Bonum Certa Men Certa

Do-No-Evil Saturday - Part II: The Non-Free Side of Novell

Netware and Legacy



Going back to the days when Novell found itself unable to maintain dominance, Chin Wong has this story to tell.



DOES anyone still remember NetWare?

If you started using computers with Windows XP, chances are you have never even heard of it. Yet back in the early 1990s, this network operating system from Novell Inc. was considered the de facto standard for connecting personal computers, enabling them to share files and printers.

In 1988, Novell controlled 50 percent of the PC networking market and built this up to a commanding 90 percent in the 1990s with subsequent versions of NetWare. In fact, Novell’s grip on the market was so strong that not even Microsoft could break it—until it began chipping away at it with Windows NT.

In those days, the local NetWare distributor and the occasional visiting fireman from Novell would scoff at Microsoft’s networking capabilities. Sure you could set up a network using Windows, but it would not be as robust or a cost-effective as NetWare, they said.

Notwithstanding these claims, NetWare’s popularity declined steadily after 1995 as Microsoft shifted the market towards Windows servers.


On the brighter side of things, Apple's iPhone gives ZENworks a mention.

And Novell Inc.'s ZENworks software can already be rudimentarily managed via the iPhone's browser, according to a spokeswoman.


This happens to be one of those 'junk food' articles that equate use of a Web browser to the much-hyped iPhone amid the launch of its 3G successor.

SCO



SCO was talked about earlier this week, but there continues to be some coverage of it. Sam Varghese, for example, goes all the way back to 2003 and explains the folly from the top.

Now it remains to be seen whether Novell will try to create trouble for Sun. If Sun has to shut down its OpenSolaris project, that would be a disaster for the company as it has tried to restyle itself as an open source entity, using OpenSolaris as its poster boy.

Novell had sought something in the region of $US20 million as compensation for deals with SCO had done with said IP. It is unlikely that Novell will appeal the ruling that grants it $US2.55 million.


Here is another summary that comes from an SCO critic.

On June 19 SCO got yet another extension (until Aug. 11) to file a bankruptcy reorganization plan with the courts (boo), and on July 16 a court found in Novell's favor and determined that SCO had to cough up $2,547,817 “for unjust enrichment and breach of fiduciary duty.” Hooray! Score one for the good guys.


Egan Orion talks about the possibility that Novell will jeopardise Sun. It is an interesting -- yet hypothetical for the time being -- situation that SJVN brought up some months ago.

The additional SVRX licence rights that Sun obtained from SCO enabled it to open source Solaris as OpenSolaris... or so it thought. Sun paid SCO $2.5 million for that SVRX licence amendment, Judge Kimball decided. Actually, Sun paid SCO a lot more, about $10 million in total, but $2.5 million is the figure that the judge apportioned for those added SVRX rights.

However, Sun has released OpenSolaris without Novell's permission having been granted, at least, not yet, so the toothpaste is out of that tube and Sun can't put it back in now.


More details are available in LamLaw and in this good new article from SJVN.

Even though SCO has suffered another legal defeat, the company looks like it has enough willpower, if not sense, to keep its legal losing streak going.


Virtualisation



The games around virtualisation are tad bothersome, and partly so due to Novell's role in assisting Microsoft against GNU/Linux. As a quick up-to-date summary of the players involved, see this.

When it comes to defining the role of virtualization, there are two camps: 1) Virtualization is a platform – represented by VMware; 2) Virtualization is a feature – represented by Parallels, Microsoft, Citrix, IBM, SUN, Novell, and Oracle.


The following new article is about Novell virtualisation. It reads like an advert (testimonial) for Novell and SUSE though.

Growing use of Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise virtualization and Novell ZenWorks 7 management products has saved VIST Financial Corp. hundreds of thousands of dollars and cut IT travel by as much as 90%, according to Jack McLaine, VIST's vice president of IT services.


Another coverage of the VMWare situation contains a derogatory comparison to Novell Netware, which is premature. It's almost like a self-fulfilling prediction of doom, which is a known Microsoft tactic, a reminder of which is this:

"Working behind the scenes to orchestrate "independent" praise of our technology, and damnation of the enemy's, is a key evangelism function during the Slog. "Independent" analyst's report should be issued, praising your technology and damning the competitors (or ignoring them). "Independent" consultants should write columns and articles, give conference presentations and moderate stacked panels, all on our behalf (and setting them up as experts in the new technology, available for just $200/hour). "Independent" academic sources should be cultivated and quoted (and research money granted). "Independent" courseware providers should start profiting from their early involvement in our technology. Every possible source of leverage should be sought and turned to our advantage."

--Microsoft, internal document [PDF]



Anyway, from the new article:

Those other competitors, the likes of Citrix/XenSource, Sun, Oracle, Novell, and Virtual Iron, will have some impact. But it's Microsoft's presence that's sending shivers through the stock price.

[...]

The face-off between VMware and Microsoft reminds Burton Group analyst Richard Jones of a similar confrontation between Novell's NetWare and Microsoft's LAN Manager. NetWare was the market-leading product and Microsoft lagged significantly, but it eventually built local area networking into its Windows NT operating system and wrested market dominance from Novell. The VMware Virtual Infrastructure vs. Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V may be a similar confrontation, where Microsoft goes back and fills in a niche previously occupied by a specialist.


We wrote down quite recently what might be happening here. They cite the Burton Group, which is batting for Microsoft not only in this one area. It does business with Microsoft and it attacked VMWare before [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].

Security



Here is what seems like a loose Ã…hléns-Novell link.

The environment is a rich flora of products and solutions from a wide range of suppliers who must be monitored, such as Microsoft, Novell and VMware.


There have also been some flaws in Novell products, including:



People



From the Google-hostile Seattle press comes this, which gives Eric Schmidt unnecessary flak. He used to work at Novell.

Google had to know this was coming. In some ways it's a turnabout, since its chief executive, Eric Schmidt, previously worked for Sun Microsystems and Novell when they were fighting antitrust battles with Microsoft.


Will the Seattle press (code word for Microsoft Kool-Aid) also give Novell some flak for its little collusion with Microsoft?

Xandros



The Xandros derivative from ASUS seems to be fading a bit now that Microsoft sells Windows XP licences for a mere pittance. Just how much pressure has Microsoft exerted against ASUS this time?

Although there are two flavours with slightly different specifications — a Windows XP model for AU$699 and a Xandros Linux model — only the Windows XP model is currently available in Australia.


Acer has complained in public about Microsoft's control mania. It was about a month ago after it had publicly slammed Windows Vista on behalf of all OEMs (that was last year). ASUS might soon reveal just what's going on here. It appears like market distortion.

Recent Techrights' Posts

Microsoft Media Operatives and Bill Epsteingate-Funded Sites Said Microsoft Lays Off 9,000, But Other Sites Say More (Including 2,300 in Redmond Alone)
We might never know the real number/s (Microsoft will keep the cards close to its chest) until there are leakers or unless there are whistleblowers with hard proof
GNU/Linux Reaches All-Time High in the United States of America
Windows is trending down
Why the Microsoft People Who Started SLAPPs Against Techrights Could Very Well be Sent Back to Prison
White-collar crime is also a crime
 
Links 02/07/2025: Deep Microsoft Cuts, Macron Speaks to Putin
Links for the day
Confirmed: Microsoft Shutdowns Today, Not Only Mass Layoffs
"The Initiative is the only studio closure planned today, although some other teams have seen cuts of varying degrees."
GNU/Linux is Replacing Microsoft Windows. But We Need to Eradicate Microsoft, It's a Hub of Crime.
I have been writing about Microsoft since the 1990s when I was in school
Microsoft Windows Nosedives in Switzerland While GNU/Linux Leaps Above 6%
sooner or later they might have to make the move anyway
Anxiety at Microsoft: Many Workers (Maybe Over 10,000) Still Don't Know They're Being Laid Off Just Before US Independence Day
"Has anyone gotten the notification yet?"
Microsoft "Declined to Say How Many People Would be Laid Off," According to Associated Press
Some other prominent publications said they reached out for comment from Microsoft and received none
The X War is Over and the "Wayland People" Lost
People will gravitate towards what works for them
20 Years Since My Thesis
It's still online
GNU/Linux is Replacing Windows in Laptops/Desktops
The world will move on while Windows and Microsoft shrink
Now Comes the Expected Webspam, Framing Microsoft Layoffs as "Hey Hi" Success Story (False Marketing That's Piggybacking the Layoffs)
falsely marketed as "intelligence"
Hungary: Microsoft Windows Sinks to 17% "Market Share"
In many nations in Europe it seems like the era of Windows is coming to an end
Microsoft Layoffs in Spain, Portugal Record for GNU/Linux
in Portugal we see GNU/Linux at record levels
Yes, Microsoft is Again Using Its Favourite Liars (Stenographers) to Seed Fake Layoff Numbers, Much Lower Than What's Really Happening
It is Jordan Novet again, just as we predicted
Will Microsoft Once Again Choose Its Favourite Liar to Spread Lies About Today's Layoffs, Quickly to be Replicated and Spread by Slopfarms?
What lies is Microsoft briefing its media moles to tell today?
"OSS Fetishism" Wins After Ferenc Zsolt Szabó Ousted (Microsoft Mole From Capgemini)
Many people said 2025 would be the "year of Linux on the desktop"
There is Nothing That LLMs Can Offer Honest People
LLMs are a passing fad; they're expensive and offer poor "value" for energy; they usually offer no value at all unless you are a cheater, spammer, and liar
What statCounter Shows Today Helps Explain Microsoft's Helplessness, Mass Layoffs
Since many US journalists are already away on holiday almost nobody will dare ask the difficult questions or give a voice to whistleblowers
Microsoft Gets the Chop in South America
The notion of digital sovereignty gained a lot of popularity
Europe Has an 'Exit'
Let's see what happens the rest of this year
El Presidente Talks, Canada Walks (Away From Windows)
GNU/Linux rising
Cities in France and Germany Move to GNU/Linux and statCounter Detects Big Differences
Will governments lead by example?
Microsoft Lost Its Foothold in Africa
How many of these are "old" Windows machines converted to GNU/Linux? Probably a lot.
Led by Europe, GNU/Linux Makes Big Gains This Month
statCounter started showing new/fresh stats
Links 02/07/2025: Massive Microsoft Layoffs About to Commence, "Tesla's Robotaxi Program Is Failing"
Links for the day
The Company Run by Former (and Last Proper) Red Hat CEO, Promoting Microsoft Mono, Faces Shock as Senior Partner Jailed for 33 Sexual Offenses Including Pedophilia
"As reported by The Oxford Mail in April 2025, the offenses include rape, sexual assault, engaging in non-penetrative activity with a child, and more."
Microsoft Lost 29% of Windows Users, Based on Microsoft, Now Come Massive Layoffs
Microsoft collapse is today
Slopwatch: Google Serves to People Linux Slop and Linux FUD (Made by Bots)
"Slopwatch" finds it difficult to ignore Google's role in encouraging LLM slop
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, July 01, 2025
IRC logs for Tuesday, July 01, 2025
"Wayland People" Behave Like the Googles and Microsofts of This World
Published yesterday by Igor Ljubuncic
Gemini Links 02/07/2025: Arch Linux and Fulfillment in Gemini
Links for the day
Links 01/07/2025: "Independence Day in Taiwan", Bounties on Software Patents
Links for the day
What Happens When Your Law Firm is Preoccupied With Harassing and Trying to Extort a Humble Couple in Manchester, Even on Behalf of Violent Microsoft Staff From Another Continent
It's good to see that law firms which operate in bad faith are perishing
Lawyer X, Law Firm X and Elon Musk's X: scandals linked by Old Xaverian
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Gemini Links 01/07/2025: Distraction-Free Writing and Hytale Mismanagement
Links for the day
Links 01/07/2025: "Beauty of Blogging" and "Etiquette of Collapse"
Links for the day
Microsoft Uses LLM Slop to Defraud (or Rob) Shareholders
Microsoft is basically defrauding its shareholders by LLM slop
The Web is a Dead End
We need to adopt alternatives
When Words Lose Their Intended Meaning
examples of words that, at least in the technical spheres, don't mean what they sound like
People Who Disagree With You on Technical Matters May or May Not Agree With You on Political Things (But Usually They Do)
What bothers me a great deal is seeing left-leaning people accusing other left-leaning people of being "nazis"
"Too Much Choice" and "Too Many Programming Languages"
What IBM and its apologists aim for was attempted in the 1930s and it failed
Microsoft Lost 400,000,000 Windows Users, According to Microsoft
more people adopt smaller computers and many people replace Windows with GNU/Linux, as they don't really need a new computer
The "Davos Effect": Tarnishing the Reputation of Places Not by Overtourism But by Oligarch Infestation
The last Venice needs is an affiliation with Venetian oligarchs
Half a Year Gone, What's to Come Next
In the second half of 2025 we expect to be done with the Microsoft SLAPPs
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, June 30, 2025
IRC logs for Monday, June 30, 2025
People at the Very Top of Microsoft Know How Bad Things Really Are
There's no product that can replace the former profitability of Windows licensing and stuff that went on top of Windows
Gemini Links 01/07/2025: Mid Year and a Tour of Old Languages
Links for the day
EPO Presentation Bemoans Misuse of Slop in Decision-Making on Patents and in Classification (Which is Likely Illegal Too)
We habitually mention failed use cases of LLMs on the Web
Mass Layoffs at Microsoft Confirmed, "XBox Hardware Is Dead"
It's possible that over 20% of the staff will be laid off
Links 30/06/2025: Kyrgyzstan vs Media Freedom, Dalai Lama Succession
Links for the day
Gemini Links 30/06/2025: Backend Programs in Gemini and Dynamic Content Without The Scripting
Links for the day
Links 30/06/2025: Zuckerberg’s Tax-Evading Scheme Harms Kids, US Copyright Office Lacks Leadership
Links for the day
Microsoft Isn't Laying Off Tens of Thousands to 'Invest' in Slop ('Hey Hi'), It's Laying Off Tens of Thousands Because It's Running Out of Money (and Willing Lenders)
the layoffs are a sign of the business failing, not "hey hi" (whatever that is) replacing staff
Intel Lays Off 20% of Its Workforce, Microsoft is Doing the Same This Year
Like a yoyo, whatever goes up will come back down
Microsoft XBox Layoffs: Almost 2,000 Layoffs Became "Over 2,000"? (Over 20% of the Staff)
over 20% of staff will be let go, not counting staff that leaves voluntarily
GNU/Linux Rises to New Highs in Angola, Africa in General is Abandoning Windows
Western media barely covers Microsoft layoffs in Africa, but in recent years Microsoft culled the workforce and even shut down entire operations
Summer Plans in Techrights and Elsewhere
massive layoffs at Microsoft
Destination Geminispace (in the Age of LLM Slop and Slop Images That Infest the Web and Social Control Media)
Geminispace isn't vast, but at least it is - on average - a lot "cleaner"
GNU/Linux Growing in Sierra Leone This Year
Based on what statCounter is seeing, this year there are more and more people there who adopt GNU/Linux
Serial Sloppers Gonna Slop
More sites out there ought to call out the cheaters
Quartz (qz.com) is Spam and a Slopfarm
It used to be OK. Then they fired the staff.
Links 30/06/2025: US Economic Woes, Extreme Heat
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, June 29, 2025
IRC logs for Sunday, June 29, 2025
Gemini Links 30/06/2025: "The AI Hype" and New AuraGem Ask
Links for the day