What we are taught, and how businesses (and government) act, are rarely the same thing.
I don't expect ORCL to act like a saint if their competitors aren't. That is surely the case. Do I think ORCL should have acted in better faith? Sure. But I think, in the end, you have to put things in perspective and recognize that sh*t happens.
ORCL, to their credit, offered to give up the contract. What's the big deal? Very few companies even go THAT far.
As for being a potential customer, I think you have to ask yourself the question (on EVERY deal) "who is trying to take advantage of me?" Once you do that, you'll find that virtually everyone is. I don't see that this one case is indicative of anything even remotely related to how ORCL does business. I've read plenty of articles, over the last few years, of ORCL users who love the product and credit ORCL's products of helping them.
By the same token, I know of users who hate ORCL. These sentiments can be applied to ANY ORCL competitor, as well.
Advantage is part of the game in any negotiation. If the government sucks at it (and it does), then who can take the blame? The government has to. ORCL did the right thing here, in the end.
Now...what was your question again? |
