Ellison bash at Informix

The following news item like the following does shatter the customer confidence further if BOB does not respond, particularly to the quotes by Ellison and the stock price wobbling around 6 1/2 for the last few days. Everyone knows about the big mouth of Ellison, but it might make the difference for informix in a state it is in now. any comments???? Vijay Rambabu ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oracle FY98 growth beating Q1 levels LOS ANGELES, Sept 23 (Reuter) - Oracle Corp Chairman and Chief Executive Larry Ellison said Tuesday that earnings growth for the rest of fiscal 1998 will outpace the company's first quarter growth. Earnings growth for the rest of the year ``will be much higher than it was in the first quarter,'' Ellison told Reuters. Last week Oracle, the biggest publisher of database software, reported first quarter profits rose 33 percent, about as much as Wall Street expected, on strong increases from its software consulting business. Profit, not counting charges for acquisitions, rose to $149.8 million, or $0.15 a share, compared with $113 million, or $0.11 a share, in the same quarter a year ago. Ellison said Oracle was suceeding in gaining market share by selling more databases at a lower cost. He said he was certain that rival database maker Informix Corp (IFMXE) could not survive its current problems. Informix, which is preparing to restate its results, said Monday its may now reduce 1996 revenues by more than $200 million and 1995 revenues by $50 million. ``I share the opinion that Informix cannot survive,'' Ellison said. ``There is no way they can survive.'' ``It is inconceivable to me that any company making a fresh evaluation between Oracle and Informix would ever choose Informix when it is fairly certain there will be no Informix,'' he added. --------------------------------------------------------------------