Novell Saves Face
The respectable Matthew Aslett, who is a Linux and Open Source advocate, certainly thinks so.
Dear Novell, please stop messing about with your Linux revenue figures. Thanks.
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How can $13m be 32% more than $15m? What is the difference between “Linux platform products†and “Linux products and services� I don’t know, but it is high time Novell stopped moving the goal posts and reported consistent figures for its Linux business.
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1Q06
$56m “Open Platform Solutionsâ€
(including $43m Open Enterprise Server and $13m “Linux Platform Products and other open source products”2Q06
$57m “Open Platform Solutionsâ€
(including $38m Open Enterprise Server and $10m “Linux Platform Productsâ€3Q06
$12m “Linux Platform Productsâ€4Q06
$13m “Linux Platform Productsâ€
This looks pretty grim. In fact, it is also as grim as Microsoft’s attempt to hide reality using a $36 billion buyback, which gradually inflates the value of the stock.