Quattrone blasts Ellison, says Autonomy is right

Investment banker Frank Quattrone has said Autonomy's Mike Lynch is right and Oracle is wrong: Mike Lynch did not shop Autonomy to Oracle - he did. Oracle, in a decidedly aggressive and blunt press release and website blitzkrieg, had said that Autonomy boss Mike Lynch, accompanied by Frank Quattrone, head of Qatalyst Partners …

[NoneSuch]

Oracle SHOULD buy HP.

That will weaken their shares to the point where Google can buy Oracle.

Win Win.

[RichyS]

Bullshit detector off the scale on this one

Lynch was meeting Hurd and Oracle's head of M&A. And we're expected to believe that they were just talking about database issues? Why would you talk database issues with the head of Mergers & /Acquisitions/? I don't buy it.

And having used Autonomy's enterprise search elsewhere, I'd say they are the last people you want helping you with your unstructured data.

[Anonymous Coward]

You hit the nail on the head there.

Also, I can't understand why no one has picked up on Mike Lynch's own statement the other day - he quoted himself from the April meeting, saying that he made it clear to Oracle at the time that Autonomy was not for sale, and neither was any potential sale in progress. 3 months later, they announce they're being bought by HP. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm......

[Goes to 11]

What?

"It may also shake the confidence of HP's customers and investors and – importantly in our view - that of HP employees who may start leaving."

HP employees may start leaving?? They have been leaving and HP has been kicking talent out the door for the last 6 years!

[Ant Evans]

Tired & emotional

On reading your admirable article at http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/29/autonomy_oracle/ I was saddened to see Oracle's senior officers momentarily abandon their usual mature, principled attitude to their worthy competitors and peers. I remain convinced that this unfortunate lapse will be followed by the swift, sincere apology worthy of a technology and business leader.

Truly, Oracle is an example to all of us.

[Anonymous Coward]

It's not a bad hypothesis

If Ellison was smart he could buy, divest himself of a number of good but non core divisions, and come out with a bargain. Ellison might even pick up WebOS as well :-) AC cos we have to try to work with both companies.....

[Anonymous Coward]

Two CEOs and a banker?

I'd be surprised if anyone said a word that anyone listened to in that meeting.

All a battle of who could care less and ego waving.

[Anonymous Coward]

"Does Ellison want to buy HP?"

episode 1

Hurd gets into HP, is really working for Ellison, plans to push for an Oracle takeover, gets found out, gets canned on the pretext of some expenses/tarts cover story, hot foots it over to Oracle for the pay off.

episode 2

Hurd starts putting the boot into HP to try and sweeten the second upcoming takeover attempt.

Doing an Elop, in other words.

Not sure why they are bothering, HP is busy wrecking itself anyway so Oracle can just do a Sun at some point soon.