__/ [ BearItAll ] on Tuesday 13 March 2007 15:30 \__
> Doug Mentohl wrote:
>
>> From: jimall Mon Sep 9 11:09:33 1991
>> To: billg steveb
>> Cc: bradsi; jonl; mikemur; paulma
>> Subject winball
>> Date: Mon Sep 09 11:08:44 PDT 1991
>>
>> The news on the street continues to confirm the IBM and Novell
>> announcements this week. DRDOS 6, Novell bundling, SLRP, and IBM
>> reselling DRDOS are the words. Still no real data on the details.
>>
>> MS Response:
>>
>> 1. repackage DOS for PS/2's
>> 2. integrate Windows with DOS, Common install. Make it so that there is
>> no reason to try DRDOS to get Windows.
>>
>> This is much more important than 1, given the OEM deals that Novell will
>> try to do for DRDOS on the clone machines.
>>
>> 3. integrate winball with Windows 3.1
>>
>> ..
>>
>> We must slow down Novell. The strongest action that we could take would
>> be to include networking with Windows for essentially a zero uplift in
>> price (maybe minor COGS uplift). As you said Bill, it has to be dramatic.
>>
>> ..
>>
>> We need to slaughter Novell before they get stronger.
>>
>> http://edge-op.org/iowa/www.iowaconsumercase.org/011607/0000/PX00948.pdf
>> --
>>
>> synopsis: Integrate Windows with DOS to slaughter DR-DOS on the non IBM
>> desktop. Repackage DOS for PS/2's ..
>>
>> What's the reference to 'DOS for PS/2', I thought OS/2 was still the
>> next generation OS. Given the mutually contradictory statements coming
>> out of these emails, I don't think it was only MS pre-announcing
>> vapourware to throw off the other fella and freeze the market, as not
>> actually having a long term strategy of their own.
>>
>> Having spotted the next great threat, the typical reaction, and it
>> always was a reaction, was to pre-announce a me-too product that would
>> super-set the current enemies version of whatever. Then 'partner' with
>> the company, at the same time lean on everyone else not to do business
>> with them and quietly FUD their product. Eventually 'merge' with the
>> company and buy the stock at rock bottom.
>
> I think that is so close to the truth you could probably read it under oath
> and no hail maries would be necessary.
>
> Of all the pre-agreement distros SLES and SLED were IMHO those most likely
> to steal many desktops and probably even bump Redhat off it's server
> plinth. They are very good products, ok so they mucked up a bit just after
> release, but it didn't matter, they sorted it out and SLES and SLED would
> have grown for no other reason than they was nothing to touch them when it
> came to easy setup, easy maintenance and may I say a pleasure to use. I
> would say that this one next to me, after the install, took maybe 15-30
> minutes to have a full working server (my user setup is scripted), once the
> data mirror had brought it up to date with the system it was replacing it
> could have gone live.
>
> The main reason that the setup is so quick is because in SLES Novell has
> made some very wise default choices in set up. Also Yast lets you fly
> through the relevant parts and have everything going in no time at all. The
> mail server side, I thought it couldn't get easier than Suse9.3, but Novell
> managed to take that further.
>
> So for an MS style, handshake with one hand, thump you in the belly with
> the other, type agreement, Novell were the obvious target.
>
> The only part I have yet to understand in all of this, is why Novell fell
> for it. MS have hurt them before, why did they think this time would be
> different. They say they were protecting us, the users, I can't see that.
> Let MS through Novell, I'll fight them because I am absolutely confident
> that I am not using stolen code. I hate to say this but I can't help
> feeling there is a bung involved somewhere, someone who is now so well off
> they couldn't give a toss what happens to Novell, so long as their own
> pockets are full.
>
> It is the only way I can see it, the only way that it sort of makes sense.
Bingo.
http://boycottnovell.com/2006/12/31/some-interesting-financial-moves-by-novell/
And don't forget how much money Novell took (as a company, not an indivisual)
for accepting this thing they did not want. Microsoft paid a third of a
$billion to plant the bomb inside Novell. By the way, Novell layoffs are
apparently on the way. They are leasing some space, according to the press.
If only Noorda was around. The management was greedy, foolish, and selfish
(one of the execs even admitted this).
--
~~ Best wishes
Roy S. Schestowitz | "In hell, treason is the work of angels"
http://Schestowitz.com | Open Prospects ¦ PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
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