Oracle Needs Staff

Oracle says that,to make their acquisition of Sun Microsystems successful,they need more smart and savvy employees.They are seeking Sales Consultants and Sales Representatives specializing in servers and storage.Also being sought are first class chip designers,hardware engineers and software developers.If interested,submit your resume to oracle-sun-hiring ww@oracle.com

Swedish Firm Rounds Out Sun Micro

The best thing I can do is publish the story I wrote,because it remains true.The companies I mentioned are open for business today,regardless of share prices.That should tell you something about today's flash in the market.Sun Microsystems(JAVA) has purchased Swedish firm MySQL for one billion dollars.MySQL is a vendor of open source database software.Its customers include Google(GOOG),You Tube,IKEA and Facebook.The software itself is free,but integration and maintenance services for it are not.It is with these that Sun,which has a deep commitment to the open source concept,intends to make a profit.MySQL provides platforms for the Web economy,and the Web's enabling of cost reductions and efficiency are making the Internet very attractive to consumers and businesses,according to Sun CEO Jonathan Schwartz.MySQL gives peace of mind to customers.The acquisition of MySQL make's Sun's Solaris the only operating system with database software.Together with Java technology,Solaris and MySQL give Sun a fuller circle of software products to complement its breadwinner server systems.Prior to acquiring MySQL,Sun relied on Oracle(ORCL) for databases.The open source concept championed by Sun is both more economical and flexible for Internet companies.Given these advantages,Sun expects to meet or exceed analysts' expectations for its fiscal second quarter earnings and revenue,which will be reported on January 24.Sun has seen 7% bookings growth,with real strength in Asia,Africa and the Middle East.Its products are in the right phase of their life cycles to generate profits as great as,or greater than,expected.Shares of the Santa Clara,California firm were among the best performers in last week's dismal market.

Sun Shines On Mr.Softie

Sun Microsystems(JAVA) and Microsoft(MSFT) show how two firms can both challenge and support one another in their quest for progress.Google(GOOG) is now distributing a free version of Sun's Star Office software.It is part of the Google Pack.Star Office is Microsoft Office-compatible and is also sold by Sun in a version with technical support and free updates.Star Office provides the Open Document Format Alliance,which includes Google,Sun and IBM,with an important open product.The free Star Office has the same basic features as Microsoft Office,which goes for 150-400 dollars.Word-processing,database,graphics,spreadsheets,photo editing and Web publishing are all possible with Star Office.Sun acquired Star Office when it purchased its parent company in 1999.Sun refined the product and contributed to a free version called Open Office before the Google Pack was offered.More than 100 million copies of Open Office have been downloaded.Star Office supports the Open Document file format,which many governments have considered adopting for its free document storage.Star Office is available on Sun's Solaris Operating Environment,along with Microsoft Windows and Linux.At the same time that Sun's Star Office competes with Microsoft Office,Sun is allied with Microsoft on a number of other fronts.Sun now sells servers with factory-installed Microsoft Windows.In this connection,the two firms will even call on customers together.They are also collaborating on interactive television built on Microsoft's Mediaroom software and Sun systems.AT and T wants to use this blend for its U-verse offering.It is clear that Sun and Microsoft are fully implementing their 2004 alliance,while competing in the office software realm.Their complex relations will be of benefit to both of them into at least the next decade.Shares of both Sun Microsystems and Microsoft were up this morning.

Sun Micro Faces East

Sun Microsystems(JAVA)is expecting double digit growth in China sales within the next fiscal year.It is providing new products to Asia as the market in the U.S. and U.K. decline,hit by slowing economic growth and the credit crunch.By the fourth quarter,Sun is expecting a 4% increase in profits,and a 10% increase within three years.Kohlberg Kravis Roberts,a private equity firm,has made a large purchase of Sun Micro corporate bonds,which amounts to a big vote of confidence.Sun is the fourth largest producer of server computers.With the aggressive development of virtualization and online telephony,Sun's products will be in growing demand.Sun's earnings rose to .09 cents a share,versus an estimate of .05 cents.Revenue in the software segment was up 6%.Revised profit was 329 million dollars.With the striving for efficiency,its Solaris operating system is especially relevant.The big search and internet companies are likely to demand Sun's products.Sun's expanded margins took the cost of doing business down.With much cash on hand,the company is on the lookout for good acquisitions.The KKR position is not CEO Johnathan Schwartz's focus;his focus is growing Sun,which posted its third consecutive quarterly profit.The firm is based in Santa Clara,California.