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Technology Stocks : Oracle Corporation (ORCL) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Maverick who wrote (10783)	5/19/1999 10:51:00 PM
From: OverSold	Respond to of 19080

Check Out This Article!!! Oracle's NCI reinvents itself By Dan Briody InfoWorld Electric Posted at 2:23 PM PT, May 19, 1999 Oracle's foray into the world of thin-client software, Network Computers Inc. (NCI), rose from the ashes Wednesday with the announcement of a corporate name change and a host of new investors in the company. Though the focus of the company is decidedly different than when it was originally conceived by Larry Ellison and Scott McNealy years ago, newly-dubbed Liberate Technologies is enjoying an infusion of $50 million from 11 strategic investors interested in cashing in on the proliferation of "information appliances." "We think this name more accurately represents the business that we are in and the spirit of the company," said Mitch Kertzman, CEO of Liberate, alluding to the stigma associated with the moniker "network computers," a product category that many industry observers view as a failure. "[Network computers] deserve credit for the steep decline in the price of PCs," but they will not replace PCs as originally intended, Kertzman said. Signaling its dramatic shift in strategy from corporate solutions to consumer-oriented Internet solutions, Liberate listed five cable companies among its new investors, including Cox, MediaOne, and Comcast. Company officials would not go into detail how the new relationships would affect its product plans because it is currently in an SEC-imposed quiet period. Kertzman said that regardless of what shape the relationships take, Java, Personal Java, and Jini will play a large role in the company's platforms going forward. "But we are an open platform," Kertzman said. As for the impact on corporate customers, Liberate's influence appears to be waning. "We are focusing on the enhanced TV market now," said one company spokesperson. "It is a major shift from the original intent." Liberate Technologies Inc., in Redwood Shores, Calif., is at www.liberate.com. Dan Briody is an InfoWorld associate news editor. Go to the Week's Top News Stories Please direct your comments to InfoWorld Deputy News Editor, Carolyn April Copyright © 1999 InfoWorld Media Group Inc.