Pawns in a $6.7B Game – Oracle & BEA

Time for all of us to prepare for the letters, emails and visits as BEA Systems Inc of San Jose attempts to defend Oracle’s take over bid.  Much like the question I asked about “INFOR” a few weeks back I need to ask “WHO IS BEA”, do I live in a cave or something?Yesterday I received a letter from BEA’s Senior Vice President Frank Fallon, actually I received two, one for me as CIO and one for the CIO prior to my joining the City in 2001, now there is a mailing list that needs updating.  Today I received an email from Mr Fallon, as a backup plan I guess in the event FEDEX did not get the letter(s) to me in time.  How much money is BEA spending on letters, not a simple stamp, NOT for BEA, they totally bypass the US Postal Service and move right to a private carrier, good for FedEx, I guess BEA must have MONEY.Well I have no interest in becoming a PAWN in a $6.7B game.  BEA does not need to stoop to this level; frankly I am more suspicious when I start to see an aggressive letter and email writing campaign.  If BEA thinks that they are going to convince me to switch to their product line because they are nervous about a take over bid, I would have to say to Mr. Fallon, choose your battles, and save the customer.Many CIO’s around the world who are responsible for Oracle/Peoplesoft/JD Edwards systems are not just going to start up a project OVERNIGHT to move away from their installed Oracle products because of a well crafted marketing letter.  Does BEA think we are all puppets, and that at their whim we will “jump ship”?  Please don’t get me wrong, I am not sold out to Oracle, I don’t have stock and I am not involved in the company.  I simply feel like I am being played.So Mr. Fallon, the email you sent to me earlier today is already in my “deleted items“, and as I speak your letters have already hit the recycle bin.

Talk to me (and your customers) about value proposition, business drivers even pain points; don’t talk to us about “Fusion Confusion“.  Take the high road.