Renee Boucher Ferguson

Microsoft Business Solutions on Wednesday announced some detail regarding its enterprise resource planning strategy. While enhancements to its four ERP suites—Great Plains, Navision, Axapta and Solomon—have been expected for some time, what Microsoft revealed Wednesday is how it is categorizing current and future ERP product development. /zimages/3/28571.gifMicrosoft recently reorganized its business software groups to better […]

With a small but fairly significant reorganization within its business solutions and channel groups, Microsoft Corp. is signaling a recommitment to developing its business applications for small and midsize companies. The strengthening of the Microsoft Business Solutions group raises the question for many how far that commitment will be extended for large enterprises. Early this […]

Continuing with his stance of inflexibility when it comes to seemingly unwarranted requests, U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker ruled against motions from the U.S. Department of Justice and Oracle Corp. to block expert witness testimony, according to news reports. Both the Justice department and Oracle proposed certain expert witnesses be blocked from testifying in […]

Closing the first week of testimony in a no-jury trial that seeks to block Oracle Corp.s $7.7 billion takeover of competitor PeopleSoft Inc., U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker on Thursday sought a clearer market definition, according to news reports. Walker, presiding over the U.S. Department of Justices suit against Oracle in the U.S. District […]

The European Commission is holding open its investigation of Oracle Corp.s $7.7 billion hostile bid for enterprise applications rival PeopleSoft Inc. A decision on whether the body will seek to block the deal based on its impact on competition in Europe isnt expected until after a U.S. court decides if it will grant the Department […]

To better enable design reuse and collaboration, product lifecycle management software developer MatrixOne announced over the weekend its acquisition of Synchronicity for $18 million in stock and cash. Synchronicity Software Inc., of Marlborough, Mass., develops software that enables semiconductor manufacturers to reuse intellectual property—in other words, the design content, test features and documentation that form […]

Its not just about Oracle Corp. and PeopleSoft Inc. anymore. During Oracles trial with the U.S Department of Justice to defend its hostile, $7.7 billion takeover bid for PeopleSoft, Oracle is expected to disclose merger talks between rivals SAP AG and Microsoft Corp., according to a statement released today by Microsoft. The trial starts today […]

Almost a year to the day after Oracle Corp. made its hostile bid to acquire rival PeopleSoft Inc. and consolidate the second- and third-largest enterprise application companies, the saga is moving into what likely will be its final stage. Like any good melodrama, the will wind up in a courtroom as the U.S. Department of […]

Microsoft Corp. on Thursday announce a fairly significant organizational change to its business software groups. Execs said the moves were made in order to better focus the company on its small and mid-sized business applications strategy and align its namesake Business Solutions division and partner channels. The Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) division comprises its Great […]

As Oracle and the U.S. Department of Justice prepare to face off in a San Francisco federal courtroom Monday, each side is honing its strategy. Earlier this week, Oracle Corp., of Redwood Shores, Calif., and the Department of Justice (DOJ) released their respective trial briefs, which put to paper each sides case as it will […]