Scott,
I apologize for what will be an even longer winded response ...
but the first portion of this is directed towards your first post and
now I'd like to also talk about your new posts. I hope you don't do more posts while I'm finishing this one .
Others have answered you from their perception. I would like to answer you from mine.
I will be the first to admit that I do not have the technical expertise to comment on
Novell's products vs. its competitors. But what has been going on for more than a year,
is more than just whose product is marginally better. So, here goes in direct answers to
your questions:
1. What are the problems at Novell? ... I'm curious about what the problems are, and I
want fact ... proof.
A. Market share - If you are maintaining market share, the fact is nobody is reporting it because the word is not getting out.
B. Slowness in response, late with product after others have come out with their products, such as electronic commerce.
C. Sales of Word Perfect, etc. at distressed prices. How many responsible for these purchases and their marketing execution, up to and including the BOD, 'have assume personal and financial liability'?
D. Novell and the press and investors. Joe Marengi recent response 'of stories like these are hurting Novell' have a hooting-the-messenger
mentality about it. The correct response is to shoot the message! Where are the corporate press releases equivalent to 'ROCK THE NET'? Most sound apologetic for having resisted Microsoft's on-slaught. Look back thread to the Joe Antol's post of his ideal Press Release, THAT would have attracted some attention. As far as investor relationship, the responses, when they occur are slow in coming (see previous complaints) and usually do not answer the questions asked.
E. Inconsistencies and a vacuum of information. Fire the president of the company, tell everyone you need 4 to 6 months to search for one. 'We're on target' but no status reports like 'our list was 10 but now we are currently talking to the 5 finalists'. Now maybe missing the target date.
'Rock the Net' for one day and then have the ad campaign fall into oblivion.
The problems may not suit you as hard facts, but they are `harder facts' then the turnaround so far. (And if no turnaround is necessary, why was Bob F. fired?) I agree that the new products have not been
out long, but I don't see the push (no, the shove) of them into the market place. And until I see the continued increase of revenue, promoting of the product is the only thing we can see (or not in this case).
Finally, to not see problems is a problem. Even at Intel, Andy Grove says 'Only the paranoid survive' and the paranoid see problems everywhere. Then the trick is to be prepared for them in a sane manner!
2. How will changing the board fix things?
A. The BOD should be ensuring that the top management is on-the-ball, that a company policies and environment is set up that can react quick to changes in the business world. It can't afford in the software business to allow complacency. To me, the BOD is a means to an end, namely, to ensure that upper management is doing their job. Do you really see Novell's BOD pressuring upper management (and themselves) to ensure timely responses and initiatives, to be the first to market and making the product known?
Give some examples?
3. Who will want the position with the current attention?
and
4. If compensation is changed as suggested who wants the job?
A. To answer both, back in the early 80's, Lee Iaccoca took over a dying Chrysler for $1 a year. Publicity stunt? You bet, but look what he did with Chrysler and how much he made with stock options in the end.
5. If you get what you want, and if it happens, who on this list is willing to assume personal and financial liability? ... and it goes off a cliff ...
A. Each one of us who owns stock will suffer financially as the stock goes down, and of course, most of us have already suffered financially. The same question can be asked of current management right now.
6. How is your "Novell bashing" making Novell appear in a better light? Now that the media, and many other people are focusing attention ...
A. Was it Barnum or Bailey who said 'There is no such thing as bad
publicity'. What is Novell's response to this bashing? What is Novell's response to any criticism? Have management tell us something or the worst is always assumed. Bash back, but back it up. Tell us that were all sh*theads, and this is why. And if companies don't dump their NTs into the Great Salt Lake, this is why they'll be sorry. 'Rock the Net' and show the press how it is to be done. Joe M. sounded this way to begin with, but it died.
7. Why Cisco?
A. Why not Cisco? It obviously doesn't have to be Cisco. But why not some company that can bring instant credibility back to Novell?
Finally,
8. I see change occurring ...
A. What changes are going on? What are the facts demonstrating those changes? Until financial facts are known of how Novell is changing, Novell employees and management needs to get those changes known to the public at large and then needs to make damn sure that they occur when they say that they will. Let us know.
Mat Miller
>> 1. What are the problems at Novell?
>> -No permanent chairman or CEO.
>To start with, I would like to suggest that this is a condition ... not a >problem.
Death is also a condition. That is why CPR was invented. However, after a while, even with CPR, it becomes a problem.
What companies will want to team with Novell if at any time, if no one is in charge, permenantly (or as permenant as they come nowadays).
Isn't doubt planted in a customer's mind if the top management of the company is only temporary? The symtoms (or condition) can cause problems.
(And while it takes us over a year to pick a president of the US, we known our unfortunate choices along the way, but like democracy, it's better than the alternative!)
>> Joe Marengi is the tough guy...above us investors.
>> Bob Frankenburg used to respond to investor email...Joe won't
>> give us the time of day.
>I'm not sure what type of problem that is at Novell ... atleast for the >customer, the company, or the market. I know that it sure seems to >frustrate some people here on this list, but how much time should the >CEO spend responding to individual shareholders?
Going back to your analogy of the U.S. President, there are usually daily press conferences and occasional meeting with ordinary 'U.S. investors' (so to speak). Most of the questions asked here could easily be summarized and then responsed to via the press or an open E-mail to whatever board (like SI, hint, hint ) was deem appropriate. From there, as you know, it would get picked up by the other boards and distributed.
>... can you tell me who Novell is?
OH MY GOD, I didn't even DREAM that Novell's PR department was that BAD. (Okay, I'll admit I took that out of context, but was it a Freudian slip on your part? ( or whatever the sign should be)
>When you state that "Novell has damaged their image" can you tell >me who Novell is?
> Is it Joe M? Is it the BOD? Who is it that I need to talk to about this?
It is the people who present the public face of Novell. So, yes, Joe M., the BOD, the marketing dept., public relations, your VARs (who don't even directly work for Novell) all need to change the current image of Novell. Did you read Oracle's Larry Ellison comments posted a bit back. Novell barely registered on his 'radar screen'.
>But I was once taught that winning is something that only lasts a >short time. Winning is not forever ... the game never ends.
But losing can last forever. I do think that Novell actually has more time (I mean look how long Apple is dragging on.) But, why wait.
Change people's minds now. Answer back. Management back on the corporate level (and you on the SI level ).
>> I don't trust Young or
>> Marengi...it appears most of the investment community dosen't
>> either. They need to be stopped before we own Apple.
>This is a serious situation. Trust must be the root of any relationship. >Without trust there is no relationship. I have not yet had any action >cause me to distrust either of the gentlemen that you mention.
I agree completely with the first part.
> I am trusting that the delay in picking a CEO indicates a real intention to pick the right person. I'm not sure that i have any indication of work not being done.
This will be a key test of the trust. I would have been willing to try Joe Marengi a permenant if the BOD stated that after a trial period of say 6 months and whatever conditions were met to their satisfaction. But, now, after searching for 6+ months (unless announced very soon), if
Joe is become the permanent president, the search will been seen as a sham and trust will definitely be shot. I would even say that getting someone who is just 'one of the boys', who won't make waves and is not a proven winner, will also have the same results.
Well, if you made it this far, I appreciate your patience. You're lucky that it's getting late for me (I also go to work much too early in the AM). So, I'll stop here. But, please, don't you stop. Let us become aware of the changes you see coming and the deeds that will cause those changes. And if you can, let management know that they need to get out the word on the changes, and then show those changes!
Mat Miller (redux)
Re: I hope you don't do more posts while I'm finishing this one .
Oh no, you did. (but I'm still going to bed )
Mat Miller (re-redux)
My reply to your last post,
> coming up with a business plan..
how about keep improving and producing the products you do,
service them (see Eric), market them (see Joe A.) and talk back.
Mat Miller (re-re- never mind) |
