Oracle Blinks
The European Union’s formal objection to Oracle’s proposed acquisition of Sun has evidently transformed the database giant’s intransigence into grudging agreeability. The EU has extended the deadline for approval of the $7.4 billion merger to Jan. 27 from Jan. 19 at Oracle’s request.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Intel, AMD Announce Dual Core Litigation Settlement
Wow. Intel and AMD’s seemingly endless legal battles have finally ended. The two companies said early Thursday that they have reached a comprehensive agreement that resolves their many antitrust and patent disputes. Under its terms, Intel will pay AMD $1.25 billion and agree to “abide by a set of business practice provisions” presumably crafted to temper its alleged anticompetitive practices.
AMD Not Above Gloating Over Intel Legal Troubles
AMD has been carping about Intel’s alleged anticompetitive acts without satisfaction for so long that the company evidently feels entitled to a bit of gloating now that its rival has found itself in the legal crosshairs of the European Union and New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, among others. In remarks made during AMD Financial Analyst Day, CEO Dirk Meyer said that Intel’s current legal woes “ratify” AMD’s allegations.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Morgan Stanley to EU: Whatever Larry Wants, Larry Gets, and Sun Is No Exception
For Oracle, whose acquisition of Peoplesoft and Siebel Systems cleared in Europe without conditions, news that the European Commission issued formal objections to its purchase of Sun was likely particularly galling. According to Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, Sun is already losing $100 million a month as it waits for regulatory approval, and judging from the price of the company’s stock today, it may be losing even more.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Q: What’s the Difference Between Neelie Kroes and Larry Ellison?
What’s the difference between European Commission competition watchdog Neelie Kroes and Oracle CEO Larry Ellison? Kroes isn’t losing $100 million a month on Sun Microsystems. Much as Ellison would like to blame the European Commission for yesterday’s bloodletting at Sun, responsibility lies squarely with Oracle–at least, according to Competition Commissioner Kroes.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Sun to Sack 3,000
Ugly news. The end of Sun Microsystems as an independent company after 27 years is to be prefaced with a bloodletting. And a big one too. The company is sacking some 3,000 employees as it awaits the closing of Oracle’s planned $7.4 billion takeover.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
What Was It Oracle Wants With Sun, Again? Redux.
Oracle’s pending acquisition of Sun will undoubtedly be the subject of much discussion this afternoon when the database behemoth reports fiscal first-quarter earnings after the market close. Indeed, there’s quite a bit of jawing about it already, particularly about Oracle’s continued commitment to the deal in light of the ugly decline in Sun’s revenues and profitability since it was announced in April.
The EC Pay Intel’s Legal Expenses? Uh, Good Luck With That One.
“Manifestly disproportionate.” That’s how Intel describes the record $1.45 billion antitrust fine levied against it by the European Union, one the company evidently believes was meted out in error.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Former Intel General Counsel Now Apple General Counsel
Longtime Intel general counsel Bruce Sewell, who left the company without explanation yesterday, evidently had good reason for doing so: He has taken a new job at Apple. That would certainly explain the “surprise” Intel expressed over his departure. And also why the company was so quick to remove his corporate bio from its Web site.
Monday, September 14, 2009
404: Intel General Counsel Not Found
Pat Gelsinger isn’t the only Intel veteran leaving the company amid the big management restructuring announced today. Longtime general counsel Bruce Sewell is taking his leave as well. Which is odd, since Sewell has been quarterbacking Intel’s fight against antitrust allegations at home and abroad since, well, since they were first brought against the company.
France to Google Books Deal: Go Away or I Shall Taunt You a Second Time
Google claims that its Book Search settlement will “bring back to life millions of lost books in a way that serves the interest of all.” And if that truly is its goal, the company is going to have to put its own Brobdingnagian self interests second to those of others–if only for a little while. To wit, Google’s announcement Monday of a number of concessions to the European Union, which seems a bit dubious of the whole thing.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Intel Rejects New “Sponsor of the EU” Ad Campaign
Intel proclaims itself a “Sponsor of Tomorrow,” but the company isn’t going to be a sponsor of the European Union if it can help it. The chip maker filed an appeal today challenging the European Commission’s $1.45 billion antitrust fine against it–the agency’s largest ever in a monopoly-abuse case.
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About John
John Paczkowski has been poking fun at the tech industry and the personalities that drive it since 1997. From 1999 to 2007, he wrote the award-winning tech news Web log Good Morning Silicon Valley for the San Jose Mercury News, Silicon Valley's daily newspaper. Read more »
Ethics Statement
Here is a statement of my ethics and coverage policies. It is more than most of you want to know, but, in the age of suspicion of the media, I am laying it all out.
alt.misc
- Godzilla’s Food, Exercise, and Dream Diary
12:58 AM: Breakfast: Two schools of fish from Tokyo Bay. Calories: 782,000. How I was feeling when I ate this: confused, irradiated, hating my size.
11:37 AM: Exercise: “Taxi Stomp” (alternating legs, for 30 blocks). Calories burned: 148,900,183. - Scenes From An Alternate Universe Where The Beatles Accepted Lorne Michaels’ Generous Offer
1983. The Beatles announce their first tour in thirteen years, but likewise announce that Michael Jackson will be going on tour with them as a one gigantic mega-concert event.
- The Golden Age of Video
Best video mashup ever.
- I’m not dead yet
A Facebook Memorial
- Pulp Fiction Audio Mix
Wow.
- A world without the Internet
Worth it for the Rickrolling photo alone.
- Google Wave Cinema: Pulp Fiction
Excellent.
- Dead Fly Art
Flughumor!
- Happy Birthday Monty Python …
… you vacuous, toffee-nosed, malodorous perverts
- ‘You are being shagged by a rare parrot’
Stephen Fry and zoologist Mark Carwardine meet the kakapo — a fat, flightless and very randy rare parrot.
