Oracle

SAP, Peoplesoft, and JD Edwards (JDE)

Oracle acquired PeopleSoft in December 2004 and became the second biggest business applications provider in the market, SAP remaining the undefeated leader, still. Prior to being bought by Oracle, PeopleSoft completed its acquisition of JD Edwards in July 2003.

Founded in 1977, Oracle Corporation (NASDAQ: ORCL) supplies software for information management. With annual revenues of more than $10.9 billion (USD), the company offers its database, tools, and application products, along with related consulting, education, and support services, in more than 145 countries around the world.

Headquartered in Redwood Shores, California (USA), Oracle develops and deploys internet-enabled enterprise software across its entire product line, which includes database; server; enterprise business applications and application development; and decision support tools. Oracle is capable of implementing complete global e-business solutions that extend from front-office customer relationship management to back-office operational applications to platform infrastructure.

Oracle says:

We follow four key principles: simply, standardize, automate, and innovate. Our innovative software technologies and management solutions allow organizations to get the most up-to-date and accurate information from their business systems. Oracle brings high-quality, enterprise intelligence to your company. It is the only complete, integrated set of enterprise applications and is designed to streamline every area of business, including sales and service, to financials and human resources. Half of E-Business' capabilities are dedicated to meet specific industry needs including financial services (Sarbanes-Oxley compliance), healthcare, and manufacturing and high-technology.

Here is the story of Oracle through our daily news coverage:
(descending publishing date)

• Enterprise Software Migration Alert: Is SAP the Alternative?
  by Olin Thompson and P.J. Jakovljevic
  SAP may benefit the most during Oracle's merger transition. Unlike most migration programs, SAP is offering to be responsible for maintaining the competitions implementation, as users transition to SAP alternatives, offering the stability that some will likely crave.  Read this article
• Oracle's Product Future: What Can the Past Tell?
  by Olin Thompson and P.J. Jakovljevic
  Oracle does not have a history of major acquisitions, let alone experience with the subsequent integration efforts. Run by a management team that has never maneuvered a company through a large takeover, will Oracle be capable of digesting PeopleSoft?  Read this article
• Battle Booty from Oracle's Victory Over PeopleSoft
  by Olin Thompson and P.J. Jakovljevic
  Through the PeopleSoft acquisition, Oracle hereby gains a new customer base, increased market share, expertise, immediate recurring revenue sources, and new and overlapping products. However, keeping PeopleSoft's customers will take a great deal of diplomatic customer management and savvy engineering.  Read this article
• The Oracle/PeopleSoft Reality Check
  by Olin Thompson and P.J. Jakovljevic
  While customers may be bemused if not concerned about the Oracle/PeopleSoft merger, they are from a traditionally risk-adverse market. Despite the lush deals offered by the competition, realistically, the only way Oracle will lose customers is through self-inflicted wounds.  Read this article
• What's Ahead for Users on the Enterprise Infrastructure Battlefront?
  by Olin Thompson and P.J. Jakovljevic
  The battle between Oracle, Microsoft, SAP, and IBM goes far beyond applications -- it goes right into the technology stack or the enterprise infrastructure. As a result, these vendors are drilling down deeper to compete with each other.  Read this article
• Competition Heats Up in ERP Market: Oracle Merger, and SAP and Microsoft Reacts
  by Olin Thompson and P.J. Jakovljevic
  Although Oracle's product roadmap is beginning to take shape it does not include active marketing of the PeopleSoft and J.D. Edwards product lines. As a result of these products being seen as dead ends, many competitors have been scrambling to offer all sorts of incentives to switch to the still disconcerted two camps of existing customers.  Read this article
• While Oracle and PeopleSoft Are to Fuse, Competitors Ruse--Leaving Customers (Somewhat) Bemused
  by Olin Thompson and P.J. Jakovljevic
  The recent merger of Oracle and PeopleSoft requires, among many other things, finding a perfect balance between cultivating the install base versus the zeal for snagging brand new customers.  Read this article
• Enterprise Application Alternatives: What You Should Be Asking Oracle and SAP
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Despite challenges, both SAP and Oracle will be formidable forces in the hosting space, because of their intimate application knowledge, their infrastructure, organizational stability, and vast capital. However, SMEs should approach this decision with due diligence.  Read this article
• Enterprise Application Players Keep Refining Value Propositions
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Because cash-strapped medium companies are looking for better options to traditional application pricing models, SAP and HP have allied to deliver "software as a service" and Oracle/PeopleSoft are also offering hosted solutions, suggesting that "software as a service" are here to stay.  Read this article
• One Product for Large and Small Manufacturers: Challenges and User Recommendations
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  A solid product aside, good may be just too good for IQMS. Potential customers may shy away because its well-rounded solution may seem more appropriate for the upper-end of the market. This, combined with IQMS' reliance on Oracle, and its well-integrated product will pose challenges to the vendor's growth.  Read this article
• Oracle Further Orchestrates Its SOA Forays
  Part Six: Weaknesses and User Recommendations
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Time will tell whether Oracle's vocal endorsement of open technologies such as J2EE and BPEL will allow customers to readily adopt solutions that fit their needs and that quickly integrate with their existing infrastructure.  Read this article
• Oracle Further Orchestrates Its SOA Forays
  Part Five: Collaxa Acquisition
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  With the acquisition of Collaxa, Oracle has quickly plugged a hole in its SOA/BPM message by providing new workflow capabilities and monitoring tools to report on the progress of business processes, and by providing runtime support for BPEL.  Read this article
• Oracle Further Orchestrates Its SOA Forays
  Part Three: Strategy Shifts
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Oracle has long moved in the direction of blurring the line between applications and infrastructure. It has leveraged the system of record elements in application suites by applying infrastructure technologies to correlate real-time events for improved decision-making.  Read this article
• Oracle Further Orchestrates Its SOA Forays
  Part Two: Strategy
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Oracle's vision of a complete collaborative e-Business solution requires a database strategy, an application server strategy, and an e-business strategy. Will users buy into this vision?  Read this article
• Oracle Further Orchestrates Its SOA Forays
  Part One: Event Summary and Market Impact
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Although its service-oriented architecture-based platform and enterprise solutions will not likely be "all things to all people" any time soon, Oracle might be showing its ability to further develop its own enterprise infrastructure and applications via a blitz acquisition of a Collaxa, a small and focused vendor, despite its unwavering appetite for direct, large competitors.  Read this article
• La dinámica del mercado de ventas al por menor para los vendedores de software
  Segunda parte: Desarrollo
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Los vendedores de ERP se están agrupando y están adquiriendo soluciones específicas o estableciendo asociaciones estratégicas para incorporar las funciones específicas de las ventas al por menor en sus series de productos e incursionar así en el mercado de las ventas al por menor. Eventualmente, probablemente pronto, al igual que en los demás mercados de las aplicaciones empresariales, el mercado de las ventas al por menor verá un enfrentamiento entre los vendedores al por menor puros y los vendedores de aplicaciones empresariales (por ejemplo, Oracle, SAP, Lawson, PeopleSoft, SSA Global, Geac, Intentia, etc.), que han estado tratando de incluir en sus productos originales más funciones para las ventas al por menor.  Read this article
• Retail Market Dynamics for Software Vendors
  Part Two: Progress
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  ERP vendors are making their way into the retail market by bundling, acquiring point solutions or partnering strategically to embed retail-specific functions within their suites. Like in all other enterprise applications markets, eventually, albeit not any time soon, the retail market too will come to a showdown between the pure retail vendors and the enterprise application vendors (e.g., Oracle, SAP, Lawson, PeopleSoft, SSA Global, Geac, Intentia, etc.), which have been striving to natively embed more retail-specific capability into their products.  Read this article
• PeopleSoft Gathers Manufacturing and SCM Wherewithal
  Part Two: Market Impact
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  The PeopleSoft-J.D. Edwards merger was, in great part, about retaining the big five (or big four, or big three) seat and the need to be bigger within shrinking market opportunities. The combined vendors should now a have solid foothold against SAP and Oracle, particularly because one better-performing side could, if necessary, cover up for the underachieving one.  Read this article
• Oracle Renders Its PLM Outline
  Part Two: Challenges and User Recommendations
  by P.J. Jakovljevic & Jim Brown
  Key concerns for PLM prospects will be domain knowledge in design and engineering-specific functions and integration, including currently poor connections from Oracle workflow to third-party business applications and CAD/PLM interfaces.  Read this article
• Oracle Renders Its PLM Outline
  Part One: Event Summary
  by P.J. Jakovljevic & Jim Brown
  Although its PLM solutions will not likely be the "all things to all people" any time soon, Oracle might be showing us its ability to develop its own applications in collaborative effort with its prominent customers.  Read this article
• Frantic Merger-Mania Spiced Up With Vendettas Leaves Customers Anxious
  by Olin Thompson & Predrag Jakovljevic
  Although end-user companies should continue to track the financial health of their vendors to possibly discern if the vendor will be a collector or one of the collected, the latest torrid 'love triangle' affair involving Oracle, PeopleSoft and J.D. Edwards may prove that even a seemingly stable vendor can involuntarily end up being acquired. If your vendor is acquired, do meet the new owners, given their motivation in buying your vendor was the install base and that is you. Showing interest is your part in keeping the relationship the way you want it.  Read this article
• Software Giants Make Courting A Small Guy Their "Business One" Priority
  Part Three: Market Impact Continued
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Trying to sell dumbed-down versions of mySAP Business Suite, Oracle E-Business Suite, without a serious re-engineering of these products, has not worked for the lower-end of the market. To date, Oracle and SAP have responded by acquiring more suitable genuine products for the segment, while it is not unlikely to see PeopleSoft and J.D. Edwards follow suit in the future.  Read this article
• Software Giants Make Courting A Small Guy Their "Business One" Priority
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  As the battle for the mid-market intensifies, each Tier 1 vendor is exhibiting its bag of tricks for small-to-medium enterprises. While PeopleSoft is refining its fixed-price & time proposition to the upper-end of the mid-market, SAP is trying a twofold strategy of promulgating its mySAP All-in-One similar offering for the higher-end of the mid-market, while offering SAP Business One product to appeal to complexity-adverse smaller enterprises. Oracle seems to be dabbling with both approaches…  Read this article
• Lawson Enforces Its Stronghold
  Part 2: Market Impact
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Now that is it publicly traded, it is poised for reaching over $400 million revenue mark in calendar 2002. Lawson has maintained significant mind and market share in the service industries sector, and is a recognized competitive force to keep the likes of PeopleSoft, Oracle and SAP on their tiptoes.  Read this article
• Mid-Market ERP Vendors Doing CRM & SCM In A DIY Fashion
  Part 2: Market Impact
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Tier2/Tier 3 vendors are prepared to endure the onslaught of the likes of SAP, Oracle, and PeopleSoft, as well as of proverbial mid-market leaders such as J.D. Edwards, Baan, Intentia, QAD, IFS and Epicor, and newly formed mid-market juggernauts like Microsoft Great Plains, Best Software (formerly Sage Software), and Navision, to name some. Frontstep and the Syspro Group lead the way.  Read this article
• Stalled Oracle Fumbling For A Jump-Start Kit
  Part 4: Challenges and User Recommendations
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Only time will tell whether Oracle will have used these slower economic times to get its act together and to position itself for a much-needed surge of new projects in the future. The market should regard Oracle's new mindset evolution as well as its new customer placating moves favorably, despite inevitable controversy.  Read this article
• Stalled Oracle Fumbling For A Jump-Start Kit
  Part 3: Market Impact
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Oracle remains a true IT powerhouse with fingers in many pies other than databases, such as application servers, and development tools, which ranks it as an enterprise infrastructure provider, together with SAP, IBM at a higher and, and Microsoft at the lower end of the market. However, Oracle may be getting very uncomfortable with how its protracted disappointing revenue results (possible the worst in a decade) jeopardizes its No. 2 position in the applications market. It seemed all but inconceivable over a year ago that PeopleSoft could be so close to snatching the No. 2 position from Oracle.  Read this article
• Stalled Oracle Fumbling For A Jump-Start Kit
  Part 2: Event Summary Continued
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Oracle continues respond to the changing requirements of the market, by addressing the need for Wireless Internet support, application servers, and expanded ASP support, while using new pricing models to maintain and expand its existing customer base.  Read this article
• Stalled Oracle Fumbling For A Jump-Start Kit
  Part 1: Recent Events
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  While Oracle's declining revenue and profit continue across main businesses, SAP and Siebel have been extending their leads in respective enterprise application markets, while PeopleSoft has been anticipating turning on the overtaking flashing indicators.  Read this article
• Liberty Alliance vs. WS-I; J2EE vs. .NET; Overwhelmed .YET?
  Part 1: Latest Announcements
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  On one hand, some archrivals (e.g., Microsoft, IBM, and Oracle) are becoming strange bedfellows, while, on the other hand, the others (e.g., Microsoft and Sun) remain set on irreconcilable differences between their technology camps. What are users to do when torn between the hype/promise of Web services and the fear of being outrun by events?  Read this article
• Oracle Mends Its Ways To Bounce Back
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Despite its inclination to traditionally thrive on a moderate amount of controversy and to fly a number of trial balloons, Oracle, has also been a practical company, often modifying its strategy and adopting a tack that would work better. Thus, while Oracle's declining revenue and profit are painfully noted, the company has been taking some long overdue moves to appease its customers and to play fair with the competition. Time will only tell, however, whether Oracle has used these slower economic times to get its act together and to position itself for the its future revival.  Read this article
• Besieged By The CRM Throne Aspirants, King Siebel Delivers "The Magic No.7"
  Part 2: Market Impact
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Will the long awaited Siebel 7 product release help the until recently undisputed CRM leader withstand the pressure from ERP giants – SAP, Oracle and PeopleSoft?  Read this article
• Enterprise Financial Application Software: How Some of the Big ERP Vendors Stack Up
  by Steve McVey
  Contrary to what vendors may contend, not all of them are able to supply a cost effective solution that satisfies the critical requirements of an organization. In this case study from a recent selection engagement for a large series book publisher, we size up Oracle, JD Edwards, PeopleSoft, and Lawson in terms of corporate viability, vision, product functionality, technology, and cost.  Read this article
• Besieged By The CRM Throne Aspirants, King Siebel Delivers 'The Magic No.7'
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Will the long awaited Siebel 7 product release help the until recently undisputed CRM leader withstand the pressure from ERP giants – SAP, Oracle and PeopleSoft?  Read this article
• How Some ERP Vendors Demonstrated - Warts And All
  Part 2: Results
  by P. Jakovljevic, L. Talarico, & B. Spencer
  This is part two of a case study from a recent selection engagement for an ETO mid-size manufacturer; we assess Oracle, J.D. Edwards, SAP, and IFS in terms of their ability to demonstrate alleged functionality of their products.  Read this article
• How Some ERP Vendors Demonstrated - Warts and All
  Part 1
  by P. Jakovljevic, L. Talarico, & B. Spencer
  Contrary to what vendors may contend, not all of them are able to provide an effective out-of-the-box solution that satisfies the critical requirements of an organization. In this case study from a recent selection engagement for an ETO mid-size manufacturer, we assess Oracle, J.D. Edwards, SAP, and IFS in terms of their ability to demonstrate alleged functionality of their products.  Read this article
• 'Collaborative Commerce': ERP, CRM, e-Proc, and SCM Unite! A Series Study: Oracle
  by Randy Garland
  There are two ways to build enterprise application solutions: link together disparate, best-of-breed solutions, in which vendors embrace open architectures and inter-application messaging protocols, or find a one-stop-shop with all the software, functionality, and interoperability one could ever ask for. Oracle insists the latter is the best way, and it is their way. But is it best for Collaborative-Commerce? Is their vision of C-Commerce and interoperability yours as well?  Read this article
• What's With Oracle's And SAP's Differing Clairvoyance?
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Regardless of whether Oracle is cautiously pessimistic or SAP is unrealistically enthusiastic about the immediate future, both vendors will quite likely weather the impending El Nino phase. Still, neither one can rest on its laurels, as they both have their internal and external challenges to solve.  Read this article
• Oracle Makes A U-Turn At The 'All Things To All People' Exit
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Oracle has been trying hard for some time to find a magic formula to revive its declining applications revenue. Abandoning its isolationist stance and opening the door to integration of third-party products while still targeting the lower end of the market with the simplicity tune might be the hit.  Read this article
• Lawson Software Means Business With PSA and IPO
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  By acquiring a leading PSA vendor and deciding to go public, in addition to the new functional and technological enhancements to its flagship lawson.insight suite due in August, Lawson Software continues to boldly challenge bigger competitors, primarily PeopleSoft and Oracle.  Read this article
• Oracle Claims The Worst Is Over And Turns To KISS For A Boost
  Part 3: The Challenge of Gaining Competitive Advantage
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Increased competitive pressure on many fronts, and lingering mixed perceptions about the 11i Applications suite, leaves Oracle at a crossroads for sustaining the momentum it had the last year.  Read this article
• Oracle Claims The Worst Is Over And Turns To KISS For A Boost
  Part 2: The Implications
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Oracle indeed remains one of the largest and the most respected (or loved to be hated) software companies, with an unbroken profitability track and a strong balance sheet. However, it is apparent that the company is running out of steam, and to attribute it solely to the slowing economy, simply will not fly.  Read this article
• Oracle Claims The Worst Is Over And Turns To KISS For A Boost
  Part 1: The News
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Oracle seems to have been trying hard to find a magic formula to ramp up its declining applications revenue. Targeting the lower end of the market with the simplicity hymn might be a part of the solution - provided that the approach is well tuned.  Read this article
• The Application Server War Escalates
  by M. Reed
  At JavaOne in San Francisco, a battle ensued between BEA Systems CEO Bill Coleman, and Oracle CEO Larry Ellison. In a truly ugly display of how contentious the application server market has become, they argued over whose product was better, faster, cheaper. The keynote was so rife with charges and countercharges that they had to hold an after-keynote press conference to explain themselves.  Read this article
• Oracle Sails Slower In The Low Tide, But Mayday Signal Is Quite Far-Fetched
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  For a longer time than most of its competitors, Oracle seemed to have defied a global economic slowdown. The 64,000 dollar question is whether Oracle’s tamed results are completely attributable to the slowing economy, or do the problems run deeper.  Read this article
• Oracle Sails Despite Market’s Low Tide; How Far Will It Go?
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  For the time being, Oracle seems to have defied a global trend toward a slowdown in the technology market, which even its archrival, Microsoft, could not avoid. Is it only a matter of time before economic realities knock on Oracle’s door?  Read this article
• We Shall Be Giant
  by D. Geller
  Oracle and Citigroup bank on integrating B2B exchange and financial services. Will Bailey Building and Loan Association get into the act?  Read this article
• Has SAP Found Magic Formula (One) To Learn The Ropes Of Marketing?
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  SAP is responding to the changing Internet marketplace in a multiplicity of ways. First, by restructuring to develop flexibility; then, by forming key partnerships and alliances to put content behind its extensive advertising campaign for mySAP.com, which started in full force on September 22. Will racing’s Formula One help SAP overtake Oracle’s high-flying marketing machine?  Read this article
• Now the Minnows are Eating the Minnows
  by M. Reed
  In a transaction valued at approximately $15 million, DataMirror Corporation has announced that it has completed the acquisition of assets and assumption of certain liabilities of Constellar Corporation. Both companies have been small niche players in the data warehousing market, Constellar being almost exclusively Oracle-based, and DataMirror concentrating on the IBM AS/400. The goals appear to be increased access to capital for Constellar, and a foothold in the Oracle market for DataMirror.  Read this article
• Candle Releases New Command Center App for IBM MQSI 2
  by M. Reed
  IBM has announced a four-year, $200 million investment to attempt to make it more cost effective and easier for companies to manage data on IBM S/390 enterprise servers. The proposed solution is a new Candle Corporation product with a GUI front-end that can track message flow, queue times, and other metrics. Is this yet another example of IBM leveraging technology through partnerships instead of always trying to roll their own, as Oracle has done?  Read this article
• Oracle – How to Disappoint Analysts by Doubling Profits
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  In September Oracle Corporation, the largest database provider and one of the largest providers of software applications for e-business, announced record results for Q1 of its fiscal year 2001. Why weren’t analysts more enthusiastic about the 42% growth of the applications part of its business?  Read this article
• Will Oracle’s Freebie Shot Hurt (Or Only Graze) Siebel?
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Oracle will not rest until it comes close (or even overtakes) Siebel in the CRM market. Its latest gimmick from its bag of tricks was the recent launch of the OracleSalesOnline.com system, which allows businesses to use Oracle's SFA software for free. However, any additional CRM components users might need will not be free…  Read this article
• IBM Tries to Take More Market Share from Oracle, BMC, and CA
  by M. Reed
  IBM has announced a four-year, $200 million investment to make it more cost effective and easier for companies to manage data on IBM S/390 enterprise servers. They will attempt to compete more effectively with Computer Associates (which acquired Platinum Technology and Sterling Software), BMC, and Oracle in the lucrative database tools market.  Read this article
• Oracle Applications - An Internet-Reinvented Feisty Challenger
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  It is startling how much has changed in Oracle’s applications business during the last two years. Oracle is indisputably the most reformed applications vendor, having achieved significant growth in total revenue, license revenue and net income. Oracle has a head start on most of its competition pertaining to Internet applications, and the Company still leads the ERP pack both on product technology vision and execution. However, the future will by no means be without serious challenges.  Read this article
• How Detrimental Can a 2nd-In-Charge’s Departure Be?
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  In an unusually terse press release from June 30, Oracle Corporation, one of the largest providers of software for e-business, announced that Ray Lane was leaving his post as Oracle's President and COO.  Read this article
• More Vendors Bail on Oracle in Favor of IBM
  by M. Reed
  Oracle’s focus on software application markets is impacting its Database business. Recently SAP AG and Siebel Systems, i2 Technologies, Inc., and PeopleSoft have also chosen IBM’s DB2 Universal Database as their preferred database for developing current and future applications, and as their preferred backend database for customer deployment. In addition, IFS AB, one of the top 10 ERP vendors, which was previously Oracle-centric, has announced an agreement with IBM to add DB2 support.  Read this article
• Is Oracle Becoming Invincible?
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  On June 20, Oracle Corporation, the leading provider of database and enterprise software applications, announced its fiscal 2000 results, claiming that it has passed SAP to become the world's largest applications software company.  Read this article
• Oracle (Finally) Learning and Applying Its Own CRM
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  After years of power struggle with its independent applications user group (OAUG), Oracle Corporation is to host its own application user group conference early next year.  Read this article
• Enterprise Resource Planning Systems Audio Conference
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  This is a transcript of an audio conference on Enterprise Resource Planning Systems presented by TechnologyEvaluation.Com. The presentation used the TEC patented selection engine WebTESS to conduct a real time evaluation and selection. It then reviewed the critical differentiating ERP criteria, as well as detailed comparisons of the several major ERP vendors: SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, J.D. Edwards, Baan, Intentia, System Software Associates (SSA),Geac Computers, Industrial & Financial Systems (IFS), QAD, MAPICS, Symix Systems, Great Plains, and Lawson Software.  Read this article
• BMC Software Webs for the DBA
  by M. Reed
  BMC Software, (NASDAQ: BMCS), has released a new product called Web DBA, designed to provide what they refer to as “application service assurance™”. The product is still in beta, and currently only supports Oracle, and is available for download and trial over the web.  Read this article
• Oracle Corporation: Flying High for Being Jack-of-All-Trades and Master of Some
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Database and enterprise application vendor Oracle has streamlined itself, overcome the hardships of the past and seems prepared and eager for the future. We express our view regarding its latest announcements.  Read this article
• Oracle APS Makes Its Debut
  by Steve McVey
  Oracle Corporation officially released its Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) applications recently amid the usual fanfare. Long in coming, APS still has significant ground to cover.  Read this article
• Oracle Flying High on Q3 Report: Is Gold All That Glitters?
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  On March 15, shares of Oracle surged after the company plowed past Wall Street estimates and reported strong database software sales fueling a solid third-quarter profit. However, Oracle has also confirmed that it is refocusing its European applications division and has hinted that it may reduce the unit's workforce.  Read this article
• Oracle Warehouse Builder: Better Late than Never?
  by M. Reed
  Close to a year behind schedule, Oracle released Warehouse Builder to the market. Oracle, in an interesting contradiction in terms, has stated that the product is “already in production at nearly 20 beta sites.” But is it too little too late?  Read this article
• Oracle to Offer APS Package for Small Companies
  by Steve McVey
  "The upcoming Oracle Applications User Group (OAUG) event, to be held in Orlando, Fla., promises something for businesses large and small. Not only will Oracle Corp. focus on the upcoming release of its Oracle 11i applications suite for large enterprises, the company also will begin to extend its applications into the small enterprise market, sources said. Included in the new suite will be an advanced planning and scheduling tool, Oracle Advanced Supply Chain Planning, sources said." Computer Reseller News, 9/17/99.  Read this article
• Oracle Integrates Front and Back Office with Applications 11i
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  On September 27, Oracle took a major step towards providing a fully integrated front and back office applications suite by launching Oracle Applications 11i at its Applications' User Group conference in Orlando, Florida.  Read this article
• Oracle to Enlist BPA Systems in its Mid-Market Quest
  by Steve McVey
  AUSTIN, Texas -- BPA SYSTEMS (www.bpasystems.com), a leading developer of business process automation solutions for dynamic manufacturing and distribution companies, announced today that its flagship product BP LINK/SC will be integrated with Oracle's newest solution for mid-sized companies, FastForward(SM) Distribution(RPM) (Rapid Pre-configured Model). With integration from BP LINK/SC to help accelerate receiving, inventory and shipping transactions using bar code and data collection technology, Oracle's FastForward Distribution(RPM) is the only enterprise class solution for wholesale distributors available in a fixed-time, fixed-price,  Read this article
• Key Product Delays Take a Toll on Oracle Users
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Amid the hoopla of strong earnings projections and a record-high stock price, Oracle Corp. is letting the release of a pair of highly touted applications slip-prompting possible user defections and problems down the road.  Read this article
• Oracle Reports Strong Profits
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  On December 14, Oracle Corporation announced record second quarter results for the period ended November 30, 1999. For the quarter, net income increased 40% to $384 million, or $0.26 per share, while total revenue grew to $2.3 billion. This compares to net income of $274 million, or $0.19 per share, and revenue of $2.1 billion for the same period a year ago.  Read this article
• Food Producer Files $20m Lawsuit Against Oracle
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  California based Tri Valley Growers (TVG) filed a $20 million lawsuit against Oracle, for Oracle's failure to fulfill its contract to modernize TVG's production and management systems using its enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications.  Read this article
• Oracle Buys Carleton Corporation to Enhance Warehouse Offering
  by M. Reed
  "REDWOOD SHORES, Calif., and MINNETONKA, Minn., Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle Corporation (Nasdaq: ORCL) and Carleton Corporation (Nasdaq: CARL) today announced that the two companies have signed a definitive merger agreement for Oracle to acquire Carleton, an early innovator of data quality and mainframe data extraction software". The offer values Carleton shares at $2.45 a share, which is less than the stock's closing price on Monday of $2.56.  Read this article
• Oracle Loses Again
  by M. Reed
  SAP AG has chosen SQL Server 7.0 as its strategic database for the Windows platform. The companies also will cooperate to make the Windows 2000 OS available as a platform choice for customers wishing to implement mySAP.com solutions. On the heels of the agreement to use IBM DB2 as a preferred backend database, Oracle continues to lose market share as a database in the ERP arena.  Read this article
• Is There Finally a Metadata Exchange Standard on the Horizon?
  by M. Reed
  On September 27, a group of vendors including Oracle, IBM, Unisys, NCR, and Hyperion Solutions announced the submission of a metadata interchange standard to the OMG standards body. A common approach to metadata would allow products from different vendors to interact, a problem that has vexed customers for years. But will all the major vendors adopt the standard?  Read this article
• Oracle8i Release 2 - Ready to Storm the Web
  by M. Reed
  On November 15, Oracle Corp., announced the pending availability of Oracle8i Release 2, the follow-on to Oracle8i, the most rapidly adopted database product ever released by the company. To date, more than 5000 "Dot Coms" and other enterprises are using Oracle8i. Additionally, over 800 Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) have developed applications and tools optimized for Oracle8i data warehousing and online transaction processing features since the product's release in March 1999. The new release has expanded analytical data warehousing functions, native support for Java2 and performance and management enhancements.  Read this article
• Oracle Gets SAP'ed by IBM
  by M. Reed
  SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) and IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced an agreement to expand their global sales, marketing and development relationship. As part of this agreement, the two companies will work together to provide expanded choices for customers that wish to implement mySAP.com and IBM's DB2 Universal Database on a variety of hardware platforms. Following in the footsteps of Siebel, SAP has abandoned Oracle and is standardizing on DB2 UDB as its preferred platform. The deal is estimated at $400 million in sales annually.  Read this article
• Oracle Announces a Database Fire Sale
  by M. Reed
  On December 16, Oracle Corporation announced lower software and support prices for the Oracle8i database. Specifically, the price of Oracle8i Standard Edition was lowered 40% from $25 per power unit to $15 per power unit, while Oracle8i Enterprise Edition was cut 50% from $200 per power unit to $100 per power unit.  Read this article
• Oracle is Word One at Ford
  by D. Geller
  Ford Motor Company and Oracle Corporation announced the formation of the AutoXchange, an integrated electronic procurement supply chain to be created and run as a joint venture.  Read this article
• Oracle Co. - Internet Paradigm Boosts Applications Growth
  by P.J. Jakovljevic
  Oracle is one of the first software companies to implement the Internet computing model for developing and deploying enterprise software across its entire product line. CRM and strategic procurement will be significant contributors to Oracle Applications sales revenue (up to 35% within next 3 years), where Oracle Business OnLine has a potential of reaching 15%-25% of total Oracle applications sales revenue within the next 5 years...  Read this article
• Descartes Systems Group: Small Company With Large Ambition
  by Steve McVey
  In the increasingly competitive supply chain management marketplace, corporations either advance or are trodden underfoot. Descartes' acquisitions over the last few years demonstrate that its management is committed to establishing a dominant position in the Internet fulfillment and collaboration software market. In spite of recent losses, Descartes has the potential to pose serious competition for other vendors in the e-fulfillment market, such as SAP, i2, and Oracle. Success will depend primarily on Descartes ability to put its bold vision to work.  Read this article