11.08.08
Is Microsoft Phasing Out Novell or Actually Helping It?
Microsoft wants to disconnect Novell
Microsoft and Novell share a similar dilemma and Novell is the weaker party in this relationship. Microsoft keeps ‘stealing’ some of the latter’s legacy business and therefore it has control over Novell’s destiny. There are some more reasons for Novell to be skeptical about Microsoft’s intent, based on this analysis from IDG. James Gaskin opines:
Win2k came out a year and a half before Windows XP and bridged the gap between 9x and XP, reworking the kernel and linking tightly to Active Directory, enabling Microsoft to kick the last chance of a Novell NetWare revival out the door.
Back in 1988, Novell was hugely prevalent. Here are some numbers.
The numbers are staggering, considering the youth of the LAN industry. There are about 220,000 NetWare-based file servers connected to more than 2 million IBM-compatible PCs. By my calculations, that’s one-fifteenth of the world’s PC population.
Also worth noting is the following article from 1990. It’s about Novell and Lotus joining forces. Both were victims of Microsoft’s vicious — if not illegal — tactics.
The Lotus Development Corporation, which is known for its popular 1-2-3 spreadsheet, and Novell Inc. announced yesterday that they had tentatively agreed to a $1.5 billion merger in an effort to deliver a competitive blow to the Microsoft Corporation, the leader in personal computer software.
A week ago, Tim Bray pointed out that “Companies don’t hire people. People hire people.” It was also interesting to find last week’s article about Ozzie’s roots: “Ozzie, a software pioneer known for creating Lotus Notes, joined Microsoft in 2005. ”
Rivals applying for jobs at Microsoft is one of the phases in Microsoft’s infamous Slog tactics. There’s lot of
studying to do on this and Microsoft does not mean well. It’s already scooping up Novell employees [1, 2] (background here), even seniors [1, 2].
We’ll report as soon as we find more appropriate precedence. █
Reading-up time
“Pearly Gates and Em-Ballmer
One promises you heaven and the other prepares you for the grave.”
–Ray Noorda, Novell
bobo said,
November 9, 2008 at 1:33 pm
The fact that Novell is one of the few companies making real profit from Linux and having a successful Linux business, seems to contradict with the assumptions made here that Novell would be in deep trouble.
It is easier to write FUD than careful and balanced analysis.
Roy Schestowitz said,
November 9, 2008 at 2:32 pm
bobo,
Novell’s Linux business only accounts for about 10% of the company’s livelihood. It’s still a small fraction. I recommend that you read this post.