Stories by Chris Kanaracus

Oracle critical patch update includes 24 fixes

Oracle on Tuesday will release a patch update that includes 24 security fixes for its database, application server and other products.

Oracle buys data quality vendor

Acquisition-happy Oracle has made its first purchase of the year, announcing late Monday that it has scooped up Westminster, Colorado, data-quality vendor Silver Creek Systems. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

EMC acquires GRC vendor Archer Technologies

EMC said Monday that it plans to acquire GRC (governance, risk and compliance) vendor Archer Technologies for an undisclosed sum. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter, and is likely on the smaller side, as EMC said it would not have a material impact on its fiscal 2010 revenue or earnings.

'Save MySQL' campaign gains momentum

A petition launched in December by MySQL creator Michael 'Monty' Widenius to "save" the open-source database from Oracle has quickly gained momentum, collecting nearly 17,000 signatures.

Oracle shed nearly 1,300 jobs in Q2

Oracle's workforce fell by 1,273 during the second quarter of its 2010 fiscal year, according to an earnings report released Thursday.

IBM buying BPM vendor Lombardi

IBM on Wednesday said it has signed a deal to buy Lombardi, an Austin, Texas, BPM (business process management) vendor. Terms were not disclosed.

HyperOffice up against Google Apps, Zoho with updated suite

Google Apps, Zoho and other online collaboration players got a fresh dose of competition Tuesday, as HyperOffice announced that a major overhaul of its online collaboration suite is now in private beta.

MySQL creator launches campaign to 'save' database

The creator of MySQL has launched a Web-based campaign to "save" the open-source database from the "clutches" of Oracle, which is attempting to purchase its current owner, Sun Microsystems.

ERP vendor offers to take over MySQL

French ERP (enterprise resource planning) vendor Nexedi made a public bid Monday to take over stewardship of the open-source MySQL database from Sun Microsystems, offering a symbolic €1 in return.

Recession not all bad for enterprise software users

The global recession took a major toll on enterprise software vendors and their customers in 2009, leading to flagging license sales and tight IT budgets. But the economy also prompted a series of policy changes and concessions from vendors that could make users' lives easier in the long run, especially if they become broader trends.

SAP planning to open up on-demand development platform

SAP is hoping to build a platform of third-party SaaS (software-as-a-service) applications to complement its own emerging wave of offerings.

Tibco's 'Tibbr' aims to be enterprise Twitter

Middleware vendor Tibco said Monday it is preparing to release Tibbr, a messaging system with strong echoes of the popular Twitter microblogging service.

Study: MySQL use to drop under Oracle ownership

Usage of the open-source MySQL database is set to decline if Oracle succeeds in buying the software's owner, Sun Microsystems, according to new data released by analyst firm The 451 Group on Friday.

No quick resolution likely for SAP KPI saga

SAP's attempt to convince users that its Enterprise Support service provides enough value to justify a higher price tag may drag on well into 2010.

Gartner buying AMR Research in $64 million deal

Gartner announced Monday that it is buying AMR Research for US$64 million, in the latest acquisition by the giant IT research firm. The deal is expected to be completed this month.