Novell boss shifts products focus

Novell chief executive Eric Schmidt has admitted the company suffered from 'sloppy management' but expects that the shift in product emphasis towards directory services will help turn its fortunes around.

Since Schmidt's appointment early last year, he has worked towards solving the management problems which caused Novell to stuff the channel with stock.

'We were working on projects that were interesting to people but not part of the mission of the company,' he said.

'I could give you story after story of sloppy management, but we have addressed that now,' Schmidt admitted. 'I have aligned the business, focused the management and shipped products at the rate of one a month.'

He said Novell's directory services are vital to its progress, as they can help businesses cope with integrating their networks with internet and intranet networks as the use of these continues to grow.

Novell's brand name, its indirect channel partners and its customer base - which is still impressive with 400 of the top 500 US companies - are the company's strengths.

'We are unique. We certainly had the product of the 1980s and our issue is keeping customers,' Schmidt said.