Oracle has filed suit against SAP for "corporate theft on a grand scale". The complaint alleges "software and technical support materials, which have limited download rights, were downloaded en masse from an IP address originating in Bryan, Texas, home of SAP's TomorrowNow (SAP TN) subsidiary, which offers support to PeopleSoft and J.D. Edwards customers."
It is a sad day for the industry. I was an expert witness for PeopleSoft during its suit against Oracle during the hostile takeover process. I saw the two sides spend over $ 250 million in legal fees. Customers suffered as both sides were distracted for a long time.
SAP needs to come down heavy on the alleged misuse, if true. I also hope Oracle does not overblow this in the media in the coming months.
Andrew Nelson, the CEO of TomorrowNow made a nice case for third party maintenance in his guest column on Monday. Hopefully, he does not support questionably obtained or developed IP.
Third party maintenance is an important new trend in the enterprise software business. It could stall if customers get spooked by this. All the more reason to feel glum for the industry today.
What TN did to Oracle can someone do it to SAP?
Do you think 3rd party service providers can utilize the strategy of providing support for obsolete product versions of other product companies like SAP?
In that sense, this lawsuit would benefit both, Oracle as well as SAP or any other product company that provides maintenance services for their products. And expect that all the customers should be running their latest products.
For sure, it will be a blow to 3rd party maintenance providers and to the customers.
Posted by: Ram Manohar Tiwari | March 24, 2007 at 04:06 AM
Vinnie, Your reaction was the same as mine. If true, this makes some of the stuff from the Data General/DEC/Wang/Prime/Apollo days out on 495 pretty tame.
Yet as I wrote on my post: "After a few pages superficially explaining the alleged crime, the Oracle complaint wanders off into something that sounds like a dime novel (e.g., "As SAP reeled, events unfolded at a rapid pace."). I am afraid your hope that Oracle won't play this for everything it can is misplaced.
And our indignation betrays our "expereience." Larry Dignan at "blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=4713" says the commentary is running in favor of SAP. In fact, you might want to look at Evan Shuman at eweek's Retail Center.
You're right: Sad day.
Posted by: Dennis Byron | March 25, 2007 at 07:27 AM