12.06.06
Does Novell Tweak Linux Figures to Hide the Bigger Picture?
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.
[…]
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.
[…]
1Q06
$56m “Open Platform Solutions”
(including $43m Open Enterprise Server and $13m “Linux Platform Products and other open source products”2Q06
$57m “Open Platform Solutions”
(including $38m Open Enterprise Server and $10m “Linux Platform Products”3Q06
$12m “Linux Platform Products”4Q06
$13m “Linux Platform Products”
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.
Highlight: Novell was the first to acknowledge that Microsoft FUD tactics had substance. Novell then used anti-Linux FUD to market itself. 
Highlight: Xandros let Microsoft make patent claims and brag about (paid-for) OOXML support. 
Highlight: Linspire's CEO not only fell into Microsoft arms, but he also assisted the company's attack on GNU/Linux. 
Highlight: Microsoft craves pseudo (proprietary) standards and gets its way using proxies and influence which it buys. 
Highlight: The invasion into the open source world is intended to leave Linux companies neglected, due to financial incentives from Microsoft. 
Analysis: Xen, an open source hypervisor, possibly fell victim to Microsoft's aggressive (and stealthy) acquisition-by-proxy strategy.
Matthew Aslett said,
December 7, 2006 at 4:44 pm
I should point out that I am a journalist who happens to cover Linux and open source, as opposed to a Linux and open source advocate, but given that’s the first time I have ever been called ‘respectable’ to my knowledge, I will forgive you.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 7, 2006 at 11:38 pm
Apologies about that, Matthew. I suppose I was getting the wrong impression.