Provo-based Computer networking company Novell Inc. said Thursday it will acquire Serius Corp., based in Salt Lake City, through a $17.25 million buyout of the 89 percent of Serius it doesn't already own.
A spokesman said the deal is expected to be closed before the end of July.Serius has developed a library of "software building blocks" for non-programmers to create custom applications by simply connecting various objects on a point-and-click basis, the Novell spokesman said.
"This modular approach to programming allows users to quickly assemble applications by selecting various icons that engage object-oriented modules of computer code," the spokesman said.
When linked, these modules, or prefabricated building blocks of code, run as complete custom applications that go beyond the limitations of generic, or horizontal, applications like spreadsheets.
"Serius is an important part of Novell's effort to help applications become independent of underlying operating systems and greatly simplify and accelerate their development and deployment across computer networks," said John Edwards, executive vice president of Novell's Desktop Systems Group.
"The Serius building-block approach is reinvigorating custom development efforts. It has the potential of providing an entirely new way for computer users to easily access valued vertical software solutions through modular libraries of code."
Serius is a four-year-old, privately held, venture capital backed, company with 40 employees. Novell bought 11 percent of the company's stock in December.