Linux distributor RedHat’s revenue for the third quarter rose 44 percent to US$73.1 million, exceeding analyst expectations. Diluted net income jumped to US$24.6 million (12 cents per share) doubling the US$12.4 million (6 cents per share) from last year. With the addition of approximately 12,000 new customers, the success of RedHat is a clear indication of the increasing demand for commercial Linux technologies. RedHat’s subscription business model has been tremendously successful, and close relationships with companies like IBM, Dell, and HP have stimulated RedHat server deployment. RedHat Certified Engineer (RHCE) was honored with the top spot on CertCities.com’s 10 Hottest Certifications for 2006, and analyst estimates inidicate that RedHat has about 53 percent of the Linux training market in North America. RedHat CEO Matthew Szulik says that interest in Linux is increasing because consumers are less risk averse than they used to be: