In Cantonese, dim means "point" and sum is "heart"--point to what appeals to your heart ... and taste buds. Dim Sum, along with Japanese sushi, Spanish tapas, Italian antipasto, Middle Eastern meze are meals of assorted, bite-sized snacks. And then you have the 72 ounce steak dinner at The Big Texan in Amarillo, TX.
Even though I went to school in Texas, I must admit I like the first kind of varied food better. Which is why I really like Oracle's recent acquisitions - ProfitLogic and Retek. They are in a vertical market that Oracle did not have key transaction or analytical capabilities in. Even its acquisition of TimesTen for real-time data management extends rather than duplicates its analytical functionality. And they are bite-sized transactions.
Wish they had not ordered the PeopleSoft meal. They have never done a deal that big - ever. Hopefully they will not get greedy for Siebel or BEA. As Groucho would say those targets resemble the animal he found in his pyjamas. Makes The Big Texan look bite sized.
