See also: last week's Commerce page.

Linux and Business

Embedded Linux. Linux training has been big business for some time now, but it is mostly aimed at Linux on the desktop and Linux system administration. Until now there has been little or no training for those interested in embedded Linux. Now both Lineo, Inc. and MontaVista Software are gearing up to fill that gap.

Lineo's Lineo Academix is a scholastic program designed to prepare students for the field of embedded Linux programming. MontaVista, instead, will launch MontaVista University on January 15, 2001 to train developers working in the open source embedded Linux domain. Next, of course, will come the certification exams.

In other embedded news, EMBLIX, the Japan Embedded Linux Consortium, announced their first elected officer corps, the results of an election process that was initiated at MST 2000 last month. The consortium also established three working groups designed to initiate discussion within the embedded Linux community about platform and interoperability issues.

Red Hat third quarter revenue grows to $22.4 million. Red Hat, Inc. reported revenue of $22.4 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2001, ended November 30, 2000. That's an increase of 112% over the $10.5 million reported for the third quarter of fiscal 2000 and an increase of 21% over the second quarter of fiscal 2001. Gross margin was 60% for the third quarter fiscal 2001, versus 58% reported in the second quarter fiscal 2001 and 41.5% in the third quarter fiscal 2000. The Company reported an adjusted net loss of $900,000, or $0.01 per share, for the third quarter of fiscal 2001, compared to an adjusted net loss of $5.4 million, or $0.04 per share, for the third quarter of fiscal 2000. They are still not making a profit, but they getting closer.

Linux is hard at work in many fields. Linux NetworX, Inc. announced that Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley Calif., has selected a Linux NetworX cluster computer system for its Drosophila Genome Project. The Linux cluster of 40 processors will be used by the Berkeley Lab to analyze and sequence the Drosophila (fruit fly) genome.

Linbox has announced (in French) that it has sold 950 Linux-installed servers to the French Direction Générale des Impôts - which administers taxation. An English translation is available via Babelfish.

RSS 1.0 Released by International Working Group. RDF Site Summary (RSS, also referred to as Rich Site Summary format) 1.0, an XML-based application enabling Web sites to describe and syndicate site content and metadata, has been released.. RSS is used by many sites, including LWN.net, to post headlines from their sites for external use. This is the first update to RSS since Netscape released version 0.91 in July,1999.

Eazel Announces Sun to Adopt Nautilus Software for Solaris Operating Environment. Eazel has announced that its Nautilus environment will be shipped with Solaris by Sun, along with GNOME 2.0. Sun will also contribute some development help to Nautilus.

Press Releases:

Open Source Products

• DevelopOnline (TEMPE, Ariz.) announced that Motorola is making its newest telecommunications PowerPC-based hardware platform available online to DevelopOnline's community of developers.

• DevelopOnline (TEMPE, Ariz.) announced that IBM Microelectronics is making its PowerPC Platform with the new 405GP processor available on DevelopOnline's collaborative development Web site.

• Lutris Technologies Inc. (SANTA CRUZ, Calif.) announced that Lutris Enhydra 3.5, an application server capable of supporting wireless protocols, has been released to manufacturing and may now be ordered online.

• Metaflow Technologies Inc. (GRENOBLES, France) introduced Implosion, a system on chip (SoC) design platform that uses Open Source IP for its key hardware and software components.

• Progress Software Corporation (BEDFORD, Mass.) announced that its new open source site, www.possenet.org, is up and running and offering collaborative access to the latest release, Version 9.1, of its Application Development Environment (ADE) source code. CollabNet is providing its SourceCast environment as the infrastructure for the www.possenet.org site.

• VeriSign, Inc. and Telcordia Technologies, Inc. (MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.) announced the opening of the first public trial, part of the ENUM World project, for testing services and applications using the ENUM standard. Participants in the trial will have free access to an open source software development kit and use of the trial registry.

Proprietary Products for Linux

• Aladdin Knowledge Systems (CHICAGO) announced plans to offer a beta version of HASP for Itanium, a comprehensive software security product.

• Mission Critical Linux, Inc. (LOWELL, Mass.) announced the immediate availability of Convolo Cluster Version 1.2, with full support for Network File System (NFS) failover.

• Oracle Corp. (REDWOOD SHORES, Calif.) announced the availability of Oracle Internet File System, designed for Internet-based applications using Java and XML. The latest version is available free-of-charge as part of Oracle8i, Release 3 for Linux platforms.

• PolyServe (BERKELEY, CA) introduced LocalCluster Enterprise, a new high-availability server clustering solution for data replication of web- and IP-based services.

• VMware, Inc. (PALO ALTO, Calif.) announced that its VMware Express desktop software is now available directly from VMware on its Web store ( http://www.vmware.com ) for $79. VMware Express allows users to run either MS Windows 95/98 applications on a Linux system.

Products and Services Using Linux

• e-smith (BOSTON) announced the latest upgrade of the Linux-based e-smith Server and Gateway, version 4.1, with virtual private networking and e-smith Web mail.

• LinuxWizardry Systems, Inc. (BOCA RATON, Fla.) announced a new product for the Magic Passage DSL/Cable Router product line. The new model will be designated the Magic Passage 1400 and will be an entry-level alternative to the current Magic Passage 2540.

• Stream Machine (SAN JOSE, Calif.) announced a reference design that captures, stores, and streams digital media to computers and entertainment products throughout the networked home. The Maestro Reference Design, available in the first quarter of 2001, is based upon the Stream Machine SM2210 codec, a market-leading MPEG2 compression / decompression chip now in full production. And Maestro uses an embedded Linux operating system.

Servers, installed Linux optional

• Dell (ROUND ROCK, Texas) announced that DellHost, Dell's integrated Web hosting service, is offering expanded custom, multi-tier solutions that include firewall and load balancing servers. DellHost has a PowerEdge 2450 server featuring dual 1GHz Intel Pentium III processors, 1GB RAM, three 9GB SCSI hard drives and Red Hat Linux operating system for $799 per month, plus set-up fees.

• IBM (ARMONK, N.Y.) announced that its new IBM eServer z900, "the reinvented mainframe", began shipping to customers around the world.

• Rave Computer Association, Inc. (Sterling Heights, Michigan) has added a redundant 4UAXmp rackmount to its family line of Rave AXmp Systems.

• SteelCloud (DULLES, Va.) announced the ultra high-performance SteelCloud Model 1000.

Products with Linux Versions

• Advanced Visual Systems (WALTHAM, Mass.) released version 5.1 of the AVS/Express data visualization platform. Features include OpenGL rendering on Linux-based systems.

• American Megatrends Inc. (ATLANTA) announced support for Red Hat Linux, RAID 10 and multi-controllers to its MegaRAID IDE100 and MegaRAID IDE66 hard drive accelerators. Linux drivers are available for download on AMI's web site at www.ami.com.

• Asante Technologies, Inc. (SAN JOSE, Calif.) announced that the company is now shipping GigaNIX, its new Gigabit Ethernet adapters for Apple Mac OS, Windows and Linux systems.

• ELSA (SAN JOSE, Calif.) announced shipment of the GLoria lll professional graphics accelerator optimized for mechanical computer-aided design, professional game development and film animation and effects.

• ELSA (SAN JOSE, Calif.) announced the shipping of the Synergy III professional graphics accelerator with application specific optimizations and dual monitor support.

• Equator Technologies, Inc. (CAMPBELL, Calif.) announced the availability of its Shark MAP-CA Development Board and the iMMediaTools Software Toolkit, version 5.2. Red Hat Linux 6.2 is supported.

• Hewlett-Packard Company and Sprint PCS (PALO ALTO, Calif. and KANSAS CITY, Mo.) announced an agreement to jointly market and sell the HP Openmail Anywhere solution as part of the Sprint PCS Wireless Web for Business.

• Marimba, Inc. (MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.) announced the release of Timbale version 1.2. With this latest release, Marimba introduces a cache module and added platform support (including some versions of Linux).

• SteelEye Technology Inc. (MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.) announced an extension of its LifeKeeper Next Generation Enterprise Reliability Platform into MySQL database environments.

• MAPICS, Inc. (ATLANTA) announced the delivery of the Spanish translation of Point.Man 5.0, MAPICS' extended enterprise application.

• Tarantella, Inc. (SANTA CRUZ, Calif.) and Alternative Technology, Inc. announced that they have signed an agreement for Alternative Technology to distribute the Tarantella web-enabling product line.

• Wind River Systems, Inc. (ALAMEDA, Calif.) announced general availability of the SNiFF+ 4.0 source code analysis environment for advanced source code visualization and navigation.

Books and Training

• LinuxCertified.com will offer its next weekend System Administration bootcamp on January 20-21, 2001 in San Francisco bay area (south bay). This workshop is designed for IT professionals and is designed to cover the most important Linux administration areas.

Partnerships

• 2netFX and Zapex Technologies, Inc.announced an alliance to design and deliver innovative hardware and software broadcast solutions to be used in the IP distance learning market. The first system offered by the alliance is a Linux-based server solution.

• e-smith, inc. (BOSTON) announced the e-smith Authorized Partner Program, an initiative designed to help solution providers deliver network server solutions to small and mid-size businesses.

• Lutris Technologies Inc. (SANTA CRUZ, Calif.) announced a licensing partnership with Pixo, Inc.. Under the terms of the agreement, Pixo's Internet Microbrowser will be integrated with Lutris Enhydra 3.5.

• Lutris Technologies (SANTA CRUZ, Calif.) announced an agreement with RadView Software Ltd. to integrate and distribute RadView's WebLoad 4.5 with Lutris Enhydra 3.5.

• Metro Link, Inc. (Fort Lauderdale, FL), a provider of graphics display software for embedded Linux, announced that it has become a member of MIPS Technologies' MIPS Alliance Program (MAP).

• Netgem (PARIS) announced the integration of its Linux-based technology by Gradiente Eletronica, a major TV and consumer electronics manufacturer in Brazil.

• Quicknet Technologies, Inc. and Arcom Control Systems (SAN FRANCISCO and KANSAS CITY, Mo.) announced that they have joined forces to deliver a Voice-over-IP (VoIP) solution to Williams Communications. The APC-Industrial PC is the result of a combined effort of integrating Arcom's APC Celeron (19" rack-mount PC), Quicknet's OpenH323 (an H.323 protocal stack) and the Internet PhoneJACK in a LINUX workstation as specified by Williams Communications.

• Turbolinux, Inc. (TOKYO and SAN FRANCISCO) announced a global OEM distribution agreement with Compaq Computer Corp. to provide Turbolinux as a bundled or factory-installed option with certain models of Compaq ProLiant industry-standard servers. The agreement also permits Compaq to bundle and pre-install TurboLinux software on AlphaServer and AlphaStation systems.

• Turbolinux, Inc. (SAN FRANCISCO) announced it has signed a contract with the Huasong Company, an affiliate of the Chinese Ministry of Information Industries (MII), to provide Turbolinux solutions for the ministry's Internet infrastructure and telecommuncation centers in as many as 500 cities across China.

Investments and Acquisitions

• Sendmail, Inc. announced the acquisition of Nascent Technologies. Sendmail will take ownership of Nascent's Mailspinner product line, renamed Sendmail Mobile Message Server, a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) or iMode enabled wireless email offering. Sendmail will also take over support of Nascent Technologies' customers, integrators and partners.

Financial Results

• Progress Software Corporation (BEDFORD, Mass.) announced results for its fourth quarter and full fiscal year ended November 30, 2000. Revenue for the quarter decreased 15 percent to $66.4 million, down from $78.1 million in the same quarter last year.

Linux At Work

• BigStorage, Inc. (San Francisco, CA) announced its successful installation of 10TB of its iRAID and nearline data storage at EMusic.com, an e-commerce music company based in Redwood City, CA that specializes in the distribution of MP3 audio files over the World Wide Web. The press release did not say which Linux distribution was used in the facility.

Other

• NetSilicon, Inc. (WALTHAM, Mass.) announced its plans for continued market leadership in the intelligent, networked device industry. The company outlined a product strategy focusing on increased commitment to Linux and other open source solutions. These include the addition of EL/IX applications programming interface (API) to its NET+OS(TM) product, and the availability of a Java-based product.

• ServiceWare Technologies, Inc. (OAKMONT, Pa.) announced it has expanded the Foundation Package of its leading IT knowledge portal, RightAnswers.com, with content from ten new software titles from Caldera, Corel, GNOME, McAfee, Norton, Oracle and Sun.

Section Editor: Rebecca Sobol.

Next: Linux in the news