Red Hat’s Red Hot IPO

While the name of the Linux open-source operating system (OS) was being brought up in the Microsoft anti-trust trial — “Linux is beating Windows” — Red Hat, Inc. was busy announcing that it has filed a registration with the US Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) for an initial public offering (IPO) of its common stock.

Seeking to raise $96.6 million (US$), the Durham, North Carolina-based developer and provider of Linux-based software and services has applied to trade under the Nasdaq symbol “RHAT.O.” The initial selling price has not been disclosed.

According to a statement issued by Red Hat CEO Bob Young, the underwriters will include Goldman, Sachs & Co. and E*TRADE Securities, Inc. The offering will be made available by way of a written prospectus, and copies can be obtained through the underwriters.

In Other Red Hat News

Cupertino, California-based Live Software, Inc. has announced that it is including its JRun Internet development and deployment platform on the applications CD being shipped as part of the recently released Red Hat Linux 6.0 package. Enabling Web developers to create applications, JRun supports all major Web servers on all major platforms.

“As one of the most stable platforms today, Linux is ideal for deploying Java Servlets and JavaServer Pages (JSP) with JRun,” commented Paul Colton, Live Software’s president and CEO.

“With the addition of JRun technology to Red Hat Linux 6.0, developers can now develop, debug and deploy Java Servlets and JSP immediately,” stated Paul McNamara, vice president of strategic relationships for Red Hat.

Revolution Time Again?

Some media critics, a little jaded perhaps at this point, run for cover whenever they see that another corporate PR department has pasted the word “revolution” into the headline of one of their numerous announcements. Red Hat, however, is tapping into the term as it has been applied to the open-source movement’s challenge to a certain OS market dominator.

Making another move to push the acceptance of Linux, Red Hat has initiated its Revolution Road Tour, with forthcoming stops in San Jose, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale/Miami, New York, Denver/Boulder, Minneapolis and Austin.

Each stop will include visits to tech retailers in the daytime, and the hosting of evening events that will feature Q&A sessions with Red Hat developers, featured Linux offerings from Computer Associates, IBM, Oracle and Metroworks, and talks by the likes of Donnie Barnes, Mark Ewing, Erik Troan and Mike Wangsmo. Red Hat will also feature the perennial crowd favorite, free stuff.