All the tell tale signs are there: nervous Oracle staff – looking around them to check out whether no one can read their minds, some intriguing but very unspecific rumors, quiet anticipation building like a low rumble in the distance that preceeds a hurricane, the series of Thursday sessions on one new topic that seems to appear out of thin air – and is not mentioned in the sessions prior to Thursday… The conclusion seems unavoidable: on Wednesday, Larry E. will make a big (let’s make that BIG) announcement regarding the database. One that will shock the industry. And until Wednesday: all lips are sealed.

(apparently, some months ago, Larry Ellison said to analysts: "We are not going to sit on our laurels; we have a major database
innovation that we will announce in September of this year. It is going
to be a very big and important announcement for us so we are not
standing still in database." (see: http://kevinclosson.wordpress.com/2008/06/26/of-gag-orders-excitement-and-new-products/ )

From looking at the conference program, a second conclusion pushes itself to the front: Thursday has at least four sessions on a topic that is not presented on earlier in the week. And that seems to be new. So is that topic then the BIG announcement? Well, the topic is:.... Read the rest of this entry »