“Linux venture’s stock skyrockets 272% on first day. But
chaos taints a special set-aside for programmers.”
“As the share price of Linux flag bearer Red Hat Inc. more than
tripled on its first day of trading Wednesday, the success seemed
to many observers to be the long-sought validation that the “free
software” movement is emerging as a potent alternative to Microsoft
Corp.’s Windows software. But a tragedy of errors by online
brokerage E-Trade Group, which underwrote the offering, left many
of the thousands of programmers who created Linux feeling left out
of the parade.”