IBM Personal System/2 users who have installed 3Com Corp’s Microchannel adaptor card will soon be able to plug straight into a network using rival local networking systems supplier Novell Inc’s Netware network operating system. Novell, whose operating system is a rival to 3Com’s own 3+, is expected to ship drivers for the card at the end of this month. 3Com UK, based in Windsor, claimed to have a backlog of 8,000 orders before the cards, which have the advantage of an on-board transceiver, were actually available in December 1987. It is now shipping 2,000 Microchannel cards a month within a total of about 25,000 to 30,000 adaptor cards all told.