Groups urge EU to block Oracle's plan to buy Sun
BRUSSELS, Oct 20 (Reuters) - EU regulators should block Oracle Corp's
(ORCL.O) plan to buy open source database MySQL via its takeover of
Sun Microsystems Inc (JAVA.O), as Oracle may hinder MySQL's
development, two technology and consumer groups said.
The European Commission, which polices competition in the 27-country
European Union, is probing world No. 2 software maker Oracle's $7
billion takeover of Sun, with a decision expected by Nov. 19 on
whether to approve the deal. [ID:nL3508980]
The EU executive said last month it was concerned the acquisition
could hinder competition in the database market and it wanted to make
sure alternatives would continue to be available to users.
In a letter to Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes dated Oct. 19,
digital civil liberties organisation Open Rights Group,
non-governmental intellectual property organisation Knowledge Ecology
International and software developer Richard Stallman said they shared
the same concerns.
"If Oracle is allowed to acquire MySQL, it will predictably limit the
development of the functionality and performance of the MySQL software
platform, leading to profound harm to those who use MySQL software to
power applications," they wrote. They said Oracle was likely to
protect its core product, the Oracle proprietary database, from losing
market share and shrinking licensing fees at the expense of MySQL.
Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) is an independent legal
organisation that lobbies for free software in government, open access
for the Internet and social issues. Stallman is the creator of GNU, a
widely used free operating system.
MySQL creator Michael Widenius urged Oracle on Monday to commit to
selling MySQL in order to resolve antitrust concerns.[ID:nLJ715578]
MySQL, which competes mainly against Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) SQL
Server, is used to run websites operated by companies including Google
(GOOG.O), Facebook and Amazon.com (AMZN.O). Its main customers are
small and mid-sized businesses.
Analysts said the regulatory delay could hurt Sun, the No. 4 maker of
computer servers, as rivals Hewlett-Packard Co (HPQ.N) and IBM (IBM.N)
offer incentives to woo Sun customers.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLK36840720091020_______________________________________________
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