Hi Joe...Here are several recent articles about Novell.
Some of them are very negative. They are telling us NT is taking over. I don't know what to believe anymore, these articles or the reported sale numbers. Netware sales increased by 14% in Q4-96 over Q3-96 for the first time since Q3-95, but these articles keep telling us Netware is going down the drain. Since MSFT doesn't report NT server sales, I really don't know what is happening here, but I believe that NW outsells NT server by at least 2:1 at the present time. Is it perception, lousy PR, management,..etc?. Generally, there are 3 themes which are repeated over and over in most of the articles I read:
1. NT has the momentum.
2. Novell is losing market share to Microsoft in NOS.
3. Novell is late to the internet/intranet marketplace.
IMO, regardless of what MSFT does, Novell will do very well if they can maintain the sequential quarterly growth in total revenues (5%) they achieved in Q4-96 over Q3-96.
After you read all the crap about how great NT is doing and try to get some sales number to compare it with NW sales you find all you have is some vague statements which doesn't tell you much. For example, in the first listed article you find these statements about NT:
>>Sales of the software are soaring-revenue was up 19 percent in the first fiscal quarter ended Sept. 30<<
>>Microsoft shipped 150,000 copies of the new release of Windows NT Server, Version 4.0, within the first 30 days of shipping the product this July.<<
So, is the 19% growth quarterly or yearly?. It doesn't say. About the
150,000 copies, how much revenue did these generate?. Again, it doesn't say. I guess the best way to generate hype is to be vague about the actual numbers. My question to all of the above, WHERE ARE NOVELL PR PEOPLE HIDING?.
I have one comment about CRN surveys: These surveys are not reliable, for example, Oct. 96 survey showed Novell dropped 14 points (to 36%) from Sep. 96 survey (50%) but we know that they did very well in Oct. 96 from Q4-96 financial results.
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Windows NT Server 'Nice Try...Indeed' -- VAR allegiance
swings to Windows NT. Other NOSs lose share.
VAR Business, December 15, 1996
techweb.com
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NOS Directories Can Emancipate Your Network
Network Computing, December 15, 1996
techweb.com
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NDS Across the Globe -- Novell pushes its 'round-the-world
service as top option
Communications Week, December 16, 1996
techweb.com
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Novell's Plan Welcomed
Communications Week, December 16, 1996
techweb.com
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Novell adds IBM, SCO to CNE efforts -- Changes bring
AS/400, Unix integration opportunities to VARs
techweb.com
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Year In Review -- While some products were mere hype,
many others made indelible marks on the way we use
information technology
Information Week, December 16, 1996
techweb.com
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Novell GroupWise
Computer Reseller News, December 16, 1996
techweb.com
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Networking Gifts For The Holidays
Network Computing, December 15, 1996
techweb.com
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Novell's Market-Leading Directory Services
Network Computing, December 15, 1996
techweb.com
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Microsoft wares take lead at Wave
Computer Reseller News, December 16, 1996
techweb.com
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Internet To Lead Software Growth
Computer Reseller News, December 16, 1996
November CRN software reseller poll.
techweb.com
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Next IT gold mine: Latin America
Computer Reseller News, December 16, 1996
techweb.com
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Internet, Networking Are Growth Engines -- LAN/Internet
Connectivity Is High On VARs' Lists
VAR Business, December 15, 1996
techweb.com
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Regards
Salah |
