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Dell to Hijack Cloud Computing

Almost Dell had been successful in trademarking the general term "Cloud Computing". Unbelievable? No, read:

InfoWorld vom 21. August 2008: "Dell edges out SAP and Oracle for 'Bozo of the Month'
The company that invented nothing tries to hijack cloud computing with a cheesy legal play. Don’t let them get away with it.

By Bill Snyder

I know I'm supposed to be objective -- or at least restrained in my opinions -- but I can't help but see Michael Dell's attempt to trademark "cloud computing" as anything other than the cheesy, contemptible antic of a clown.

There, I said it.

There's not much excuse for Dell's action, but it would be less upsetting if Dell and company were great technologists. Or even OK technologists. But Dell has built the world's largest screwdriver shop on top of other people's technology, and if the company has ever made a serious technological contribution, I've yet to hear of it.

As it happens, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has apparently soured on the idea of allowing Dell to trademark "cloud computing" after first giving it a tentative OK. Dell has six months to appeal the decision. Given the way Washington, D.C., works these days, Dell's money may well talk. We in the IT community should have a say as well. Give a call to Ruth Nybold, the PTO's public affairs officer, at (571) 272-8400 or send an email to Ruth.Nyblod@uspto.gov, and tell her what you think.

If Dell is my first official "Bozo of the Month," (Merriam Webster Dictionary: bozo = a foolish or incompetent person) SAP and Oracle, both of which snuck in hefty price increases earlier this summer, are runners-up. Sure, big software vendors make no pretense of being charities -- nor should they -- but at a time when IT budgets are being pressured by the worst economic climate in decades, squeezing the customer is really, really stupid."

Think Positive!

"Sun Profit Falls 73 Percent, but Beats Expectations
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Sun Microsystems Inc.'s profit plunged 73 percent in the fiscal fourth quarter as slumping sales to big U.S. companies and restructuring charges weighed on the server and software maker.

The results reported Friday still beat Wall Street's muted forecast, though some investors remain wary of Sun's prospects considering its heavy reliance on the turbulent U.S. market, which makes up about 40 percent of its sales.

Those fears have been reflected in Sun's steadily declining stock, which has fallen 50 percent since the company's 1-for-4 reverse stock split in November. The maneuver was supposed to improve Sun's image, but instead seemed like a sign of trouble."

[source: here]

Indian Service Providers Outperform US Market Leaders

"(Gartner, Inc. - September 27, 2007) The top six India-centric offshore service providers, collectively referred to as the SWITCH companies -- TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant, Satyam and HCL Technologies -- are making significant strides to challenge the market share leaders’ positions, according to new research by Gartner. The average annual growth rate of the SWITCH companies was 42.4 percent in 2006, compared with a 4.3 percent growth of the market leader during the same period.

The Gartner report finds that the top six India-centric offshore service providers accounted for 1.9 percent of the total US $672 billion IT services market in 2006, compared to 0.5 percent of the US $554 billion IT services market in 2001.

Allie Young, vice president and distinguished analyst, Gartner says, “India-centric providers have perfected their respective value propositions through global delivery models (GDMs), providing high-quality yet lower-cost labour to buyers globally. These companies are making inroads in key clients, often beginning with smaller, project-based or staff augmentation work.”

Despite their relatively smaller size, the top six India-centric offshore service providers are continuing to show strong annual revenue growth far exceeding the market norm. Ms. Young acknowledged that some may argue that the reason for high growth rates, is the smaller revenue base. "While percentage growth on a smaller revenue base is easier to achieve, the India-centric providers are outperforming (in total dollar gains) many organizations far larger than they are," said Ms. Young."

NCR trennt sich von Teradata: Anfang vom Ende?

1991 kaufte NCR, damals noch ein Konglomerat von divergierenden Produktlinien inclusive Computer und Server und Bankautomaten, die Firma Teradata, spezialisiert auf Data Warehouses und Data Mining. Der Bauchladen von einst wurde in den Folgejahren sukzessive entleert, aber Teradata blieb.

Die Begründungen, warum dies so sein müsse und letztlich eine ideale Ergänzung zum Geschäft mit den Bankautomaten darstelle, waren mitunter hanebüchend. Aber die Umsätze und Profite schienen irgendwie stimmig, zumal Ex-CEO Mark Hurd - heute an der Spitze von Hewlett-Packard - im Konzern aufräumte, sprich die Kosten senkte.

Der Markt für die Analyse von Businessdaten scheint im Aufbruch zu sein, und neben einigen Start-ups soll auch HP vermehrt Interesse an diesem Geschäftszweig bekunden. Hurd bringt zudem einige diesbezügliche Erfahrungen mit.

Bei NCR denkt man offenbar an einen Verkauf von Teradata - und entläßt die Division in einem ersten Schritt erst einmal in die Unabhängigkeit.

Das Wall Street Journal online berichtet heute:

"One person familiar with NCR's decision making estimated that despite its lower sales, Teradata accounts for as much as two-thirds of NCR's $7.5 billion market value because investors value its potential.

Separating the two segments makes it easier to value them based on price-earnings multiples of comparable companies, said Reik Read, an analyst with Robert W. Baird & Co. He said "you could suggest the total is worth $47," a share. He said that Teradata, which makes "data warehouses" including both software to analyze vast amounts of data and the specialized computers to run the software, would be valued somewhere between hardware companies like Hewlett-Packard and analytical software companies like Cognos Inc.

Mr. Read said that when investors look at the more traditional business, they are likely to anticipate improved performance thanks to potential for cost-cutting and a likely upswing in spending by banks and retailers on self-service equipment. Mr. Read doesn't own NCR, but Baird expects to seek investment-banking business from it.

For years, investors and analysts have asked if NCR planned to spin out or sell Teradata and the company has said it was examining the issue. But in the past, Mr. Nuti said, Teradata wasn't sufficiently mature to stand alone.

By doing a spinoff, NCR avoids hefty capital-gains taxes that would have been due on a sale of Teradata, which it acquired in 1991. NCR said J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. advised on the spinoff plan.
One person familiar with the transaction said there is a potential for further moves following the separation of Teradata. Once a public market is established for the company's stock, this person said, it would make it easier for a strategic buyer in the high-tech industry to make a takeover offer. The remainder of NCR might be an attractive candidate for a leveraged buyout, this person said."

AP: "HP Chief Had Role in Leak Probe"

"Three separate newspaper reviews of e-mail messages suggest Hewlett-Packard Co. Chief Executive Officer Mark Hurd played a more direct role in an internal investigation of media leaks than previously disclosed.

The Washington Post reported that an e-mail message sent by HP Chairwoman Patricia C. Dunn suggested Hurd approved an elaborate sting operation on a reporter in February in an attempt to plug media leaks.

The Wall Street Journal reported that e-mails it reviewed suggest Hurd was kept abreast of the investigation early this year and offered some of his own suggestions about which HP directors might be leaking.

The New York Times reported investigators looking for the leakers sought a meeting last January with Hurd and Dunn. The Times said it was unclear with any meeting took place, but that other exchanges confirmed the level of concern over the leaks and indicate Hurd was pointing to possible leakers.

All of the papers reported on the e-mails in their Thursday editions. It was not clear whether they reviewed some or all of the same documents, which the papers said were provided to them by people with access to the company's internal investigation." (Das zitiert das US-Wirtschafsmagazin "Forbes" in seiner heutigen Online-Ausgabe - more.)

Novell: Troubles without an End

Nun endgültig ohne den Architekten der Wende zu Linux: "Jack Messman verlässt Novell -
Jack Messman, seit 2001 CEO von Novell und seit seinem Rücktritt von diesem Posten Angehöriger des Verwaltungsrats, hat das Unternehmen ganz verlassen. Ursprünglich sollte Messman bis zum 31. Oktober dieses Jahres dem Verwaltungsrat angehören. Novell erklärte dazu, es handele sich um eine persönliche Entscheidung, die man nicht kommentieren wolle. Unter der Führung von Messman hatte Novell Ximian und Suse gekauft und sich auf die Themen Linux sowie System- und Identity-Management konzentriert." (heise online von heute)

Das ist natürlich alles andere als eine persönliche Entscheidung. Nun sind praktisch alle Manager weg vom Fenster, die das Heil für den abgestürzten Netware-Anbieter in einem Schwenk zu Linux als dem neuem Betriebssystem und als Windows-Alternative vollmundig propagierten. Skeptiker wurden immer als gestrige Verrückte abgetan. Und nun?