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Suse: We are the largest. 

	  As a reaction to the IPO of RedHat, which requires the company
	  to disclose its earnings, german Linux distributor Suse has
	  disclosed their own numbers.  While RedHat reported a turnover
	  of $11M between March 1998 and February 1999, Suse reported a
	  turnover of almost $15M (Deutschmark 26.6 M) between
	  01-Apr-1998 and 31-Mar-1999.  Like RedHat, most of this is due
	  to their distribution sales (Deutschmark 17.4M).  Unlike
	  RedHat, who lost $130.000 during this time, Suse was able to
	  report earnings of an undisclosed amount during this time.

	  Both companies employ approx.  130 people each at the time and
	  are growing rapidly:  In 1Q1999 Suse reported a turnover of
	  Deutschmark 9.5M, an increase of 230% compared to the year
	  before.  Since the funding of SUSE Inc.  in the USA, german
	  Distributor Suse is focusing more and more on the
	  international market.  CEO Roland Dyroff reported a larger
	  than proportional growth of the US daugther.  He did not want
	  to answer direct questions about an IPO, though.  "


     Frank Ball     frankb at sr.hp.com