Investing For Growth
Investing For Growth
by Robert Sheard (MF DowMan) LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 20): The big news for the IFG stocks today centers on Oracle's <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ:ORCL)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ:ORCL)") end if %> announcement of the formation a new subsidiary called Network Computer, Inc. The company will provide software for a new generation of low-cost, easy-to-use Internet and intranet appliances, called the NC.
Rather than try to condense the press release, let me simply include the text here:
The new company will be strategically linked to Oracle. It will develop, license and market all necessary software and support services for the NC, including the newly announced Oracle NC System Software Suite(TM) and other NC applications. Dr. Jerry Baker, formerly senior vice president of Oracle's Product and Platform Technologies Division, will head the company as its president. A successor to Dr. Baker at Oracle will be named shortly.
"We are responding to a unique opportunity. The market for NC software and Internet applications is explosive," said Lawrence J. Ellison, CEO and chairman of Oracle Corp. "The formation of Network Computer, Inc. allows us to focus our resources on this dynamic segment."
Oracle's new subsidiary will be responsible for managing all Oracle resources targeted at the NC market. The new company will not manufacture NCs or distribute hardware products. The company's employee base and management team, as well as its product family, development and marketing efforts will be detailed as it organizes. The company, which commences operations today, will be based in Redwood Shores, Calif.
Primary customers of Network Computer, Inc. will be consumer electronic and computer system manufacturers who are targeting new markets for highly simplified Internet devices. These customers are expected to build many different types of NCs, including screen phones, set-top boxes, televisions, game machines, portable computers and desktop computers.
"The demand for inexpensive, easy-to-use computers is skyrocketing," said Jerry Baker, newly-named president of the Oracle subsidiary. "Consumers, schools, businesses and governments see the vast potential of the Internet."
Dr. Baker joined Oracle in November of 1984 and is credited with starting Oracle's highly successful UNIX Products Division. His organization is responsible for the development and marketing of Oracle products for major system manufacturers, including Apple, AT&T, DEC, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Novell and Sun. During his tenure at Oracle, Dr. Baker spearheaded the development of server and gateway products ranging from massively parallel to desktop systems.
If you want more information about Oracle or the new subsidiary, check out their WWW page at http://www.oracle.com.
What do you think, Fools? Will the so-called $500 Internet box (the newly named NC) be the wave of the future? Is Oracle making a "bet-the-farm" move or is this just another segment to break into as the Internet become ubiquitous? Will Batman catch the Riddler? Will Robin ever learn to act? The answers to these and many other questions will be answered next week. (I'll be on vacation next week, so I'll make sure that the guest writer knows what's expected of him or her - wha ha ha ha ha.)
Transmitted: 5/20/96 | ||||||||
INVESTING FOR GROWTH MODEL (5/20/96) | ||||||||
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