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Technology Stocks : Identix (IDNX) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: R. Jaynes who wrote (12880)	3/29/1999 4:11:00 PM
From: David	Respond to of 26039

I'm starting to keep my eye on Novell. They are going after Microsoft for dominance in the Internet server environment, and their approach seems very friendly to biometric authentication. This excerpt is from the Asia Computer Weekly of March 8, 1999: "Charles Kwan, manager, Systems Engineering, Novell Southern China and Hong Kong, said that the directory, which provides identities for its users, will enhance capabilities such as trusted relationships, better authentication and authorisation, location and access control, in effect adding intelligence to the network. "'A directory-enabled network knows who you are no matter where you are and provides information to you,' he noted. 'This year there will be a fifth identity after your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address-a digital identity.' "Ultimately, an intelligent network platform will be the basis for intelligent applications, intelligent network services, intelligent management solutions and an intelligent Internet infrastructure. Applications for the intelligent network include the virtual private network (VPN). Novell's solution is built on the user ID. 'You can roam when authentication, no matter where you are, is based on the identity,' he said. [Emphasis added.] _____________ As I read this, Novell wants to run an integrated Internet environment that promotes VPN's based on authenticated identities. That would promote an Internet environment based on desktop biometrics. Remember that Novell and Identicator are founders of BioAPI and, according to some posts I've read recently (admittedly, not exactly rigorous due diligence), Compaq is Novell's major OEM partner. Citigroup (and IDX investor) is a beta tester for the Novell approach. Even if Novell doesn't sweep the board with this scheme, it reduces Microsoft's monopoly power in network operating systems and would allow the biometrics industry to sell into a competitive environment. The longer Microsoft takes to get its Windows 2000 biometrically enabled, the better shape Novell is in. I think we have a rooting interest in Novell. None of this is going to happen right away. It's middle or long range stuff.