Eric, as always, a good analysis.
I'll get you that background information, okay? Also, thanks for the excellent analysis. I've read your postings on the other threads. Your experience and fundamental analysis, in my view, are very sound. In all of the stocks that I follow on these boards, I've never seen any individual contribute the amount of knowledge and insight that you have.
From a technical perspective, I agree with your views on Novell. But they are making the unpardonable sin of neglecting their Value Added Resellers (VARs). These are the people who recommend operating systems, and software and hardware solutions to the end-users. Microsoft is being successful in convincing these people to switch to NT and away from Netware, especially in companies with fewer than thirty workstations.
In spite of the great technology that Novell offers, it is getting cut off at the knees because it is overlooking its VARs. I have a well-connected colleague in Utah who both works with VARs from around the country and with technical folks at Novell. And from a product marketing perspective, things are not well. Fewer and fewer people are attending Novell's seminars, and the pressure that VARs are getting to resell NT is increasing.
In the short-term, this doesn't matter. However, I like Novell and its technology (especially Tuxedo and its use as a multi-tiered client/server TP and environment). But regardless of the technology, if there is no evangelism and salesmanship, then what strategy can Novell implement to compete against the Microsoft?
RM |
