I was a junior sysadmin/desktop support back then. Every single software update for the Microsoft Netware Client (which I think sucked on purpose) always caused problems for the Novell one! It was a real cat and mouse release cycle.
However in the case of the Windows NT NetWare client I don’t think this happened.
I think one of the variations on Hanlons razor is a more likely explanation.
“You have attributed conditions to villainy that simply result from stupidity”
The really worrying thing is that all the major players seem to have the same strategy at the moment. That is to own and control the platform.
https://www.geek.com/law/microsoft-settles-novell-case-for-u...
My memory, and it's been a while, was that at least partially related to some interop tricks that MS played to make Netware's software work less well in the Windows world. , although I'm sure part of it was also down to Novell finding it challenging to adapt.
Totally agree that Microsoft did some bad stuff, I just don’t remember there being any malign attempts to disrupt NetWare integration.
NetWare was the main player in PC networking at the time, so arguably it would not have been a good strategy.
It’s absolutely true that the NDS integration was an issue, but my memory is that this was a quality/competency issue on both sides, and not due to a lack of cooperation.
From that the settlement was around NDS for NT