Actually, I think Corel's Linux project really got going BECAUSE of the HCC deal. The Linux team were in part from Corel Computer, but Corel Computer was not a Linux project per se. O'Reilly was probably in large measure responsible for that kind of re-focusing, but I don't think anyone in management regrets it.
My best guess about O'Reilly is that he figures this is
1. A great time to leave and sell his options (or was...), because he has been there for a turnaround, garnered respect.
2. An easy time to leave, because there is not a sense of crisis over the company.
3. The right time to leave, because his background suggests he can manage a business, but not be the driving force in a company working the edge of a major market shift.
4. Had better leave now, because Cowpland is becoming more assertive as he becomes more confident - which will probably mean disaster, IMHO. The balance that the two had is probably ideal...
It would not shock me to learn that the departure of the Marketing VP (and a direct subordinate, both of whom are rumoured to setting up in vencap) is related to a new assertiveness by Cowpland. For O'Reilly, why wait? In the best case scenario, he is probably not the right guy for the job - in the worst case, why hang around?
Ian |
