With version 2 SP4 IR3 the Novell Client was rebranded as "Micro Focus Client for Open Enterprise Server 2 SP4 (IR3)". Together with the new name come various changes on the user interface. I want to suggest to following changes to future versions:
1) Change the name to something like "Micro Focus Client for Open Enterprise Server, V2 SP4 (IR3)". Open Enterprise Server 2 is a product from the distant past, and the client version should not be confused with the server one. As this is an NCP client maybe "Micro Focus NCP Client, V2 SP4 (IR3)" might work as well.
2) Cange the capital N in the user interface. The Novell brand has gone, so this has no obvious meaning anymore. N like NCP?
3) In the menues for right-click and tray many instances of Novell were replaced with OES, e.g. "Novell Login" with "OES Login" or "Novell Map Network Drive" with "OES Map Network drive". This will be confusing for our users as they do not know what OES means. It is also not correct as the Open Enterprise Server supports multiple protocols and thus an "OES Map Network Drive" operation could be done with CIFS instead of NCP as well. Please omit OES wherever possible. A simple "Login", "Map Network Drive", or "Utilities" will do just fine while making the rebranding easier for our users.
by: Günther S. | over a year ago | Novell Client
Comments
I'll disagree on all points.
1) Open Enterprise Server still exists, and was just updated to OES2015sp1, though I assume you're fixating on the '2', which is only visible in the properties about info or when installing/upgrading, not anything a user would see generally to confuse them. I'll half agree that they can change the wording to 'Novell Client 2 for Open Enterprise Server...' to avoid the accidental connection between the old OES 2 server and the current windows client, while still keeping the client version and patch points all intact. Other than that, I think client for Open Enterprise Server, AKA OES branding works fine. Also, adding Micro Focus to the branding is way too much of a mouthful and long winded both for name and for when talking on phone providing support.
"Ok now right click on your Micro Focus client for open enterprise server..."
2) Not sure what you mean, with the MicroFocus rebrand in IR3, the N was replaced with a blocky blue O. There is no N, only Zuul
3)I think removing the branding and using overly generic terms could be a pitfall of confusion. Netware supported CIFS, NFS and AFP etc as well and this wasn't an issue, as when using the Novell client it was inferred that you were using native Novell NCP, same goes here. Not like a general user has a clue about network protocols. There's also already various general network commands in Windows such as map network commands so this would likely add even more confusion than simply retraining that Novell Client and menu commands are now OES client and menu commands
Of note, I recently switched ~80 users at a company over to the new client. A simple email to explain the rebrand name, logos and icons was sent out and no one has had an issue. Not a huge company, but a good enough sample size of which most users didn't know the difference between Novell client and GroupWise client when calling support.
I would suggest keeping the "N", make it blue if you want, and rename it MicroFocus Network client. You could then just make all the Novell references Network references. It also keeps the focus where it should be, on the network.
Just my two cents.
Referring to Rodney W.'s comment: You are totally right that the red N has gone. Writing the suggestion I was relying on the documentation rather than the client itself. At the time of writing the documentation was not updated yet on this point.
OES is alive and still a very interesting and powerful product, of course. OES 2 is a past version. It might be better to keep the versioning of client and server just in sync like with other products, e.g. GroupWise or Filr, in order to avoid any confusion.
Agree with Peter's comment of keeping the "N", make it blue if you want, and rename it MicroFocus Network client. You could then just make all the Novell references Network references. It also keeps the focus where it should be, on the network!
We have been taking feedback on this change and here's how we have acted on it. We are providing an option to customize the icon. The option to customize the login time bitmap was already present. This is available with Client for OES, v2 SP4 (IR4). Hope this relieves the helpdesk issues some of you are facing and allows you to update to the newer version of the client with additional improvements.
For details please on this, please refer TID 7018057 (https://www.novell.com/support/kb/doc.php?id=7018057)
Other update info - https://www.novell.com/support/kb/doc.php?id=7016351
Shortly we are also planning to make available for download a set of icons which can be used as replacement.