# Oracle wants to eat PeopleSoft and spit out its employees like watermelon seeds **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 11, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160 "2003-06-11T17:56:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/1 "2003-06-11T17:56:14Z")
[Here’s](http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/06/11/BU164483.DTL&type=tech) an article about it. It’s pretty big news here in the Bay Area, but I don’t know how prominent the story is in the national news. I’ve had it up to here with the lack of corporate conscience in this country. I’m a long-time fan of capitalism, but for the past few years capitalism in this country does not care how many American lives it ruins if an obscene profit to a few can be shown. The shipping of hundreds of thousands of jobs overseas is one example, and this hostile takeover is another. The bay area does not need another several thousand people dumped into the massive local ranks of the unemployed. I’m hoping that the employees of PeopleSoft take this matter into their own hands, pool their resources, hire a PR firm, and turn the national spotlight on themselves, their community and Larry Greedyson of a Bitch. Okay, bring on the “capitalism is great, stop whining even if it’s made you homeless” flames. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/2 "2003-06-11T18:03:37Z")
Hmm…this is interesting to me, as my company uses PeopleSoft. I wonder how this is going to effect current customers. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/3 "2003-06-11T18:30:19Z")
On the other hand, I hate Peoplesoft. Buggier than a spilled sundae in July. On the first hand, I think Larry’s a twit. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/4 "2003-06-11T18:51:02Z")
Larry Ellison is a fucking asshole. He’s [had a hardon](http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/020102ti.htm) for awhile to use Oracle as a linchpin for John Ashcroft’s Big Brother wet dreams. I mean, he’s a Linux supporter, but that doesn’t even come _close_ to redeeming his bastardry. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/5 "2003-06-11T19:24:34Z")
With what I’ve seen of business applications, how bad can this be? Every piece of Oracle software I’ve ever used has worked Fine. I’ve seen & used Peoplesoft professionally also. What’s the worst thing Oracle can do: Make crappy Peoplesoft software Work??? Then maybe Oracle could take over SAP…because it takes 2+ years and An Act Of God to get Their POS software to work… ---
**Author:** ![Wilson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@Wilson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wilson)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/6 "2003-06-11T22:32:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by quietman1920 \* > Then maybe Oracle could take over SAP…because it takes 2+ years and An **Act Of God** to get Their POS software to work… [sub]emphasis mine [/sub] Well, there’s your problem. You can do it in under 2 years, easy. You just have to work with a Certain Other Power. [sub]You know, you really don’t miss your soul that much…[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/7 "2003-06-11T23:09:30Z")
Without going into detail, my company (no, I’m not with Oracle or Peoplesoft) is going to benefit greatly from this proposed takeover. The takeover itself would be fantastic for us, and the shadow of doubt that is created over Peoplesoft by the proposed takeover is just fine with me too. Rock on, Mr Ellison – you grumpy prick! ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/8 "2003-06-12T00:02:27Z")
What **E-Sabbath** said. Among the databases I support in my day job are two PeopleSoft applications. It’s a ridiculously overengineered piece of crap that’s specifically designed to keep you attached to their support umbilical. If it had been developed with reliability and efficiency in mind, any halfway decent team of software and database engineers could bring the thing down to a quarter of the size, with a concomitant reduction in bugs and data-handling errors. On the other hand, we’ve grown pretty dependent on it, so moving to a new product (assuming Oracle spikes it as intended) will be enormously painful. ---
**Author:** ![LilShieste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@LilShieste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilShieste)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/9 "2003-06-12T00:04:22Z")
I see where you’re coming from, **pugluvr** , and I agree with you on the “lack of corporate conscience” (especially lately). I have to admit, that even though Larry Ellison (CEO of Oracle) is a total nutjob, Oracle is damn nice. PeopleSoft, OTOH, is total crap. I can’t help but think it would do some good in this case. 🙂 LilShieste ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/10 "2003-06-12T00:15:37Z")
I too work with PeopleSquash on a daily basis. It is a complete piece of crap. Takes too long to do anything, won’t give reports in understandable formats, hard to use, and an all around good way to make me work late to get the job done. Did I mention that it is shit? My only question is why whould Oracle want to buy such a crappy company? ---
**Author:** ![Hauky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/0ea827/32.png) [@Hauky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hauky)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/11 "2003-06-12T00:27:14Z")
I don’t mean to be cynical or anything, but a lack of corporate conscience isn’t exactly new. Ever read _The Jungle_? Not that I disagree with you, mind. ---
**Author:** ![LilShieste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@LilShieste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilShieste)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/12 "2003-06-12T00:30:47Z")
**Rick** wrote: > [@](#): > > My only question is why whould Oracle want to buy such a crappy company? Knowing Larry, he probably wants to do it just so Microsoft doesn’t. (Have I mentioned: Larry is a nutjob?) LilShieste:D ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/13 "2003-06-12T00:31:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rick \* > \*\*My only question is why whould Oracle want to buy such a crappy company? \*\* They’re buying it for their customer base. They plan on firing almost everyone except for the most top-level developers, scrapping the technology, and creating an Oracle eBusiness upgrade / replacement while retaining the existing PeopleSoft customers. They’re also doing it now rather than later to quash PeopleSoft’s bid to acquire J.D. Edwards, which was announced a few days earlier. [This](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/06/10/MN102951.DTL) article sums the whole thing up pretty well. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/14 "2003-06-12T12:22:24Z")
I, too, hate PeopleSoft products with a passion. You want my cat to design a better and more intuitve UI? Because my cat can do it, even if all the icons end up being shaped like little fishes and mice… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/15 "2003-06-12T12:36:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pugluvr \* > \*\*I’ve had it up to here with the lack of corporate conscience in this country. I’m a long-time fan of capitalism, but for the past few years capitalism in this country does not care how many American lives it ruins if an obscene profit to a few can be shown. \*\* That’s the whole thing about capitalism; it doesn’t care, unless caring is more profitable than not caring. I don’t have any better ideas though. ---
**Author:** ![NutMagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@NutMagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutMagnet)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/16 "2003-06-12T15:22:20Z")
Ellison _is_ most certainly a nutjob, and despite what venture captialist Mitchell Kertzman says, he is the most insecure freak ever. His bid for PeopleSoft could be just to screw the PeopleSoft/J D Edwards deal, or it could be a _real_ strategy. PS has about $2b in cash, so his bid of $5.1b is really $3.1b. Personally, I think he can’t abide the thought of falling to #3 position. In any case this has already put a crimp in PeopleSoft’s sales. **pugluvr** , you’re right about the effect on an already troubled economy. This is not good in the long run for anybody. Coupled with other developments, like offshoring software development (NY will lose 500k jobs this year), it will only succeed in stoking Larry’s ego. He’s an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/17 "2003-06-12T16:41:27Z")
As someone who has been “let go” due to corporate acquisitions ( in the biotech industry), this is a good example of why you can never be too comfortable in your job. Always keep your resume up to date, always keep in touch with contacts, never turn down a chance to speak with someone about a new job, and never stop looking. Loyalty is for suckers. AS someone who’s used PS, I agree that Oracle can’t make it much worse than it is. ---
**Author:** ![TaxGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@TaxGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TaxGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/18 "2003-06-12T17:03:49Z")
Here’s the deal: a big group of people gave Larry Ellison their money and told him to use that money to make the big group of people more money. If Larry did anything other than that, he would be violating his agreement with this group of people. So, basically, what the OP calls “corporate conscience” I (and others) call “choosing to act outside the parameters of one’s agency.” YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/19 "2003-06-12T17:11:55Z")
I loathe Peoplesoft; Higher Education institutions have had to make policy decisions based on the unforeseen limitations of Peoplesoft software. Policy that ought to be decided by academic goals or missions is instead being decided by bugs, glitches, and screwups. What a crappy situation. I nearly vomited to read that Oracle might not support PeopleSoft stuff for long if they acquired it. You would not believe the MILLIONS of dollars and millions of manhours we have invested in switching over to PeopleSoft. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160/20 "2003-06-12T17:19:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TaxGuy \* > \*\*Here’s the deal: a big group of people gave Larry Ellison their money and told him to use that money to make the big group of people more money. If Larry did anything other than that, he would be violating his agreement with this group of people. > > \*\* Are those goals mutually exclusive? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oracle-wants-to-eat-peoplesoft-and-spit-out-its-employees-like-watermelon-seeds/181160.md?page=2)