LWN: Comments on "Novell Delivers Comprehensive Bundled Linux Solution for Mid-sized Enterprises"

Novell Delivers Comprehensive Bundled Linux Solution for Mid-sized Enterprises

niner — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 17:20:52 +0000

I don't know who said this but it fits every time:

'I tend to think of "solution" as just a pretentious term for "thingy". Doing that word substitution in my head makes IT marketing literature somewhat more tolerable.'

Novell Delivers Comprehensive Bundled Linux Solution for Mid-sized Enterprises

allesfresser — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 16:57:02 +0000

Careful, your boss might be reading this too. :-)

And, fortunately for some, not all B's are PH. :-)

Novell Delivers Comprehensive Bundled Linux Solution for Mid-sized Enterprises

einstein — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 16:26:58 +0000

You must realize, Novell's audience for these messages is not you, but rather your boss. This verbiage is just the sort of thing a PHB needs to hear.

Novell Delivers Comprehensive Bundled Linux Solution for Mid-sized Enterprises

josh_stern — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 16:03:37 +0000

The poor style deserves criticism, but it isn't hard to follow what the article is announcing. Apparently Novell has a new product offering that "bundles" (i.e. sells together) support and training for the installation and administration of their Linux distro. While most of us reading here got where we are (in several senses) by being comfortable with reading written documentation and working through problems on our own, there is a large plurality of people out there who feel that they absorb information more effectively it is conveyed by a live person talking to them and answering questions. They might actually like this training stuff.

Novell Delivers Comprehensive Bundled Linux Solution for Mid-sized Enterprises

cpm — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 15:54:08 +0000

It really is stunning isn't it?

I'm rather numb to this sort of thing, as it has become so
common.

What in the world are folks thinking when they publish meaningless
copy like this?

Novell Delivers Comprehensive Bundled Linux Solution for Mid-sized Enterprises

nix — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 15:41:51 +0000

It is comforting blah that uses all the right buzzwords.

That's what marketing *is*, these days. Actual descriptions of ways in which the system (sorry, 'solution') is superior to the competition are considered scary, or possible lawsuit fodder, or something.

Novell Delivers Comprehensive Bundled Linux Solution for Mid-sized Enterprises

dalesc — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 14:12:02 +0000

Is there no-one in the marketing department at Novell who can construct meaningful English sentences?

There are lots of words but they don't really say anything.