Univel
| Company type | Joint venture |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software |
| Founded | December 1991 |
| Founder | Novell, Unix System Laboratories (USL) |
| Defunct | June 1993 |
| Fate | Acquired by Novell; merged into Unix Systems Group |
| Headquarters | San Jose , United States |
Key people | Joel Applebaum (President) |
| Products | UnixWare operating system |
| Owner | Novell (majority shareholder, 55%) |
| Parent | Novell (after acquisition) |
Univel, Inc. emerged as a collaborative enterprise formed in December 1991 by Novell and AT&T's Unix System Laboratories (USL) with the purpose of creating and distributing the Destiny desktop Unix operating system. This product was introduced in 1992 under the name UnixWare 1.0. Univel’s existence was short-lived, as Novell completed its acquisition in June 1993, acquiring full rights to the Unix operating system and integrating USL and Univel into the newly created Unix Systems Group (USG).
Beginning
Novell, widely recognized for its network operating system software NetWare, collaborated with USL, AT&T’s division responsible for developing UNIX System V Release 4. In 1991, USL leader Roel Pieper identified 32-bit computing and workgroup solutions as critical growth areas for Unix and proposed a partnership to Novell CEO Ray Noorda, who was eager to expand into enterprise computing markets. Novell’s Executive Vice President Kanwal Rekhi played a key role in initiating the formation of Univel.
The joint venture was publicly announced in October 1991 and officially established by December of the same year, with Novell holding a majority 55% ownership. Joel Applebaum, previously Vice President at USL, was appointed as president of Univel. The startup was backed by an initial investment of $30 million.
Univel’s headquarters were located within Novell’s San Jose offices, focusing primarily on sales and marketing efforts. Its principal engineering activities were conducted in Sandy, Utah, where development centered on NetWare client support for Unix systems. Additional personnel operated from Novell’s Provo facility and USL’s Summit, New Jersey site, providing engineering support for independent software vendors (ISVs).
For USL, Univel represented a strategic move into delivering binary shrink-wrapped software products. The initial focus targeted Intel x86 platforms, with plans to extend compatibility to Sun SPARC, MIPS processors, and potentially Advanced RISC Computing (ARC) architectures.
UnixWare
The only product developed by Univel was the UnixWare operating system, engineered to introduce Unix capabilities to desktop personal computers. Aimed at the upper-tier PC market segment, UnixWare delivered a graphical user interface designed for ease of use by less technical users while ensuring smooth integration within NetWare-based local area networks. This approach leveraged Novell’s extensive distribution network comprising approximately 12,000 resellers and distributors.
The objective was to produce a "Unix for the masses" that emphasized user-friendliness akin to that of Apple Macintosh systems, despite lingering doubts regarding its potential to compete against the entrenched Microsoft Windows platform. The "Destiny" initiative involved porting System V Unix to Intel PC architecture utilizing USL’s SVR4.2 technology alongside the MoOLIT toolkit, which enabled users to select between OPEN LOOK or MOTIF graphical interfaces. To improve reliability on standard hardware configurations, UnixWare incorporated the Veritas VXFS journaling file system rather than the conventional UFS. The operating system was optimized by removing less essential Unix commands and developer utilities while prioritizing seamless NetWare network integration.
A developer preview release of UnixWare was made available in June 1992, securing commitments from roughly seventy independent software vendors. The full commercial launch occurred in December 1992 with two editions: Personal Edition and Application Server. The Personal Edition included only NetWare’s IPX/SPX networking protocol stack; TCP/IP support was exclusive to the Application Server version—this limitation caused dissatisfaction among some users of the desktop edition. Additionally, the Personal Edition bundled DOS Merge 3.0 and DR DOS 6.0 to facilitate running Microsoft applications since most mainstream PC software lacked native Unix versions.
Critical reception was largely favorable, praising UnixWare’s flexible architecture supporting multiple graphical environments, diverse file systems, and compatibility with NetWare networks. Nevertheless, sales performance fell short of projections; despite positive feedback from reviewers, only about 13,000 units were sold during the initial six weeks and fewer than 25,000 copies by August 1993—significantly below anticipated figures. An April 1993 price reduction did not generate a meaningful increase in sales volume.
End
On December 21, 1992, Novell declared its purchase of Unix System Laboratories, acquiring all associated Unix properties including copyrights, trademarks, and licensing agreements. The transaction was finalized in June 1993, resulting in Univel becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Novell. By July 1993, both Univel and Unix System Laboratories were merged into Novell’s Unix Systems Group. Despite varying accounts within the industry, Univel is credited with delivering the subsequent UnixWare 1.1 update in August 1993. Shortly thereafter, leadership changes occurred with the departure of Univel’s head Joel Applebaum and USL’s leader Roel Pieper from Novell. Although UnixWare continued to be identified as a Univel product into 1994, the use of the Univel brand gradually faded away.
Looking back on the acquisition, a Novell executive who remained unnamed referred to Univel as "the bastard child of Novell and USL," emphasizing difficulties encountered during the integration of the joint enterprise. With Novell’s strategic focus sharpened, UnixWare 2 was developed to prioritize server functionalities, aiming to capture greater market traction. Analysts regarded UnixWare as a "low-risk, high-return gamble" for Novell.
Similar attempts by other firms to establish 'Unix on the desktop' also did not succeed, a pattern later echoed by initiatives promoting Linux desktops. The short-lived existence of Univel forms part of the larger intricate narrative involving competition between Unix and Linux, market fragmentation, and evolving industry partnerships.