How do Linux companies feel about the nascent operating system being invoked as a competitor to Windows by the defense team at the Microsoft Corp antitrust trial? Robert Young, CEO of Red Hat Software Inc says that the company appreciates the free advertising, noting that Microsoft is a little desperate for competitors these days. However, he does not see Linux as a rival for the Windows consumer OS – which is what Microsoft have been implying in and out of the courtroom. He sees NT as the competition and says that Linux is a real operating system which is what NT hopes to become. However, despite claiming that Linux is more stable and more reliable than NT, he notes that in the computer business the better mouse-trap seldom wins so we’ve got our marketing work cut out for us. However, the government’s efforts at curtailing Microsoft’s alleged anti-competitive practices make that task somewhat less arduous. Young says that having the Justice Dept keep Microsoft on the defensive on some of their more aggressive marketing practices has opened opportunities for us with all the larger technology suppliers. These simply would not have been open to us had Microsoft been able to use their traditional ‘you will ship no other OS if you want to ship ours’ approach with these suppliers. Young claims that Red Hat software does not have the same symbiotic relationship that Netscape Communications Corp’s browser products have with the Windows platform. Fortunately, he notes, our success is not dependant on Microsoft’s failure.
