Despite the improved Linux figures, Novell is not seeing bright days ahead. While they are not doing as badly as SCO, they don't appear to be doing so well either.

Standard & Poor's equity analyst Jim Yin was equally pessimistic. He reiterated a "sell" recommendation on shares of Novell. Revenue fell, Yin wrote, as sharp declines in the company's legacy networking businesses more than offset a 46% rise in Linux-related revenue.

Meanwhile, Form 8-K was filed for Novell. It does not look too encouraging.

Statements contained in this document that disclose Novell's or management's intentions, expectations or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Novell cautions that these statements involve risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause results to differ materially from those anticipated at the time such statements are made.

It sounds as though these delays serve an agenda. Repeated notices of non-compliance may indicate that Novell fears something which it prefers to hide while it can. But it's all very speculative, so let us wait and watch.