“A money manager speaking about the recent Linux-related
IPOs of Andover.net and VA Linux Systems last week…was caught
insisting: “None of this is justified. This is mania. This is
frenzy.“
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is Linux.”
“Market watchers and technology pundits eyed the approach of the
VA Linux and Andover.Net IPOs with a strange mix of dread,
anticipation and inevitability. Ever mindful of both the
ready-to-burst stock market bubble (particularly in regard to tech
stocks) and the recent history of Red Hat, a Linux company whose
share price has continued to climb ever since its own astounding
IPO this summer, commentators produced a manic-depressive
prediction as to what would happen when VA Linux and Andover.Net
stock hit the trading floor: “Sure, it will go up,” they opined.
“But how fast? How far? For how long?”