“The deal suggests that Corel could pick up some valuable
expertise in Microsoft-flavoured middleware. But if so, it would do
well to heed the example of Borland, the company it so nearly
acquired earlier this year, which also went paddling furiously up
Middleware Creek about three years ago.”
“A smarter bet for Corel could be to go back to basics, and
capitalise on its foothold in the creative content business. Corel
Draw remains the major money earner, but over the past twelve
months Corel has made a number of useful acquisitions, including
Bryce and KPT, that are very much at home on the Mac.”
“That way, it wouldn’t be competing with a single vastly
better-resourced opponent, as it does today against Microsoft in
office applications and against Adobe in desktop content. Perhaps.
It isn’t about bundles, or volumes or packaging … but it’s an
earner.”