Scott,
I'm not at all sure that "posing a threat to Microsoft" is a good, or valuable, goal. While one cannot close one's eyes to the competition, it is usually counterproductive to become obsessed about it. It is far more important to keep one's own house in order ... which, I'm sorry to say, Corel seems to have a problem with ... and execute one's own plan as flawlessly as possible.
I have no doubt there will be a Linux niche. The size the niche will attain is pure speculation.
I have no doubt that (conceptually) Corel/Inprise are well positioned to flourish in that niche.
Because the target is, by definition, a niche, MicroSoft is, also by definition, just an outsider.
Will Linux ever grow beyond a niche product? I don't know. But you can be sure it won't unless Corel/Inprise are successful in broadening its appeal. The important thing to remember is that, for Corel/Inprise, dominating even a small niche (viewed on an international scale) would be wonderfully profitable.
I am long both companies, but substantially less so than I was a few weeks ago.
Fred |
