Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 16:42:50 -0500 From: Norm MacNeil <norm@hcc.ca> To: general@netwinder.org Subject: Response to NetWinder/Linux Users Group This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------F0D0FF82C2679E581161248B Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit [from Mac Brown, CEO, Hardware Canada Computing] To the NetWinder/Linux Community: Please allow me to answer some of your questions about HCC and our plans for the NetWinder. Hardware Canada Computing (HCC) of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada recently signed a letter of intent to purchase the NetWinder Division of Corel Computer. HCC was incorporated in 1987 and has been profitable since conception. HCC has sales approaching $60 million a year. HCC is a privately held company currently owned 100% by Mac Brown. 25% of HCC shares will be used for the purchase of NetWinder from Corel Corporation. Dr. Mike Cowpland wil sit on the board of directors of HCC and will be involved in the further development of the NetWinder product line. Many of the Corel Computer employees who designed the original NetWinder will be designing the next generations of NetWinders. Today HCC has four key areas of business: 1. Hardware and Software Support of Unix and NT Workstations and Servers 2. Professional and Technical Services 3. Value Added Reseller 4. OEM Contract Manufacture HCC started out as a Sun/Sparc/Unix Service organization and then became a VAR selling products from Axil (owned by Hyundai, Axil had a line of Sun Sparc clones), Hewlett Packard, Silicon Graphics, and now Network Appliance File Servers and Cache Product Lines. This multi-vendor approach gives HCC an advantage over other VAR type organizations offering end users the best solution for their needs. As the company evolved, HCC also started a successful Professional and Technical Services Division specializing in end to end project planning on such things as corporate backup, firewall implementation, etc. Then, after Axil stopped manufacturing Sun clones (Korean crisis), HCC began manufacturing its own brand of Sun/Sparc product under its own label: Horizon. HCC is closely tied to the Sun/Sparc community. In fact, Mac Brown (HCC's founder and CEO) sits on the board of directors of Sparc International (a not for profit organzation that owns the right to Sparc and decides the direction of the Sparc technology. For more information, please check out http://www.sparc.com). Two years ago, HCC began to design and manufacture telecommunications switch products for Newbridge Networks based on Sparc/Unix technology. HCC now specializes in long line private label manufacturing of PC-related products for other large computer organizations. Recently, HCC has been rewarded with a contract to manufacture tens of thousands of Point of Sale machines destined for one of the world's largest fast food vendors. HCC plans on making the NetWinder a successful product. HCC knows how to design, manufacture, sell, and support computer hardware. HCC will spend the required amount of money in R&D and marketing to make the NetWinder a hit in the Linux community. HCC will market NetWinder through distributors and VARs worldwide. We will focus on the OEM embedded marketplace and will sell NetWinders through a variety of channels, including direct and via the web. HCC believes in Linux. Our expertise in Unix will assist us in the transition into this marketplace. HCC plans on moving forward with an IPO to further support the development of the NetWinder product line. HCC's goal is to be "one of the first pure Linux plays on the stock market". We will consider IPO when market conditions are right. HCC plans on keeping the NetWinder name. Any questions may be directed to our web site at www.hcc.ca or email netwinderquestions@hcc.ca. Signed, Mac Brown CEO Hardware Canada Computing Email: mac@hcc.ca Web: http://www.hcc.ca --------------F0D0FF82C2679E581161248B Content-Type: text/x-vcard; charset=us-ascii; name="norm.vcf" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Description: Card for Norm MacNeil Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="norm.vcf" begin:vcard n:MacNeil;Norm tel;fax:(613) 224-0909 tel;work:(613) 723-2359 x240 x-mozilla-html:TRUE url:http://www.hcc.ca org:<table><tr><td><img src=http://www.hcc.ca/images/hcc_cm_sm.gif></td><td>hardware<br>canada<br>computing</td></tr></table>;Professional Services adr:;;1980 Merivale Rd.;Nepean;ON;K2G 1G4;Canada version:2.1 email;internet:norm@hcc.ca title:Director x-mozilla-cpt:;12672 fn:Norm MacNeil end:vcard --------------F0D0FF82C2679E581161248B-- -- This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4 Please send email questions to owner-general@netwinder.org To UNSUBSCRIBE: email majordomo@netwinder.org with "unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.