Werner Keil wrote: Java 6 update 10. If I'd be running Apple, I'd probably really drop dead...
Sep. 5, 2008 09:36 AM
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TOP LINKS YOU MUST CLICK ON News Linspire Collapses into Xandros
On his blog former Linspire president and CEO Kevin Carmony calls it a 'secret backroom deal'
By: Maureen O'Gara
Jul. 5, 2008 01:15 PM
Linspire, née Lindows, the originally feisty Linux house that threatened to deprive Microsoft of its precious Windows trademark - and got $20 million out of it from Microsoft - has collapsed into Xandros. Xandros, like Linspire, was one of the Linux 'unfaithful' that signed a patent covenant with Microsoft. It was the original source of Linspire’s Debian-based distribution, long before Linspire went over to Ubuntu last year. Anyway, the acquisition has former Linspire president and CEO Kevin Carmony, who disclosed its existence, fit to be tied. On his blog he calls it a “secret backroom deal” because nobody asked the acquiescence of Linspire’s 100 or so minority stockholders like him. According to the notice of sale Carmony got Monday – 11 days after the deal was signed – Xandros acquired Linspire’s Linux assets after Linspire changed its name to Digital Cornerstone. The exchange includes people but by Carmony’s count after a recent layoff Linspire only had eight people left, down from a peak of nearly 100. (Linspire’s most recent CEO, Carmony’s replacement, Larry Kettler will be VP of business development at Xandros.) Carmony, who left Linspire this time last year, says he doesn’t know what Linspire went for but suggests that he and the rest of the disenfranchised won’t realize much of a return; and he blames Linspire founder and chairman Michael Robertson. “To me,” he writes, “this looks like Michael, the ‘captain’ of the Linspire ship, sees the boat sinking , so he casually tells the passengers on the ship that he’s just going on a quick supply run, jumps on the only lifeboat with any cash and valuables, paddles off to safety, and leaves everyone else behind to sink.” Carmony says, “I predict this was done to: 1) help Robertson drain the company of its cash and resources. When I left Linspire, we had a very profitable year and the company had millions in the bank. I predict Robertson has moved this money to himself, family and his other companies, leaving Linspire’s minority shareholders with nothing. 2) help Robertson save face by issuing a ‘Linspire Acquired by Xandros!’ press release, instead of living with the public humiliation that Linspire failed under his leadership. (Although, being outlasted by Xandros isn’t much less embarrassing.) Such a press release will of course be meaningless unless the acquisition was substantial. As a shareholder, I will eventually find out. 3) Give Xandros a press release and perhaps some way for them to spin this to investors to raise money.” Carmony says he’d be happy with 50 cents a share, but doubts that the transaction will come to 10 cents a share and to prove it offers them his position for that. He wants no “bogus, inflated valuation based on Xandros stock.” Carmony also shares the circumstances surrounding his departure from Linspire:
Carmony predicts Linspire stockholders will be “given a handful of Xandros stock. The cash will magically be gone.” He also has “a feeling it will take a lawsuit to sort all this out. Where is all the cash Robertson? Did you take it, squander it, or use some legal maneuver to get it and leave the shareholders with nothing?” Despite Xandros’ claims that Xandros will continue the Linspire and Freespire distros – Linspire 6.0 incorporated Microsoft and other proprietary technologies to further its push on the desktop – it’s probably safe to kiss them good-bye. The Canadian company will retain Linspire’s distribution-agnostic CNR.com “Click ‘N Run” digital download and software management service for itself. With the acquisition Xandros CEO Andy Typaldos has been telling the press, “Xandros is already the third-largest Linux company in the world, and that we may already be the largest private Linux company in the world.” Asus bundles the Xandros distribution with its cheap Eee PC.
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