Sun Microsystems
The low shareholder approval indicates that many keenly interested observers don't think this is the best way to use Sun's assets and personnel. What will happen to the Java language? Will Oracle sell server systems, spin out the hardware arm of Sun, or kill it altogether? Is it safe to assume that the Solaris operating system will be around for the long haul?
Hewlett-Packard
More than 100 customers have already made the switch to HP support over the past six months; notable recent defections from Sun include respectable names like Staffordshire University and a large video-on-demand provider to British Telecom
Larry Ellison's gang has a sterling reputation for making the most of its buyouts -- but not so much for preserving the bought-out technologies and cultures. Therefore, it's not surprising to see rivals pecking at Oracle while it's digesting recent acquisitions. For example, VMware
While these thinly veiled attacks probably do shake loose a few fence-sitters here and there, and definitely are worth the price of a press release, they won't hurt Oracle at all. If there is a mass exodus of Sun customers coming, it'd be because Oracle is sucking the life force out of Java and Solaris. Will that happen? I don't think Oracle can afford such recklessness, but your mileage may vary. Use the comments box below to let your fellow Fools know what you think.
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