Who needs sports when you have the database industry

The database industry is getting way too action packed for my blood. First we had Sun buying MySQL, then Oracle buying Sun (thus inheriting MySQL and Java) (recall they already owned InnoDb (the MySQL main transactional engine) and they also by the way own BerkelyDB which is the database engine underlying Subversion repository and they also own all those CRMS and ERPs (Peoplesoft and Seibel), and now we have IBM integrating EnterpriseDb into their DB so that it can look like Oracle Db. What next? Perhaps Microsoft will join the party to integrate EnterpriseDb into their SQL Server offering so SQL Server can look like Oracle and better yet a SQL Server for Linux/Unix to complete the circle.

Now why would such a thing be good for Microsoft to think of:

• Microsoft can't compete with Oracle on the Linux/Unix front and many companies are diversifying on their OS
• SQL Server is not the only portion of their selling - but helps sell their other offerings -- CRM/Development Stack/etc.
• If you look at the portfolio of those running Oracle -- I would venture to bet there are a lot of SQL Server shops running both Oracle and SQL Server who would just love to ditch one to simplify maintenance. SQL Server Mag did a recent poll on what SQL Server users are running.
• What can be more appealing than a SQL Server that can play the Oracle dance and can still fit seamlessly with the vast network empire Microsoft has in place.