* Novell says GroupWise is very much part of the family
Novell put out an intriguing press release last week. Intriguing on two counts: first, Novell puts out few press releases (fewer in a typical month than Microsoft releases in a day) and second because of its content.
You may remember in this newsletter a couple of weeks ago (https://www.nwfusion.com/newsletters/netware/2005/0131nw2.html) I mentioned that there is a lingering question about the future of Open Enterprise Server. That was prompted by an article in a British publication about rumors among traditional Novell product users (I also spoke about this in my Network World Wired Windows column – https://www.nwfusion.com/columnists/2005/020705kearns.html – last week). The users were questioning the future of both NetWare and GroupWise. I inquired about the Open Enterprise Server/NetWare road map and gave you Novell’s response in the newsletter linked above. I don’t recall seeing any press release about the Groupwise road map, though.
So it was a bit of a surprise to read the press release headlined “Novell Reveals Long-term Plans for GroupWise” (https://www.novell.com/news/press/archive/2005/02/pr05003.html). In it, the company says: “Novell’s roadmap firmly underscores the status of GroupWise as an integral part of Novell’s corporate strategy and emphasizes the vital role traditional Novell products play in the company’s future.”
While I’m sure that’s heartwarming to the GroupWise faithful, it’s something the company never did for its flagship product, NetWare. Over the years as many people fretted about the future of their favorite network operating system there was never reassurance in a printed statement from the company that NetWare had a future. Oh, there were the platitudes mentioned at trade shows and press conferences, along the lines of “there’ll always be a NetWare,” which were ambiguous at best.
Now I’ll admit I’ve never been a big fan of GroupWise. Not even before it was GroupWise (it grew out of WordPerfect Office, acquired when Novell purchased the Orem, Utah word processoring vendor). But Novell is trying to support at least three different, and not particularly compatible, e-mail offerings: GroupWise, NetMail and Evolution. While consolidating server operating systems (in part to prevent “confusion in the marketplace”), Novell continues to proliferate collaboration tools – none of which is a leader in its category, or even close.
Just when you think the Cambridge Mafiosi who is running the company have finally gotten a clue, something like this happens to make you shake your head in wonder. Maybe it’s time for new leadership. I hear Carly Fiorina is available.
