UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                               SEPTEMBER 30, 1999

                                 Date of Report
                        (Date of earliest event reported)


                                  NOVELL, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


     DELAWARE                       0-13351                      87-0393339
  (State or other                 (Commission                  (IRS Employer
    jurisdiction                  File Number)               Identification No.)
 of incorporation)


                               122 EAST 1700 SOUTH
                                PROVO, UTAH 84606
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                                  801-861-7000
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)







ITEM 5.   OTHER EVENTS

         On  September  30,  1999,  the  Registrant  and   Whittman-Hart,   Inc.
("WHITTMAN-HART"),  a leading  provider of  integrated  business and  technology
solutions for growing and middle-market companies,  issued a joint press release
attached  as Exhibit  99.1 to  announce  that (a) the  Registrant  has agreed to
invest $100 million in  Whittman-Hart,  and (b) the Registrant and Whittman-Hart
have formed an  alliance  to jointly  develop  Novell(R)  Directory  Services(R)
(NDS(R)) solutions for mid-sized  businesses.  The information  contained in the
press release is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

         (c)      Exhibits

                  99.1         Press Release dated September 30, 1999.





                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Dated as of October 13, 1999                  NOVELL, INC.

                                    By:      /S/     DAVID R. BRADFORD
                                             David R. Bradford
                                             Sr. Vice President, General Counsel
                                             and Corporate Secretary





                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

   EXHIBIT
   NUMBER                       DESCRIPTION

    99.1          Press Release dated September 30, 1999.