Novell Inc is off after Microsoft Corp and its Microsoft at Work embedded operating system. Novell says is looking to extend NetWare’s reach into factory floor, office equipment and consumer electronics systems. According to the Provo, Utah company, its Extended Networks Group is planning to launch an architecture this January that will deliver NetWare services to disparate low-tech environments. These will include factory machinery, refrigeration and cooking equipment in fast-food chains, point-of-sale systems, and office equipment such as facsimile machines and photocopiers. Such devices, which tend to be proprietary and semi-intelligent, will be prepared to receive NetWare services through embedded client software, scaled-down operating systems and network boards, says the company. Novell already offers FlexOS from its Digital Research Inc acquisition: FlexOS is described as a very small real-time operating system now used primarily in point-of-sale equipment – ICL Plc, IBM Corp, Fanuc Ltd and Siemens AG are all OEM customers.
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