Intel & Netscape invest in Red Hat Software

[Robin Whittle]

David Goldstein just alerted me to this good news!  Its strange 
seeing Linux associated with big money and familiar marketing terms 
like "mission-critical", "extending leadership into the enterprise" - 
but if thats what is needed to get corporate managers happy about 
using it, then fine!

- Robin

   http://www.redhat.com/news/news-details.phtml?id=163

Intel, Netscape, Greylock and Benchmark Partners Take Equity 
Positions in Red Hat Software

Red Hat Establishes Enterprise Computing Division for Its Linux OS 

SAN JOSE, Calif., September 29, 1998 Today at ISPCON Fall `98, Red 
Hat Software, Inc., a leading distributor of the Linux operating 
system, announced that Intel, Netscape Communications Corporation and 
venture capital firms Greylock and Benchmark Partners have taken 
minority equity positions in the company. Red Hat builds, maintains 
and provides technical support for the Red Hat Linux operating 
system. Linux runs on Intel, Alpha and Sun SPARC platforms. Financial 
terms of the agreement were not disclosed. 

Additionally, the firm announced it is establishing an Enterprise 
Computing Division, according to Red Hat president, Robert F. Young. 
The new division will offer enterprise grade products and services to 
support global, mission-critical applications. "As the growing number 
of users demonstrates, the Linux operating system is ready for 
enterprise-wide applications," Young said. "Red Hat intends to 
further extend its Linux leadership into the enterprise."  

"Today's announcement reaffirms Netscape's commitment to Linux as a 
strategic enterprise-ready platform," said John Paul, senior vice 
president and general manager of the Server Products Division at 
Netscape. "Netscape's customers are demanding a manageable, scalable 
and reliable Internet operating system for deploying the applications 
required in the net economy. Customers are finding that Linux 
provides the manageability, scalability and reliability they 
require." 

"Our investment in Red Hat demonstrates the technological value of 
the open source development model for technologies such as operating 
systems," stated William S. Kaiser, general partner at Greylock. 
"They have done a great job of supporting the open source development 
model and delivering the benefits of that model to a growing number 
of Linux users." 

"Since July, the five leading providers of database software Oracle, 
Informix, Computer Associates, Sybase and IBM have all announced 
plans to support Red Hat Linux OS," stated Red Hat's Young. "We 
believe that their OS strategies, combined with today's announced 
investments, continue to fuel the adoption of Linux as a robust and 
secure operating system."  

Red Hat Software, Inc, based in Research Triangle Park, N.C., is a 
software development company that sells products and provides 
services related to Linux. Red Hat's mission is to provide 
professional tools to computing professionals. The company 
manufactures shrinkwrapped software versions of the Linux operating 
system, making it accessible to the broadest possible range of 
computer users. The company works with development groups around the 
world via the Internet to review, package and develop Linux-based 
tools, making them useful for computing professionals. The company 
builds tools that are released as freely reusable software available 
for unrestricted use. Red Hat additionally publishes books and 
software applications and provides technical support. Visit Red Hat 
on the web at http://www.redhat.com/ 

ABOUT LINUX: 

Linux is a cooperatively developed, POSIX-based multi-user, multi-
tasking operating system used worldwide in commercial, academic and 
development organizations. Linux is used as a low-cost, fully 
functional UNIX workstation for applications ranging from Internet 
servers to reliable work group computing. The operating system was 
initially developed by Linus Torvalds. Today, the core product and 
enhancements, including all source code, are freely available on the 
Internet under a GPL license. 




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Robin Whittle     rw@firstpr.com.au  http://www.firstpr.com.au
                  Heidelberg Heights, Melbourne, Australia 

First Principles  Research and expression: music, Internet 
                  music marketing, telecommunications, human 
                  factors in technology adoption. Consumer 
                  advocacy in telecommunications, especially 
                  privacy. Consulting and technical writing. 

Real World        Electronics and software for music: eg.
Interfaces        the Devil Fish mods for the TB-303. 

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