Editing Unix System Laboratories (section)

== Acquisition by Novell ==
[[Image:Novell building in Summit, New Jersey that housed Unix Systems Group, which had been Unix System Laboratories-March 1994.jpg|thumb|left|The Summit building in the Novell Unix Systems Group era]]

On December 21, 1992, it was announced that Novell would acquire Unix System Laboratories, and all of its Unix assets, including all copyrights, trademarks, and licensing contracts, for some $335 million in stock.<ref name="lat-novell">{{cite news | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-12-22-fi-2406-story.html | title=Technology | newspaper=Los Angeles Times | date=December 22, 1992 | access-date=March 28, 2021 | archive-date=January 16, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116183938/http://articles.latimes.com/1992-12-22/business/fi-2406_1_networking-technology | url-status=live }}</ref>  The news led to large headlines of the "NOVELL BUYS UNIX" variety.<ref name="crn-news">{{cite news | url=https://www.crn.com/columns/channel-programs/18831011/novell-buys-unix-again.htm | title=Novell Buys Unix, Again | first=David | last=Strom | magazine=CRN | date=November 5, 2003 | access-date=March 28, 2021 | archive-date=November 28, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128195822/https://www.crn.com/columns/channel-programs/18831011/novell-buys-unix-again.htm | url-status=live }}</ref>
The measure was intended to help Novell compete against [[Microsoft]], which was on the verge of including networking as a built-in feature of [[Windows]] in conjunction with the [[Windows NT]] server.<ref name="lat-novell"/><ref name="cw-longshot"/>  It was also an outgrowth of Novell chief [[Ray Noorda]]'s theories about [[coopetition]] in a technology industry.<ref name="cbr-japan"/><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/29/business/preaching-love-thy-competitor.html | title=Preaching Love Thy Competitor | first=Lawrence M. | last=Fisher | newspaper=The New York Times | date=March 29, 1992 | access-date=March 28, 2021 | archive-date=December 23, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223051337/https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/29/business/preaching-love-thy-competitor.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

The move seemed like a long shot to analysts, with a commentary piece in ''[[Computerworld]]'' outlining the obstacles to success and stating, "Saying this deal has the technical potential to counter Windows NT is very different from predicting that it will do so."<ref name="cw-longshot">{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=heyWMcI8pQUC&pg=PA34 | first=Charles | last=Babcock | title=Novell's long shot | newspaper=Computerworld | date=January 11, 1993 | page=34 | access-date=March 28, 2021 | archive-date=March 28, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328062602/https://books.google.com/books?id=heyWMcI8pQUC&pg=PA34 | url-status=live }}</ref>

There was negative reaction to the acquisition from USL shareholders, USL employees, and members of Unix International.<ref name="cbr-japan"/>  Noorda had to emphasize that Novell had no plans to move USL operations from New Jersey to Utah, where Novell was based.<ref name="cbr-japan"/>  And Noorda and Pieper had to travel to Japan to reassure USL shareholders and investors there.<ref name="cbr-japan">{{cite news | url=https://techmonitor.ai/technology/novell_unix_labs_try_to_reassure_japanese_on_the_merger <!-- blacklisted https://www. c b r o n l i n e.com/news/novell_unix_labs_try_to_reassure_japanese_on_the_merger/ --> | title=Novell, Unix Labs Try to Reassure Japanese on the Merger |work=Computergram International | publisher=Computer Business Review | date=March 4, 1993}}</ref>

Nonetheless, the deal was finalized in June 1993.<ref name="pr-finalized">{{cite press release |url = http://tech-insider.org/unix/research/1993/0614.html |title = Novell completes acquisition of UNIX System Laboratories from AT&T |publisher = Business Wire |date = June 14, 1993 |access-date = March 28, 2021 |archive-date = July 7, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170707211219/http://tech-insider.org/unix/research/1993/0614.html |url-status = live }}</ref>
Novell created the Unix Systems Group to contain the new business, which also absorbed the Univel venture.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbronline.com/news/novell_formally_announces_the_unix_systems_group |title=Novell formally announces the Unix Systems Group |work=Computergram International |publisher=Computer Business Review |date=July 7, 1993 |access-date=March 28, 2021 |archive-date=February 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216125531/https://www.cbronline.com/news/novell_formally_announces_the_unix_systems_group |url-status=live }}</ref>
Rekhi was named as the head of the Unix Systems Group.<ref name="nyt-roel-out"/>  Pieper, who had been assigned under Rekhi with little role to play, soon departed, leaving Novell in August 1993.<ref name="cw-roel-out">{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PgsZJgu-zDkC&pg=PA16 | title=News Shorts: Pieper bids adieu | newspaper=Computerworld | date=September 6, 1993 | page=16 | access-date=March 28, 2021 | archive-date=March 28, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328062610/https://books.google.com/books?id=PgsZJgu-zDkC&pg=PA16 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="nyt-roel-out">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/31/business/company-news-standard-set-for-unix-interface.html | title=Novell Unix Official Out | newspaper=The New York Times | date=August 31, 1993 | page=57 | access-date=March 28, 2021 | archive-date=June 24, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180624150550/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/31/business/company-news-standard-set-for-unix-interface.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

The USL Europe office in London was moved into Novell's facility in [[Bracknell, Berkshire]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.telecompaper.com/news/novell-continues-restructuring--5894 | title=Novell Continues Restructuring | publisher=Telecompaper | date=September 10, 1993 | access-date=March 28, 2021 | archive-date=December 3, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203082350/https://www.telecompaper.com/news/novell-continues-restructuring--5894 | url-status=live }}</ref>  The Chorus work it was doing became the basis for the Novell "[[SuperNOS]]", a project to create a microkernel-based, UnixWare–NetWare hybrid, network operating system.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://techmonitor.ai/technology/novell_ready_to_embark_on_the_road_to_object_orientation <!--BD https://www.cbronline.com/news/novell_ready_to_embark_on_the_road_to_object_orientation/ --> | title=Novell ready to embark on the road to object orientation | work=Computergram International | publisher=Computer Business Review | date=April 11, 1995}}</ref>