“If you need a poster child for the volatility of the market
this year, you might choose VA Linux Systems Inc. (LNUX), the
Sunnyvale company that produces workstations and servers embedded
with the open-source code first developed by Linus Torvalds.”
“VA Linux Systems’ great success might have been its greatest
curse. Four months ago, it was labeled the most successful IPO in
history, soaring 700 percent above its offering price of $30. Its
first-day close was $239.25.”
“The stock has slipped relentlessly since, finishing at $38
Wednesday after dipping below its IPO price Friday. A child
prodigy has become an ordinary teenager. A Mozart suddenly is
churning out Muzak.”