Novell CEO Shakeup Puts Ron Hovsepian in Charge

jht writes "Arriving in my Inbox a few minutes ago (I'm a Novell Partner), was the announcement that effective immediately, CEO Jack Messman and CFO Joe Tibbetts are out of jobs at Novell. Existing president Ron Hovsepian was named CEO, and an interim CFO was named as well. Messman will stay on the board thru the end of October, though. A webcast of the conference call should be available shortly at www.novell.com/company/ir." ukhackster links to ZDNet's coverage of the shakeup, writing "It looks like [Messman's] been blamed for Novell's poor performance in the Linux space versus Red Hat. But can Linux ever be a real cash cow?"

Comments

Can linux ever be a real cash cow!?

[saleenS281]

Can it? Is that a rhetorical question? Linux already is a cash cow, I think Redhat proved that long ago...

Like this?

[i_want_you_to_throw_]

killall -HUP NovellCEO

Re:Like this?

[path_man]

On Netware, isn't it an ABEND??

I don't know ....

[hawkeye_82]

I just don't know whether to feel sad for these guys, that they're taking the fall for something that they may not be in control of, or to feel happy that the top management has taken the hit rather than the lower ranks which is usually more common practice in corporate America.

I just don't know how to feel !! Help me Slashdot...

Re:I don't know ....

[Anonymous Coward]

You know Novell also laid around 600 to 1000 employees last year, right?

No wonder Messman left. He must be tired from all that hanky-panky.

Linux=CashCow

[infosec_spaz]

I agree with the guy up there...Linux is already a cash cow...Look at how many companies who make software that runs on Linux are very prosperous, and look at Novell...They have been around a long time, and they plan on being here much longer, hell, I love most of their software, it has a place, and as long as they keep up with the market, and know where to put the software, they will keep a strong customer base. That said, I know several companies who are already running their enterprise Linux, with Netware services and LOVE it!! Yes, Linux will continue to proliferate the enterprise, and as long as companies like Novell are pushing it, it will get there relatively fast.

Re:Linux=CashCow

[Lumpy]

The funny part is the number of nay-sayers here that have zero clue as to the amount of penetration that linux has.

Linux is absolutely number one in integrated items. Most mp3 players at the home component level to many pocket units run linux. most DVD players sold run linux, most PVR's run linux, Commercial security pvr's run linux, almost all SIP phones are linux based.... the list goes on and on and on.

IP security cameras, etc...

In the high end home automation and integration bix I find linux to be more prevalent than microsoft or QNX or other os types simply because of cost (Crestron is a MS whore with their embedded XP but most of their items are repackaged devices available with linux already in them... Adagio Music server for one example.)

This is ignoring the server room and workstations.... Linux is everywhere.

What a load...

[WindBourne]

But can Linux ever be a real cash cow?

of crap. Linux distros are already making money and growing. The real issue is wether a distro can become a monopoly like MS. And the answer is no. That can never occur due to the GPL.

Heads will roll

[Billosaur]

More on the shakeup.

We're seeing this more now (think Sun and SGI) -- companies that are underperforming making changes at the top in the hopes of generating new intitiatives and pumping up the stock price. It remains to be seen if all the bloodletting will lead to any marked improvement in the short term -- new execs have to deal with things as they are and try to untangle the mess left on their desk before they can move forward.

It's about damn time...

[Anonymous Coward]

All I can say is that I've worked with both of these men in the past, and Ron is clearly a better choice to lead Novell. Ron brings something very unique to the table - a deep understanding of the technologies Novell is focusing on. Additionally, he has a very clear vision of how to execute on their corporate strategy.

If any of you had ever seen Messman speak at LinuxWorld, BrainShare, or other events, you should have recognized that he was just reading words off of a sheet of paper (or teleprompter). He didn't seem to exhibit even the most basic of understanding when it came to either major Novell product focus (Identity Management and Linux/Open Source). Additionally, he wasn't the best public speaker. Don't get me wrong, he was a great guy - just not the type of person to reinvent a company like Novell.

Novell has some great ideas, better products, and a cohesive strategy. Ron Hovsepian is the type of person to leverage these strengths and bring Novell back to the position of strength it once enjoyed.

Re:It's about damn time...

[demachina]

Ron is also the better choice because he reads and posts on Slashdot even if it is an AC. Thanks for sharing your take on this with us Ron :)

Redhat and Novell

[codepunk]

Well at least Novell has a little focus on the desktop they stand half a chance of surviving. RedHat on the other
hand is gonna find themselves in serious trouble quickly I am thinking. When RedHat decided to take focus off their desktop to capitalize on the enterprise market it was a smart thing to do short term to generate more revenue. Now enter ubuntu, hell I don't know many admins or various desktop users that don't use ubuntu for their desktops. The net effect of that is I now prefer it as a serving platform also. RedHat sold their soul for quick money but it is going to kill them in the end. Same goes for Novell, you have to have a good strategy front to back.

Re:Redhat and Novell

[C_Kode]

See, I disagree somewhat. While Redhat's Desktop (see Fedora) isn't as great as Ubuntu or even some others. The one thing it does have is RedHat itself. All I beleive Redhat has to do is start offering corporate support for a version of Fedora on the desktop. Say one version behind current. (FC4) RedHat isn't stupid. They are where they are because they (just like Dell) did what the corporation wants, not what the home desktop user wants. I doubt RedHat couldn't spit out a lean corporate desktop in a short span of time based on Fedora. Hell Fedora is where RHEL gets most of it's features.

Re:Redhat and Novell

[Erwos]

Yeah, just like Debian, Gentoo, Mandrake, and Novell have all killed Red Hat, right? I've been hearing for years about Red Hat's impending demise at the hands of new distro X, and so far, so good - for Red Hat.

-Erwos

Re:Return of Hubert Mantel?

[thebdj]

So let us address a few shall we:

1) Redhat, who I am pretty sure is the leading Linux distributor, does not have their own C/C++ compiler. The responsibility for a compiler does not really fall on the software makers so much as it should fall on the chip makers. Look at the vast majority of *nix systems with non-gcc compilers readily available. HP-UX, the main commercial compiler is available from HP, who either developed or help develop both the PA-RISC and Itanium chips their OS runs on. The same is true of Sun Solaris, though you can freely acquire Sun Studio 11 now to do the majority of this work for you, once again they are the ones with the chip, UltraSparc in this case. Repeat for AIX. There are also Intel based compilers available for their various chips on various platforms. None of the makers of the Operating Systems does not have some hand in the chips as well.

2) For all we know they are.

3) Sort of like 2, except let them work the bugs out in Linux first.

4) They do still have offices in Provo. They just learned that none of the good upper management and executive people wanted to live in a) One of the whitest and non-diverse areas in the country and b) The religious (and political, and social) conservative capital of the US. Your statement is insane. So every company based in Silicon Valley is just a moment away from death? Btw, I do not mean to sound like I am flaming on Utah, but it is a valid complaint that it is a tightly conservative area and not very diverse either (85% white, 9% hispanic).

Software no longer a cash cow.

[LWATCDR]

This is a problem that the software industry has to learn to deal with.
Software doesn't wear out.
Microsoft knows this, that is why they are trying so hard at linking Windows to a single machine. When the computer dies or is replaced you buy a new copy of Windows. How many people have bought WindowsXP over and over?
How many people are still using Office2000 because it really is good enough?
It is getting to the point where new features are not worth cost of buying an upgrade.
In the end software companies will have to become service companies. Red Hat knows this, I think Novell knows this. It is the support contracts stupid. Give them the software but charge them for support.