Going, Going, Gone?
Is Novell dying?
I’ve heard a lot of people say that Novell and Netware are on the way out. Of course, I’ve been hearing that since 1995 and they’re still around, so there’s no telling. But, I have to admit, this last time I was out of work it sure took a long time to find a job. Sure, the economy is hurting, especially in Houston, but I’m a CNE with ten years experience. I’ve been a supervisor for several years, though I’m not supervising anyone at the moment. And, still, even with that, and all the other varied experience on my resume, it still took a year to find a job.
So, how is Novell doing? Look at the charts. Not a great picture, is it? But, compare them to Sun, for instance. Now, it doesn’t seem quite as bad, does it? And, I’d say that Sun is an “up and comer” still, or again, depending on your point of view. In any case, Sun doesn’t seem like they’re going away any time soon, and I’d say Novell has kept pace with them, at least. So, how much danger is Novell really in?
They’re advertising everywhere at the moment, including Yahoo, TechTV, Slashdot and the SciFi Channel. And, I know that it’s registered with me, but I’m already a Novell Geek.
They continue to win awards. But, then, Microsoft’s popularity never had anything to do with awards. Windows is a pretty ubiquitous OS, but it’s fairly buggy and insecure, no matter what Microsoft says about their “security initiatives”. And, of course, history is littered with “better” products that never made it very far. Like the Tucker, for instance.
In any case, I’m not comfortable keeping all my eggs in one certification basket anymore. So, I’m studying for my Linux+ cert and next I’ll work on Security+, then my CCNA. Wish me luck!
