Red Hat SummitWHO: Red Hat, Inc., CEO Matthew Szulik
WHAT: Testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the
matter of the anti-trust case settlement against Microsoft
Corporation
WHERE: Dirksen Building, U.S. Senate Office Building, Room 106,
Washington D.C.
WHEN: 10:00 a.m. EST Wednesday, December 12, 2001
Red Hat, Inc. (Nasdaq:RHAT) today announced that at 10:00 a.m. EST on Wednesday, December 12, 2001, CEO Matthew Szulik has been invited to testify on the proposed anti-trust settlement between Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq:MSFT), and the federal government. As an invited witness, Szulik will testify before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee as part of a panel comprised of noted legal, government and industry experts.
"The Court of Appeals was clear that Microsoft broke the law and engaged in anti-competitive business practices," said Szulik, CEO of Red Hat, Inc., in a statement prior to the testimony. "I feel it is important to express Red Hat's views to the Senate Judiciary Committee that any final agreement between Microsoft and the United States government must ensure that Microsoft will never again practice the same illegal tactics that brought about the government's original case. The recent decree from the Department of Justice is inadequate and we believe that the remedial proposals of the plaintiffs still litigating this matter in nine states is a more appropriate and reasonable conclusion of this legal process."
In a separate but related initiative regarding the class actions suits now underway in several states, Red Hat offered a counter-proposal to Microsoft's proposed settlement of the class action suits. Microsoft had proposed to donate software and hardware to the nation's 14,000 poorest school districts. Red Hat countered with a proposal to provide open-source software to every school district in the United States free of charge if Microsoft redirects the money it would have spent on software into purchasing more hardware for the nation's 14,000 poorest school districts. Additional information about Red Hat's proposal can be found at www.redhat.com/opensourcenow.
Senate Judiciary Committee Testimony Details
Panel testimony in the Microsoft matter will take place at 10:00 a.m. EST in the Dirksen Building, room 106. Broadcast coverage is not finalized at the time of this media alert, but C-SPAN or C-SPAN2 may cover the hearings live. C-SPAN will finalize its coverage plans at 5:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, December 11, 2001.
- About Red Hat
Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to reliable and high-performing cloud, Linux, middleware, storage and virtualization technologies. Red Hat also offers award-winning support, training, and consulting services. As the connective hub in a global network of enterprises, partners, and open source communities, Red Hat helps create relevant, innovative technologies that liberate resources for growth and prepare customers for the future of IT. Learn more at http://www.redhat.com.
- Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: risks related to delays or reductions in information technology spending; the effects of industry consolidation; the ability of the Company to compete effectively; the integration of acquisitions and the ability to market successfully acquired technologies and products; uncertainty and adverse results in litigation and related settlements; the inability to adequately protect Company intellectual property and the potential for infringement or breach of license claims of or relating to third party intellectual property; the ability to deliver and stimulate demand for new products and technological innovations on a timely basis; risks related to data and information security vulnerabilities; ineffective management of, and control over, the Company’s growth and international operations; fluctuations in exchange rates; and changes in and a dependence on key personnel, as well as other factors contained in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (copies of which may be accessed through the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov), including those found therein under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations". In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic and political conditions, governmental and public policy changes and the impact of natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company’s views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.
