Oracle Tries to Steal User Group?s Thunder with Database Swap Deal

Database giant Oracle attempted to take the shine off Sybase?s user group meeting last week by extending a swap deal one day before the conference started.

The Sybase Swap initiative has been in place for some months, but Oracle used Sybase?s user gathering to extend the offer until at least the end of next month.

Oracle?s scheme offered Sybase customers incentives to switch databases, including product discounts, rebates on Sybase purchases, simplified payment schedules and migration toolsets.

The company was hoping to lure away Sybase customers that are concerned about the long-term viability of their supplier following its recent losses and cancelled technology projects. Oracle refused to reveal how many Sybase customers had taken up the offer, but commented that many customers and partners had moved to the Oracle platform.

Sybase chief information officer and co-founder Bob Epstein hit back at Oracle?s offering, claiming: ?Oracle has an incredible amount of things that are just so confusing.What we have lacked against Oracle over the past two years is a vision. We now have that vision and one that is more accepting of Microsoft than Oracle?s.?

Sybase is set to implement Microsoft?s Dcom and Active X standards for distributed object computing as well as the Object Management Group?s rival Corba standard.

Oracle is also backing Corba in its network computing architecture.