ShadowRAM: March 28, 2005

At Convergence 2005 in San Diego a few weeks back, Microsoft Business Solutions partner Tectura treated its customers (and at least one nameless freeloader) to a night at SeaWorld.

It was nice to leave that cavern of a convention center. Plus, there were cocktails around the dolphin pool where we could pet and feed the dolphins smelt (smelts?). One cheeky creature (that's you, Gracie) nearly picked pockets looking for handouts. Then, a private showing of the killer whale extravaganza, aka "The House Of Douse." (Word to the wise, sit in the back!) It pays to have friends or family in high (or wet) places. One of the whale riders—sorry, animal behaviorists—is Tucker Petrzelka, son of Tectura President Terry Petrzelka.

Speaking of MBS partners, watch for more M&A activity real soon. It's hard to say who's more hyperactive, Tectura or ePartners.

Novell brought in Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman to deliver a quasi-keynote at BrainShare. He seemed clueless about IT and was proud that Novell's software is so pervasive in Utah government agencies. (Where's he been?)

Anyway, Huntsman—who served as White House staff assistant to President Reagan, as deputy assistant secretary of commerce for trade development under the first George Bush and as deputy U.S. trade representative under the second George—used his pulpit to stomp for Social Security reform. He also informed the audience that the economy is actually better than it was a decade ago, despite 9/11, Enron and WorldCom. (Huh?) He applauded Novell's plan to host an open-source technology center in Provo, yet seemed oblivious to the fact that Novell is now based in Waltham, Mass., home of his fellow Utahn Mitt Romney, who is governor there. Well, at least Huntsman seems to like the state he leads, unlike Romney, who's been hitting the campaign trail down south where he has bashed the state of Massachusetts and its laws. Go figure.

Former Novell vice chairman Chris Stone had been named to the board of advisors for Virtual Iron, a Boston-area startup. But his name has disappeared from that company's Web site and ostensibly from the board, as well. What gives?

Well, we now know former Novell CTO Alan Nugent's whereabouts: He's Mr. Unicenter at CA.

Citrix is quietly assembling a coalition of companies to advance adoption of infrastructure access management. The idea is that companies would work together to raise the visibility of the category and create opportunities for solution providers. Citrix channel chief Ross Brown is the point man to contact.