VA Linux Professional Services Expands Internet Infrastructure Services and Software Development Teams

Business Wire, May 8, 2000

Business Editors, Technology Writers

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 8, 2000

Adds Key Professional Services Engineers,

Business Analysts and Open Source Strategists

VA Linux Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:LNUX) today announced that it has significantly expanded the VA Linux Professional Services Division, strengthening its expertise in Internet infrastructure services and Open Source software development. VA Linux Professional Services has also continued to add key talent to its team of engineers, business analysts and Open Source strategists, adding over 40 engineers and managers over the past three months.

VA Linux Professional Services Programs and Expertise

VA Linux Professional Services' newest program is the VA Linux ISP JumpStart Program, which assists companies in the planning, design and implementation of their Internet infrastructure solutions. In addition, VA Linux Professional Services has strengthened its expertise in e-commerce, Web server farms, Internet multimedia and streaming, Samba, Linux driver development, porting and Open Source application development.

Expansion of Professional Services Engineering Talent

VA Linux Professional Services continues to expand its Open Source software engineering team. Most recently, VA Linux Professional Services has gained Precision Insight's engineering and project management team, which brings significant expertise in the Linux kernel and multimedia infrastructure development. The Precision Insight team will help VA Linux Systems define its future strategy in Open Source multimedia and streaming technologies for Internet applications.

Some of the key developers who have joined VA Linux Professional Services include Daryll Strauss, David Dawes, Kevin Martin, Brian Paul and Allen Akin.

Daryll Strauss is well known for his contributions in porting 3dfx Glide to Linux, as well as his work on generating graphics for the motion picture "Titanic." David Dawes is the lead founder, developer and president of The XFree86 Project. Kevin Martin has been responsible for developing several accelerated X servers for XFree86, including XFree86's original accelerated X server. Brian Paul is the founder and principal developer of Mesa, an Open Source implementation of the OpenGL(R) API which is included in XFree86 4.0. Allen Akin was a member of the original X11 server development group at DEC, wrote the first 3D graphics application for X11 and managed the OpenGL group at SGI.

Also joining VA Linux Professional Services from Precision Insight are Jens Owen, Rik Faith, Jeff Hartmann, Gareth Hughes and Keith Whitwell--all well-known developers actively leading and contributing to Open Source multimedia projects.

VA Linux Professional Services has added notable Open Source engineering talent in other areas as well, hiring developers such as Gerald Carter, a Samba Team member specializing in LDAP integration and NT domain support and author of "Teach Yourself Samba in 24 Hours," published by SAMS.

"VA Linux Professional Services has been successful in bringing together the finest talent in Linux and Open Source development with the quality service delivery practices of experienced project managers and analysts," said Marty Larsen, director of services for VA Linux Systems. "We intend to continue to drive growth in professional services and focus on delivering high levels of satisfaction to our Internet, e-business and technology customers."

About VA Linux Systems

Since 1993, VA Linux Systems has been a recognized leader in Linux and Open Source solutions for Internet infrastructure. VA Linux provides a single point of contact for Linux systems, Open Source software expertise, and world-class professional services and support. VA Linux Systems owns and operates SourceForge, the world's largest Open Source development center, as well as Linux.com and Themes.org. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, VA Linux is located on the Web at http://www.valinux.com/.> VA Linux Systems was selected as one of Fortune Magazine's top "Cool Companies," Red Herring's "Top 100 Companies of the Electronic Economy" and Upside's "Hot 100 Companies." VA Linux was awarded the 1999 Linux Journal Editors' Choice Award for Best New Hardware, and was the only company to win multiple "Show Favorite" awards at LinuxWorld Conference & Expo in March 1999 (in Computers and Science/Engineering) and again in February 2000 (in Hardware and Peripherals/Support Services).

Certain statements in this press release, including statements relating to future market position, results, growth of VA's professional services program and VA's Internet multimedia and streaming technology strategy, are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different from expectations. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, competition with larger and more established companies; the company's ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; industry trends in Linux and Open Source; and other risks detailed in VA Linux's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which may be accessed through the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov/.>