Oracle OpenWorld officially kicked off in San Francisco yesterday, but Oracle Corp. (Nasdaq: ORCL) President Charles Phillips Q&A session today marked the real start of the event.
Phillips faced a barrage of questions from the international media, ranging (surprise, surprise) from Oracles long-running attempt to get its hands on PeopleSoft Inc. (Nasdaq: PSFT) to the companys new solutions for small businesses.
The exec was quick to discuss Oracles new focus on small and medium-sized businesses, as opposed to its long-standing obsession with larger corporations. Phillips claims that the company has finally created simple-to-use solutions that mesh with the needs of smaller businesses.
Historically, weve emphasized power and scale, but we didnt necessarily have the packaging necessary for mid to small businesses, he said. We now have the components and ease-of-use technologies, such as automation, that these smaller businesses require.
Inevitably, Phillips was hit with several questions regarding the ongoing PeopleSoft soap opera, but he promised that there will be no immediate radical changes. With regards to a possible integration of the two companies product lines, Phillips said that customers can initially expect the two lines to run separately, with integration occurring later in the relationship.
