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Technology Stocks : IBM -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: treetopflier who wrote (3836)	9/15/1998 11:37:00 PM
From: ToySoldier	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 8218

TreetopFlier, I am a little bit confused on your understanding and logic (likely is my assumptions about what you might be saying) so I hope I will answer your questions. There are many points to make here. First of all, even though IBM may now have competent OS's on many platforms, their OS on the intel platform (OS/2 Warp Connect) is basically a dead duck as far as market share is concerned. No one is adopting OS/2 for almost any solution. This might have a lot to do with the fact that even IBM is adopting NT as their new default Intel platform OS for most of their applications and solutions (i.e. Notes on NT). OS/2's plans from what I understand now are to convert it into a simple JVM platform. Although that is great for addressing the future potential applications and solutions from IBM, that is still far away from becoming a standard. Second, Novell's NetWare NOS provides far more than simple file and print infrastructure. It is an extremely efficient Intel based platform to be used for various network infrastructure services such as DNS, DHCP, Directory Services, messaging system (like Notes), database engines, network firewalling, caching, web serving, software distribution, Applications under the JVM, etc. etc. etc. Third, as much as MSFT wants to turn file and print into a basic comodity, its not! File and Print is still a very critical part of every business. The media editors have fallen for MSFT's marketing scam of turning file/print into a comodity. NetWare is still the undisputed leader in providing the most mature, fastest, reliable file/print services. IBM could absorb this advantage. Fourth, because IBM's Intel Server platform market share is almost non-existent, it has recently decided to bow to MSFT's NT platform as the solution to run their Intel based server software (such as Notes). If they took Novell under its wing, IBM would instantly be given a product with a current lead in market share. They would also get access to many other network and internet infrastructure products that IBM could instantly leverage for they CORBA and JAVA plans. MSFT's products will not do much to help IBM in their planned directions (MSFT wants to stop IBM from being successful in Java and CORBA). Finally, the vast and industry leading experience in Java and CORBA are found in Novell's senior staff. These people could be extremely valuable assets to move IBM's Java / CORBA dominance in the industry. Ask any IBMer if they wouldnt mind having Schmidt and Stone on their team (founders of JAVA and CORBA enhancements) So I hope this explained the reasons better. IBM might have plans on a truly open system direction, but many of these directions and technologies are still very immature and need to be fully accepted by all the industry (including making MSFT bow to the standards - which they currently are not). Until then, IBM will continue to become a less and less dominant player in the Intel space if they dont re-establish themselves with some industry leading network infrastructure software systems. Novell has these components that IBM could use to instantly gain this foothold. MSFT has said that IBM is one of their main competitors. It has also said that they are getting worried that Novell is getting back up onto its feet and they are wooried about Novell's offerings. Put the two together and think what MSFT would think then. Just my opinions. Cheers folks! Toy