Resident seer predicts fearlessly the new year's amazing (true?) stories. (Down to the Wire) (Hardware Review)(Column)

My predictions for the year 1996:

* January: Microsoft Corp. announces OLE-DS, a new specification for network directory services and Microsoft Exchange. Microsoft says client support for OLE-DS will be integrated into the next update of Windows 95. The vast majority of third-party vendors pledge support for the OLE-DS specification. In reaction to the Microsoft announcement, industry pundits predict Windows NT will outsell Novell NetWare 4.1 and become the predominant network operating system by early August.

* February: Novell Inc. sells its productivity applications to Oracle Corp., development tools to Borland International Inc., E-mail products to Computer Associates International Inc., database products to Sybase Inc., and its office furniture to Netscape Communications Corp.

Oracle's Larry Ellison strikes a deal with TCI cable and new partner Steve Jobs. Ellison announces Oracle's intent to build a $250 …