Re: Oracle buying Sun...

[Steve Richter <stephenrichter@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, Apr 20, 2009 at 5:33 PM, Don <dr2@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Frankly, I think this is an incredibly bright move on Oracle's part, and
> going to cost IBM big time in terms of AIX sales.  Keep in mind, Oracle is
> basically the biggest single bizneeeeze pudnuh that IBM has in the pSeries
> space.  So, now that they will own Sun, what need to they have in the future
> for AIX or pSeries????

according to the 2009 1Q earnings report, p and i, down 2%, were the
one hardware line which did not see a big decline in revenue. z down
19%, x down 27%. Maybe we are seeing DB2 holding its own against
Oracle.

http://www.ibm.com/investor/1q09/press.phtml

Revenue wise Oracle is nothing compared to IBM. $23 billion vs $90
billion.  Oracle has never gotten my attention. Other than their
database product, I dont know that they have invented anything. Kind
of like 21st century IBM.

My impression of both Oracle and IBM is they have the same approach to
increasing profits. Lock your customers into your products, then keep
prices high. Innovation being secondary because a.) the locked in
customer kind of likes not having to change things and b.) innovation
just breeds the need to innovate more, which costs money and breaks
down the lock in model.  Great for profits, but not so good for young
programmers looking for a way to break into the game.

Good luck to innovative Sun.  And in the interest of IBM changing its
programmer killing ways, I hope I am wrong about Oracle.