from wsj:
Oracle's Founder Ellison
Turns His Sights on SAP
By MATTHEW ROSE
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
BRUSSELS -- Larry Ellison, the founder and chief executive of Oracle
Corp., uses most public opportunities to criticize Microsoft Corp., but he
had a different target in view Wednesday.
"We will pass SAP in five years," he said. "Everyone will think I am on
drugs, that it sounds crazy, but you can get more information out of the
[Oracle] system, and it is less expensive."
........
New Version
Oracle, which already boasts about supplying software for many of the
largest Web sites, is hoping to add to its lead in this field with a new
version of its flagship database software, which was formally announced
this week. Called Oracle8i, the software includes a range of features that
the company says give it attributes of a full-fledged operating system for
Internet business applications. The product also can be customized using
Java, the programming language from Sun Microsystems Inc. that is all the
rage in elite software circles.
"Everything is going over the Internet," said Mr. Ellison, proselytizing a
system where all programs and data are stored on one central server
computer which users can access. That contrasts with a PC-based system
-- used by both Microsoft and for the time being, SAP -- where some
information and software is stored on users' computers. "That's the
equivalent of everyone digging their own well to supply water," he said.
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