
-
Smith-Gardner (DELRAY BEACH, Fla.) announced the release of
Ecometry, an e-business application suite that offers customer
relationship management applications fully integrated with back-office
e-fulfillment functions.
-
Sundog Technologies Inc. (SALT LAKE CITY) announced Universal
Update 1.6, a non-intrusive, data detection and distribution
product that performs scheduled data replication across disparate
database systems.
-
Toshiba (IRVINE, Calif.) announced the Magnia 3030 workgroup
server.
-
Tripwire, Inc. (PORTLAND, Ore.) announced it is now shipping the
Tripwire HQ Manager, a scalable, enterprise management product.
-
Verplex (SAN JOSE, Calif.) announced Version 2.0 of
Tuxedo-LEC, a high performance equivalence checker.
Partnerships
-
Bristol Technology Inc. and SuSE Linux AG (DANBURY, Conn./HANOVER,
Germany) announced a partnership to jointly promote Bristol's
Wind/U for Linux cross-platform development software and
Bristol's Linux Porting Center for SuSE Linux.
- Corel announced four separate OEM deals, designed to get Corel
Linux and Wordperfect Office for Linux onto many desktops. One with
Conducent, Inc., another with
Computer Technology Link Corporation, a third with
Maxspeed Corporation, and the fourth with
Polywell Company Inc..
-
Lionbridge Technologies, Inc. (WALTHAM, Mass.) announced that it
has delivered the first version of Corel Linux for German, French
and Dutch.
- Synergy Microsystem, Inc. (LOVELAND, Colorado) announced that
support for its boards is now included in Terra Soft Solutions'
recently released Yellow Dog Linux Champion Server 1.2.
Investments and Acquisitions
-
ADVA International Inc. announced signing a Letter of Intent to
acquire all of the shares of Global Information Group USA, Inc.
(GIG). GIG develops and markets applications software for the LINUX
Operating System.
-
Eazel, Inc. (PALO ALTO, Calif.) announced that it has received
$11 million from Accel Partners in first round funding.
-
Tricord Systems, Inc. (MINNEAPOLIS) announced that it has
closed a $26 million capital investment in the company.
The investment will be used to launch a new line of server appliances,
and the initial products will be focused on Linux-based
Network-Attached Storage (NAS).
Linux At Work
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Dunn Computer Corporation (DULLES, Va.) announced it received its
first significant order for its fibre channel storage subsystem. The
customer will use the products to run a Linux-based mapping
system with large data and bandwidth requirements.
-
LinuxMall.com has chosen custom hardware manufacturer
Workstation 2000 as one of several key vendors that will supply
its Linux computing needs.
- NetPort Hospitality Systems in Sydney, Australia hopes to connect
hotel rooms and airport terminals to the Internet, according to this
brief Newsbytes article. "Instant links to the Net at up to
100MHz are claimed, using Cisco switches and Linux servers."
Personnel
-
Corel Corporation (OTTAWA, CANADA) announced the appointment of
John Blaine, C. A., as executive vice-president and chief
financial officer.
-
EBIZ Enterprises Inc. (SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.) announced that
Victoria Welch has joined its management team as Director of
Investor Relations/Public Relations.
- LinuxMall.com has put out a
press release showcasing its management team.
-
Mission Critical Linux LLC (LOWELL, Mass.) announced the
appointment of Bill Arvidson as the Company's Director of
Customer Care.
-
OnCore Systems Corporation (HALF MOON BAY, Calif.), an embedded
Linux company, announced the appointment of Phillip Parker to
the post of Vice President of Marketing.
Other
-
Applix, Inc. (WESTBORO, Mass.) announced its results for the
first quarter ended March 31, 2000 with revenues of $12.4 million.
-
Bluepoint Linux Software Corp. (LOS ANGELES) announced that Hao
Lee, one of the architects of the Chinese economic reform, visited
Bluepoint Linux headquarters in support of the company.
-
IBM (CUPERTINO, Calif.) announced that its developerWorks has won
the 10th Annual Jolt Productivity Award at Software Development
West in San Jose.
-
Last week's commerce page mentioned a press release from IDC
saying that Compaq was the #1 Vendor in Linux Server Market. We
mentioned that companies like VA Linux Systems were not even on the
list. This week IDC
announced that VA Linux is a "brand-name" vendor after all, and
has been ranked as the #5 Vendor in Linux Server Market.
- The
Linux Capital Group, Inc. (Albany, CA) filed this corporate
profile. They are a business incubator, venture capital firm for
businesses that deal with Linux and open source software.
- The folks at LinuxMall.com have
announced that they are sponsoring all four community hubs at the
Linux Business Expo.
- Magic Software Enterprises sent the winner of its "Magic for
Linux Really Cool Contest" to Antarctica. This press release reads more like a travel log (with pictures).
"When the World Discoverer docked, the passengers climbed into
Zodiacs, the virtually unsinkable 12-passenger crafts designed by
Jacques Cousteau, to investigate uninhabited islands and to travel up
winding tributaries and get a closer look at marine life. One
encounter was almost a little too close for comfort."
-
Mission Critical Linux (LOWELL, Mass.) announced that it has
launched its presence in Eastern Europe and expanded its
U.S. operations with a full-service operations center in California.
-
Motorola (MANSFIELD, Mass.) unveiled plans to expand its
product line through DSL and Linux-based solutions that will
support broadband communications and other platforms.
-
Penguin Computing Inc. (CHICAGO) announced President and CEO
Sam Ockman's speaking engagements at the Spring COMDEX LINUX
Business Expo at McCormick Place, Chicago, Ill.
- The
Server Software Division of SCO announced that it has ramped up
its Open Source efforts with the release of key technologies,
contributions, and initiatives to the Open Source Community.
-
Trend Micro Inc. (CUPERTINO, Calif.) announced that its Internet
gateway and email groupware antivirus products, InterScan VirusWall
for Linux and ScanMail for Lotus Notes, have been chosen as
finalists for the Best of Show Awards at FOSE 2000 in the
Workgroup/Departmental Software category.
Section Editor: Rebecca Sobol.
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April 20, 2000
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