Stories by Marc L. Songini

Application rivals SAP, Baan cooperating on portals

Longtime business application rivals SAP AG and Baan Co. NV put aside their traditional differences this week to formally announce a deal under which they will cooperate with one another on portal software.

Struggle for CA continues

While denouncing the attempt of a Texas entrepreneur to oust them, the management of Computer Associates International Inc. reported that its top executives won't receive any bonuses in fiscal year 2002.

Oracle, application user group remain at odds

Differences between Oracle Corp. and an independent group of its business application users over future conferences related to the software have yet to be bridged. But the user group is now surveying its members to see if they want to reconsider an offer from Oracle that's largely similar to one that was voted down a year ago.

Oracle to let hosting users run their own servers

Oracle has added a new wrinkle to its online application hosting service, announcing that users will be able to run the software on their own servers while Oracle handles the administration and support work on a remote basis.

Battle for control of CA escalates

Although unable to line up a key shareholder, Texas billionaire Sam Wyly is continuing his ambitious plan to replace the board and management of Computer Associates International.

Despite SAP's foggy market, users are buying

Analysts note that it appears SAP AG is better at writing the code than marketing the mySAP.com e-business platform that the company has been rolling out over the past year.

SAP pushing CRM applications

SAP AG is using its Sapphire 2001 user conference here to try to prove that it's a viable vendor of customer relationship management (CRM) applications.

Oracle, applications user group resume feud

Oracle and the independent user group focused on its business applications have been talking about ending a year-long feud and teaming up to again run joint conferences. But the two sides are now back at odds after Oracle publicized the talks and set a May 31 deadline for the user group to accept a proposal made by the company.

J.D. Edwards cuts workers, but results improving

Business applications vendor J.D. Edwards & Co. yesterday disclosed that 8 percent of its employees have been laid off as part of a self-styled "revitalization" effort following several quarters of losses and declining sales.

CA accounting procedures under scrutiny

Executives at Computer Associates International Inc. last week defended the company's new accounting procedures, even as the firm's stock plummeted after a negative article about the changes appeared in the press.

Hyperion plans analysis repository in rebound bid


ORLANDO (04/26/2001) - Executives at data analysis software vendor Hyperion Solutions Corp., which is trying to rebound from losses in two of the past three quarters, this week began detailing plans to roll out new repository technology that would let users access and analyze disparate data from a variety of systems.

Embattled CRM vendors agree to merge

Kana Communications Inc. and Broadbase Software Inc., a pair of struggling software vendors, Monday announced plans to merge with the hope that the combined entity will have more success in the customer relationship management (CRM) market than the two companies have had on their own.

Users rethink Web-based supply chain

Interest in Web-based supply-chain and procurement systems remains steady, but users and analysts this week said many companies are rethinking their business-to-business strategies due to the softening economy and the lack of fast returns from investments in online marketplaces.

Applications help services firms, despite obstacles

Like IT executives at other services-related companies, Mitchell Dickerman, CIO at advertising agency Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos, is finding that automating his firm's business processes is paying off in cost savings and improved efficiency -- but not without some obstacles.

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