[citation][nom]sundragon[/nom]Red Hat isn't doing as well as Apple, Microsoft, Intel, Google, HTC, Nokia, Sony, Nintendo, etc, to name a few... These companies protect their designs and technology because it gives them a unique advantage over competitors... They deserve to do this because they put the resources ($$$) and intelligence to create it. Red Hat licenses Linux to people and companies and provides some support - Nice niche business model, but not the way the world runs... People keep knocking Apple, but without Apple, and Google, we would all be using horrible Windows Vista like products. Each of these companies keeps the other in check with their competitive products. This is great for us. They will fight tooth an nail for any leg up they get over their competition.[/citation]
Red Hat doesn't just license linux and provides some support. They for example provided more code changes to the linux kernel than any other company.
Also you keep referring apple and google, yet google oses (android, chrome os) are open source, as is the kernel of the mac os.