“Armed with $250-million war chest, CEO plans to snap up
more firms in quest to dominate industry.”
“Michael Cowpland says Corel Corp. will snap up more Linux
companies once it merges with Inprise Corp., armed with a
$250-million (U.S.) war chest and a will to become dominant in the
upstart computer operating system.
“Mr. Cowpland, Corel’s president and chief executive officer,
said the company will have its chequebook ready as the Linux
industry continues what looks to be the beginning of a
consolidation trend.
“We’re trying to create critical mass on the Linux side as
quickly as possible,” Mr. Cowpland said yesterday, one day after
his company’s $1.1-billion purchase of Inprise, its largest
acquisition ever. “We’re looking at other opportunities to round
things out.”