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Oracle To Buy Siebel

Posted by Zonk on from the busy-week dept.

jondaw writes "The BBC is reporting that "Software giant Oracle is buying US rival Siebel Systems in a deal worth $5.85bn (£3.2bn) in cash and stock...'In a single step, Oracle becomes the number one CRM [customer relationship management] applications company in the world,' said Oracle chief executive Larry Ellison.""

30 of 233 comments (clear)

  1. yay dotcom bubble by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Everybody's buying everybody again! Woo!

    When do I get my office scooter?

  2. Oracle by DavidLeeRoth · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I might be mistaken but, isn't Oracle a US company? The story makes it seem like Oracle isn't.

    1. Re:Oracle by fm6 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Why? Because they referred to Siebel as a U.S. company, but didn't specify that Oracle was? That's natural for a British news source -- their local readers may not have heard of Siebel, but have certainly heard of Oracle, which does a lot of business in Europe.

  3. In other news... by COBOL/MVS · · Score: 5, Funny

    To compliment his German accent, Larry Ellison has also donned a monical and top hat and is now carrying a cane with a silver cobra head on it and was last seen wearing a black flowing cape. He was quoted as saying: "I'm just trying to look the part of evil genius now".

    --
    GOBACK.
    1. Re:In other news... by grammar+fascist · · Score: 3, Funny

      "To compliment his German accent,"

      Now where are the language lawyers of slashdot?

      I dunno - this might work. I can imagine Larry Ellison walking around saying, "Why, Accent, you sure are a thick Germanic thing!" and then "Danke! Ich ben einer burly!"

      He's weird enough.

      --
      I got my Linux laptop at System76.
  4. Monopoly A Game Of Life w/ Shoots and Ladders by Cylix · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sure, our product hasn't been that good, but don't worry in no time at all you won't have any choice. We've been fattening our wallets to make sure you don't have any complicated decisions ahead of you.

    Why is this a trend I continue to see in Oracle?

    I'll probably get flamed by the Oracle is holier then thou crowd, but that's life.

    Where did I leave my ladders at...

    --
    "You should always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't come to yours." -- Yogi Berra
  5. How does this benefit customers? by juanescalante · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Oracle said the deal had the approval of the Siebel board and that the takeover was expected to be completed in 2006, subject to regulatory approval.
    It also said that the customers of both firms had long called for them to come together.
    Why would this benefit their customers?
    1. Re:How does this benefit customers? by sloanster · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Oh, I dunno... maybe finally, some semblance of linux support for siebel apps?

    2. Re:How does this benefit customers? by ideonode · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I agree. I think Oracle can really position themselves as a market leader in the enterprise space, leaving only SAP as the main rival.

      Oracle are in a position to provide a full-blown OSS/BSS stack (once they finally ship their billing system product). If they can bring the integration between the various apps in their business stack in-house, they get that close coupling (which may be a few years off, admittedly), then they can truly offer a Telco-in-a-Box solution, covering CRM, Billing, Payments and industry-standard hooks to third-parties. This All-in-One shop can be repeated for the other industry verticals that Siebel are traditionally strong in (Energy and Utilities, Financial Services etc).

      To be honest, the people who should be worried are third-party systems integrators. Once Oracle provide a single-shop BSS/OSS solution, then a large chunk of integration income will disappear.

  6. Siebel problems by Zen · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I've been on a two week long troubleshoot call for Siebel problems, and today starts the third week. 8-12 hours a day, 100's of different _sets_ of sniffer traces, and no solution. The problem is in the application, not on the network. I am not familiar with Oracle's technical support, but it can't be worse than Siebel's, so I'm looking forward to this.

    1. Re:Siebel problems by CptMatt · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Oracle's support for mundane problems is as bad or worse than everyone else. However, on critical problems they are far better than most.

    2. Re:Siebel problems by 42.5 · · Score: 3, Informative

      I've dealt with both Siebel and Oracle as a system implementor and someone using their tech support. Oracle's support is better.

      Siebel is notorious for asking your for more and more data until you reach the point of diminishing returns and just give up. We had to find so many work arounds to Siebel bugs I knew more than some Siebel product managers.

      This will help Siebel customers because the code will improve, cost less, and support more platforms. Plus the Siebel applications will be able to compete with Salesforce.com now.

      --
      Non illegemati carborundum est!
  7. Decision Made Simple by CSHARP123 · · Score: 5, Funny

    We made decision making process easier for you. You either buy oracle or you buy oracle.

  8. Oracle buys Siebel - visualizing the buzz by otisg · · Score: 4, Informative

    Today is a big shopping day, and when that happens I love watching the buzz spread. Here are some graphs that show the spreading:
    - eBay AND Skype
    - Oracle AND Siebel.
    - the above graphs combined.

    --
    Simpy
  9. Not Dead Yet. by Short+Circuit · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Oracle bought PeopleSoft a while back, and I haven't yet heard of any resultant headaches at the college I attend and work at. (PeopleSoft+Oracle setup.)

    But that may be because of those coupons PeopleSoft issued while trying to avoid the buyout; they gauranteed the same level of support for some period of time I don't recall. It sounds like Siebel is going willingly, so I doubt their customers will get the same protection.

    --
    tasks(723) drafts(105) languages(484) examples(29106)
    1. Re:Not Dead Yet. by lucabrasi999 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      When Oracle first announced the hostile attempt at PeopleSoft, Larry put his foot in his mouth by announcing that he would stop all future PeopleSoft development and he would make all PeopleSoft customers switch to Oracle. When you consider how much money customers have spent on the ERP systems, you can understand why most PeopleSoft customers were initially frightened of the Oracle buy-out. No customer in their right mind would want to be forced into an unplanned for migration to Oracle apps./p>

      When Oracle finally completed the deal, they announced that not only would they continue to support PeopleSoft, but they would release a new version (in about three years) that would allow for a direct upgrade from PeopleSoft to a combined Oracle/PeopleSoft product. In other words, Larry learned that the customer is always right.

      I seriously doubt that Larry will suddenly 'pull the support plug' on Siebel customers. Chances are rather high he will do the same thing with Siebel that he plans to do with PeopleSoft. Continue to provide support for a few years while developing an upgrade path that will allow Siebel users the chance to move to a future Oracle CRM product.

  10. Oh dear by gunpowda · · Score: 3, Funny
    Is anyone else struck by the suggestiveness of the extended metaphor on this other news site reporting on the story?

    "Siebel has needed to be picked up for some time. There are other suitors that would probably have made better sense, but it seems that Oracle is going for the number one slot no matter what the cost and aiming to become the only boy on the CRM block..."

  11. Ellison by SuperBanana · · Score: 4, Funny
    In a single step, Oracle becomes the number one CRM [customer relationship management] applications company in the world,' said Oracle chief executive Larry Ellison."

    ..."then Oracle Chief Executive Ellison brandished his katana and with a scream, cut the CEO of Siebel in half"

    --
    Please help metamoderate.
  12. Oracle is in the database business by crovira · · Score: 3, Informative

    These acquisitions insure that their database business doesn't suffer by suddenly NOT being offered (unlikely but always a possibility [and if I was selling DB/2, I'd worry,]) or that some NEW database engine gets a foot hold in the marketplace (more likely.)

    We're seeing the death of competition in the database market.

    --
    MSBPodcast.com The opinions expressed here are my own. If you don't like 'em... Think up your own stuff.
  13. Re:CRM [ ] by plover · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Don't get your hopes up at knowing what the acronym really means. Siebel is to "Customer Relationship Management" exactly as much as Microsoft is to "Secure Systems Initiative." Neither title has anything to do with reality, but rather how they're perceived by the Gartner Group.

    When they were still in business, AT&T Wireless used to use Siebel CRM in their phone stores. They did everything in their power to lose all the customers they could. A one hour wait and two hours with a cashier to sell me three phones, all spent waiting for the cashier to click, drag, type, badger and bully my information into that worthless CRM system. Servers that took minutes to deliver the pages needed. And it wasn't the fault of the poor schmucks who worked at the store. Just imagine trying to do your job on a site that was being permanently slashdotted -- that's what I saw of Siebel CRM, every time I went in there.

    And now Larry is sticking them in his cap like a feather. Well, good for them. I'm sure the Gartner Group is pleased as punch.

    --
    John
  14. Both make consultingware by MarkEst1973 · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Both companies make products that are HUGE! So big that they require fulltime administrators and/or consultants.

    My question is: Who actually needs all this bloat? There are much simpler ways of implementing a solution that would work while saving on the license fees and consultants.

    I work for a government contracting shop in Northern VA. We're living high on the government hog, and one of our clients wanted to implement Documentum. This product is so big, they've created entirely separate applications (each measuring many megs in size) just to install and configure the application. As a programmer, I am frustrated trying to maintain this. Why can't it Just Work(tm) when you drop a WAR file into the /webapps directory (Documentum is java-based, and their webtop application's WAR is 128mb).

    Consultingware is a phenomenon that I just don't understand. Our client has no need for 90% of Documentum's functionality. They just wanted to share files on the web. They've spent millions on servers, licenses, and consultants (including my company) to install and maintain it. I could have written something much smaller that fit their needs, and saved them most of their money.

    I don't know, maybe this is just a gripe. But when something feature-rich like PostgreSQL is available and you're hiring talented coders to maintain a HUGE application instead of writing a very small and lean one... well, I just don't get it.

    Every line is code comes with a price tag. The less code the better. The smaller and simpler solution the better. Less is more. This is important when you're trying to keep costs low and compete in a competitive marketplace, which I suppose is not happening with a gov't client or a big honking corporation.

    But I don't expect everyone (anyone?) to agree with me.

    1. Re:Both make consultingware by tetrode · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Mark

      We all agree with you here. This is slashdot. But the outside world does not. They want to be sure that they can slash someone's balls in two when it does not work.

      That's the way the world works, Mark. I know - I was sorta in the same position as you. It isn't a nice view from there. But hey, this is what they want. I used to tell them, you know, you can get this for cheap. Just let me install this that & the other. No problem, no questions asked.

      But no - they don't want no hippy-communist free software that works, just let me have some of your ultime-megalomanic pieces of sh*tware that will take for ages to load. And then crashes or just does not work.

      While with open source, I have it all in my own hands - and I can fix problems within hours. But oh-no we don't want to fix problems fast. We want problems fixed reliably. If you tell me that you don't know when this problem will be fixed, but you're working on it, you are a bad, bad boy. On the other hand, when you tell me that the problem will take some two weeks investigating, then three weeks bug fixing and one other week in quality assurance (what a laugh) - so in total 6 fricking weeks to fix a silly little bug, they are very happy because it is all done via their fucked up ITIL standard.

      I'm going to put my straight-jacket on again - the docters are coming soon.

      Mark

  15. Number one CRM company? by jayloden · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Oracle is now the number one CRM company? What about SAP? They're so big and so dominant in their market that their product gave CRM systems the name "CRM" in the first place

    Just a thought...

  16. Re:i don't understand by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 4, Funny
    Siebel sells best-of-breed soutions to snyergysticly leverage your existing best-practices methedologies into world-class feature-rich infrastructure enhancements with significantly accelerated ROI.

    Or somethng like that.

    --
    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
  17. What next by sapbasisnerd · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I imagine the phone lines between Armonk and Walldorf and Redmond and Walldorf are pretty busy now. Now that this penny has dropped IBM has got to be running the calculus on how much they can afford to tick off Oracle by buying SAP. As things are today IBM does much more business with SAP than they do with Oracle so I'm guessing there's about a 50% chance they will enter the game now.

  18. Who's next for Oracle? by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 3, Interesting

    They seem to be buying customers now.
    My guess is their next takeover target is Computer Associates. CA seems pretty ripe for the pickin'.

    --
    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
  19. Check Siebel website! -OOPS! by quark007 · · Score: 4, Informative

    On the Siebel home page they describe the advantages of the merger i.e. better customer satisfaction..blah..blah blah..
    But check out this on Siebel website. It has several comments on how the PeopleSoft/Oracle merger is bad for customers.
    Just as an example: Peoplesoft/ORACLE merger is a loss for the CRM market.
    Someone better feed these web-developers to clean up the pages!
    How about some anti-trust/ monopoly action?

    --
    - Sh!t
  20. If this benefits customers, is it just open source by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Oh, I dunno... maybe finally, some semblance of linux support for siebel apps?

    Possibly, since Oracle just released the Win version of ORACLE 10g only two months AFTER releasing the Linux and Unix versions.

    Remember, with Larry, it's personal. If he has to encourage Linux to beat Bill, he'll do it. And IBM must be ROFLMAO at this new turn of events, even if they compete, they still get Linux to eat Win shorts.

    --
    -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
  21. How is this a bubble? by PCM2 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The market is actually contracting. Oracle buying up competitors means fewer vendors. How is that indicative of a bubble?

    If there were three dozen new CRM start-ups appearing every few months -- backed by venture funding, going IPO, and then evaporating when everyone realized they didn't even have a product, let alone a chance of competing with the Oracles and SAPs of the world -- then that would be a bubble. This, on the other hand, is what we call consolidation. If anything, it's a sign that the enterprise applications companies are being realistic.

    --
    Breakfast served all day!
  22. How big an asshole Ellison has to be... by otis+wildflower · · Score: 4, Insightful

    .. Did anyone else notice that all these CRM companies seem to be founded and/or run by ex-Oracle people?

    What kind of $$$ would Oracle have saved if their culture had enabled CRM apps to be developed inhouse instead of having Oracle people quit and go out on their own?

    (Or was the push out of Oracle necessary to do CRM in the first place?)