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Technology Stocks : Novell (NOVL) dirt cheap, good buy? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Spartex who wrote (30295)	2/14/2000 8:54:00 AM
From: jwright	Respond to of 42771

From Quad-K's new post >> PROVO, Utah, Feb. 14 /PRNewswire/ --Novell, Inc. (Nasdaq: NOVL - news) today announced test results that demonstrate the power of its cross-platform NDS© eDirectory(TM) in real-world Internet environments. KeyLabs Inc., an independent testing site and registered Microsoft Certified Solution Partner, found that NDS eDirectory outperformed both Microsoft Active Directory and iPlanet (formerly Netscape) Directory Server in real-world environments simulating common directory loads and search requests. << Looks like the real smart cookie is KeyLabs in playing both sides of the fence. I guess we should expect a press release tomorrow from Sun/Netscape proclaiming Iplanet as the best DS using a KeyLab's commissioned study. Maybe I should get out of the Internet business and start a testing lab business. Jimmy

To: Spartex who wrote (30295)	2/14/2000 8:59:00 AM
From: ToySoldier	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 42771

Well Scott, it didnt take Novell long to shoot an even bigger bullet over MSFT's bow after MSFT's minimal first strike last week. I think even you have to admit that this response was far more blunt and hard hitting than MSFT's. They used a MSFT partner (one that has even burned NOVL in the past), the put MSFT's own test results into the light of the need for REAL WORLD tests, they exposed Active Directory not only for lack of performance but pitiful reliability, they combined Active Directory's instability with the ramifications to business value (i.e. stock price and reputation) if one encounters this level of instability on their web site, and they added a dash of credible customer testimonials who emphasize the NEED for a reliable and fast Directory Service. I would say that we can all mark up 1 for NOVL and 0 for MSFT on that little clash. MSFT had better be more leary of getting into these hand-to-hand media combats with NOVL because I think NOVL has finally learned a few MSFT marketing spin lessons from its attacker - MSFT. In fact I would have to guess that NOVL Marketing were expecting this "speeds & Feeds" Marketing BS to come from MSFT and they had already performed comparison tests to keep in their back pocket. This is only way I could see that they would have been able to provide such a quick - over the weekend - type of response. They predicted their competitor's well-known marketing tactics and fortified their defenses against it. Great Response NOVL - Great Planning! Toy

To: Spartex who wrote (30295)	2/14/2000 9:49:00 AM
From: Paul Fiondella	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 42771

Earnings speculation begins The 45 Feb Call is trading at 1/4 - 5/16ths (open interest 1169) whereas the 40 call is trading at 1 5/16ths (open interest 6051). With the stock at 39 this close to earnings and expiration, that is some premium on the 40. There have been few percentages in playing NOVL for rapid moves in options, say compared to MSFT, but this may be one of those times when purchasing the 45's is a good bet.

To: Spartex who wrote (30295)	2/14/2000 11:31:00 AM
From: Scott C. Lemon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42771

Hello Quad-K, This is pretty good ... but I'm wondering why they didn't prove this with identical test scenarios? I'm reading the details of the test results now, and it is evident that Novell and Microsoft used very different test set-ups, and also very different test configurations. I had hoped that Novell would be able to analyze the Microsoft scenario, and determine what went wrong ... not create a new scenario to try and make Microsoft look bad. That's "tit for tat" stuff ... I'll keep reading, but I hope to see the in-depth analysis of why the Microsoft tests showed the results that they did ... As I stated in my previous post: >"All benchmarks can be oriented towards any conclusion." Both companies appear to have paid for the results that they got ... ;-) Scott C. Lemon