Hi Jay, I think it was a case of wishful thinking on somebodys part to connect IMGX's products with Oracle's need to backfill for failed Sedona. I'm guessing that IMGX's tools are probably much too application specific to be considered in such a way. Here's what IMGX says about 1View on their web-page:
<<What is 1View?
Network Imaging's 1View product suite allows everyone in your enterprise to gain access to any information regardless of its physical location. 1View can also route that information wherever it is needed to make business processes happen more quickly and efficiently, enhancing productivity, responsiveness and user satisfaction.
1View is a powerful "layer" of software that ties together all applications and all storage throughout your entire enterprise. This layer enables every user in your organization to share information throughout the enterprise, taking full advantage of an open, client/server environment. 1View allows integration of your legacy applications while offering scalability for future expansion to make the most of your hardware and software investments.
This comprehensive software layer supports critical system operations and facilitates application building. 1View:Object ManagerT and 1View:WorkflowT provide the common foundation for these applications.>>
Here's another couple of snippets about 1View, note emphasis on multimedia type info:
<< 1View is a powerful middleware software solution that ties together applications and storage devices throughout an enterprise. The 1View solution enables users in an organization to share information throughout an enterprise, taking full advantage of an open, client/server environment. 1View allows integration of legacy applications while offering scalability for future expansion. >>
<< Network Imaging's flagship product suite, 1View, provides businesses with an automated method of electronically storing, accessing and managing large volumes of multimedia information such as office documents, images, video and audio files, engineering drawings and computer reports. Network Imaging's mission is to efficiently solve multimedia storage, management and distribution challenges across enterprise and Internet/intranet environments. >>
The general purpose tools that BORL looks to be contributing to the Oracle offering are there so developers can build tools similar to what IMGX is selling where an IMGX solution won't fit.
I don't see this as a significant issue for IMGX. Their targets remain the large customers who have Oracle or Sybase and/or other legacy systems with a large image component and want a comprehensive package which can be installed and tweaked by application specialists. They don't want full scale software development efforts which would use Borland tools to custom build an application which would then be used by the customer company, fearing the development cycle-time and costs, and the future maintenance risks, etc.
I don't foresee a move by Oracle to incorporate IMGX into its marketing strategy like the SYBS / IMGX relationship precisely because of Sybase. ORCL and SYBS are fiercely competitive in the same general field of expertise. ORCL has the dominant position. SYBS is struggling to recoup and reposition. An ORCL / IMGX relationship might help even the playing field in SYBS's favor.
Also remember, the President of Borland - Delbert Yocam was on the Board of Directors at Oracle for years and is a long time buddy of Oracle Pres. Larry Ellison. He resigned his Board position in January when he accepted the Borland CEO slot. Obviously, what to do about Sedona had come up before the Board even in a non-formal way, before he resigned. It was under development for three years, Oracle must have committed some serious bucks to make it happen.
On top of all that, Oracle has it in for the Redmond gang, wanting a bigger piece of the MSFT pie. Meanwhile BORL and MSFT have been at odds for years. BORL was in serious disarray before Yocam arrived due in part to the war waged with MSFT. An alliance of opponents makes some sense considering the dominance of MSFT. IMGX doesn't offer the same sort of anti-MSFT bias, in fact IMGX probably is quite compliant with Windows which of course doesn't win it any browny points from Corporate Oracle. Note IMGX's touting of software vendors, MSFT and ORCL are already listed, (where is SYBS?) again taken from IMGX's web-page:
<<Software Manufacturers
The following are some sample software manufacturers used in conjunction with 1View products:
Informix Software, Inc.
Imagination Software
Informative Graphics Corporation
Microsoft Corporation
Spicer Corporation
TMS, Inc.
Oracle Corporation
Lotus Development
Delrina
Intersolv, Inc.
Kofax Image Products
Systems Compatibility Corp.
GUPTA Corporation
Pixel Translations, Inc. >>
I think the real test for IMGX will be the next two Q numbers. It would be good to hear of some progress they have made in landing new customer accounts since these are revenue sources, and right now revenue is everything. |
