04.19.11
Windows is the Next NetWare
Summary: The days of Windows as “legacy software” are approaching, just as the days of desktops and laptops as the main (or most sold) computer type are ending
Microsoft’s and Novell’s marriage is a marriage between a pair that shares common problems. Microsoft and Novell both have debt and both companies shrink over time (layoffs included). Novell’s likely layoffs after the AttachMSFT deal is done (there is this new article about debt featuring a project manager at Novell) is a subject we will address at a later stage/post, but for the time being, the main question is about patents and CPTN. That’s where a lot of damage can be done, which is why Microsoft boosters lobby for FTC approval.
Novell used to be a company that matters, at least back in its NetWare era. There is this new article which goes back in time and speaks about the subject. It says:
When talking about disappointment, Novell merits special consideration. Once thought to be a legitimate competitor to Microsoft in network operating systems with their Netware Enterprise products, they are now left wondering what could have been. Through their own ineptitude, they allowed rivals (some smaller and bigger) to eat away at their market share until they saw no other option but to leave the market entirely. It remains sad to analyze their progression into technology obscurity.
Microsoft has a similar problem these days. Those that take up market share are UNIX and Linux, especially in emerging form factors. Assuming that “PC” is synonymous with “desktop”, mind the new article titled “PC Market Weakness is Bad News for Microsoft” (From Nasdaq.com Community):
Microsoft’s ( MSFT ) business is highly dependent on PC sales as Windows OS and Microsoft Office for PCs respectively account for about 40% and 36% of our $31.64 price estimate for Microsoft stock .
This is a serious factor because the remainder of the cash cows (mostly one) depends on Windows as a common carrier. Windows sales already decline, for several consecutive quarters even.
“The attitude in Redmond seems to be one straight out of the ’90s, maybe even the ’80s…”
–Lee PenderOne trend we’ve noticed is, a lot of journalists stop covering Microsoft, which matters not so much anymore. Lee Pender, a Microsoft fan from their Redmond ‘press’, is also sensing a moment of weakness and in his column “Microsoft Isn’t Worth Waiting for Anymore” he cites another Microsoft booster and says: “What’s stunning, though — and this is really Mary Jo’s point — is that Microsoft doesn’t seem to care. The attitude in Redmond seems to be one straight out of the ’90s, maybe even the ’80s: “Hey, we’ll get to these new markets when we get to them, and when we do we’ll clean everybody’s clock. This is Windows versus OS2 all over again.”
“Hey, Microsoft: Not anymore. You’re slow and bloated, and your competitors have no reason to fear you anymore. Heed Mary Jo’s word — she probably knows more about your company than you do, after all.”
Microsoft’s relevance these days has little to do with technology or even marketing; it is to do with litigation — a subject we’ll tackle as a matter of priority here in Techrights. It’s not about “cheap shots”, it’s about addressing a serious subject. █
Needs Sunlight said,
April 19, 2011 at 6:25 am
That’s disparaging NetWare. It was actually a good product unlike the Windows servers that are being brought in to replace it in many places.
Netware shops need to pay attention to Samba (http://www.samba.org/). It’d be a better fit that more Windows failware.
Dr. Roy Schestowitz Reply:
April 19th, 2011 at 9:16 am
I was referring to NetWare not as comparator quality-wise.
Needs Sunlight said,
April 19, 2011 at 6:31 am
Windows vs OS/2 was interesting because M$ reneged on the deal to provide apps for IBM. IBM was left with a good OS but not only no apps, but a partner-turned-competitor.
twitter said,
April 19, 2011 at 8:12 am
Wall street publishers are a lot like the Microsoft press:
They spout a lot of things that vested interests wish were true as if they were facts.
The combination is measurably whacky. The current price is about $25 and it is headed towards it’s previous $14 lows. The difference between reality and fantasy in this case is a whopping (31.64-25)/25 = 27%. It’s a good thing most news papers include disclaimers waring readers that they are for entertainment purposes only.
Microsoft use is a sign of incompetence or corruption. The US Post Office figured things out in 2009, by now even dentists in Hokkaido have. Windows is already legacy when it comes to starting a business. Only very large and foolish companies that can pass costs on to customers use Windows. Even then this is probably driven by a form of hostile take over where the ultra rich of Microsoft purchase stocks to influence decisions or bluff it like they did to Yahoo and Nokia. Everyone in the tech world knows that Windows and Office are worst of class software that take lots of money and effort to keep going. Microsoft does what it can to stamp out gnu/linux “infestations” but the world is flowing around them.
Dr. Roy Schestowitz Reply:
April 19th, 2011 at 9:18 am
Newspapers can be OK, financial newspapers can be silly as they treat companies like merely a pile of cash. They also do a lot of self-serving guesswork.
Agent_Smith said,
April 19, 2011 at 9:51 am
We can’t blame Netware’s demise only on Novell’s side. M$, on the OEM side has put enough roadblocks to derail Netware’s use and adoption. And worse, tinkered with the guts of DOS and Windoze to malfunction with the competitor’s products(see DR-DOS and alike)
Dr. Roy Schestowitz Reply:
April 19th, 2011 at 9:59 am
The EU Commission can attest to that because Novell complained. When Microsoft ‘bribed’ Novell (over $300 million) it was almost the end of that case; then, Novell started to boost OOXML, .NET, Silverlight, software patents…