PRESS: Informix in the News
List of Informix related articles. Format: PUBLICATION "Article Name" Summary of Article [Date, Location in Publication, Author] Informix in the News --------------------------------- (10/01/97) INFORMATIONWEEK "Informix upheld" In this feature story profiling Informix, large Informix customers including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., continue to stand firm in their support of the company. As a demonstration of Wal-Mart's faith, the world's No. 1 retailer is expanding its current enterprise-wide contract with Informix by installing an additional 8,200 servers in stores nationwide. Wal-Mart CIO Randy Mott shares his company's vote of confidence in Informix products and technology. "I feel better about [Informix] than any other retail database vendor," said Mott. Informix customer, Whole Foods Markets Inc., is considering implementation of INFORMIX-Universal Server. CIO Carl Morris said he thinks Informix's technology is the best in its class. Analysts are also optimistic about Informix retaining its current customers. "If Informix plays its cards right, it should be able to hold onto its installed based," said Neil Hernman, an analyst with Salomon Brothers. (9/29/97, pg. 18, John Foley) NEWSBYTES NEWS NETWORK "Australia -- Informix woes dampen Australian sales" Despite Informix's current financial situation, Informix Australia/New Zealand just completed its best quarter ever, according to Alan Robinson, Informix Australasian managing director. In 1997, growth for the Australasian business was at 80 percent. This year, Robinson said, the business was "on a similar growth curve." (9/25/97, www.dowjones.com, staff writer) INFOWORLD "Informix feels the heat" In an interview with Informix CEO and President Robert Finocchio, the senior executive answered questions about the company's current financial situation in addition to re-capping his plan to realign consumer and investor confidence. Overall, both analysts and customers continue to assert trust in the company's turn-around. "We still believe that they are a viable company with great technology," said Steve Bietler, assistant controller at Sears Roebuck & Co. Rob Geller, vice president of Industrial Technology at MCI, said his company has not seen any fall-off in new product enhancement or support. As a part of the company's turn-around plan, next quarter Informix will announce a streamlined product strategy to enable a more concise purchasing plan, according to Informix sources. (9/29/97, cover, Katherine Bull) Additional coverage: COMPUTERWORLD "Informix woes worry still-loyal users" (9/29/97, pg. 17, Craig Stedman) INFOWORLD ONLINE "Credibility suffers but Informix will survive, analysts say" (9/24/97, www.infoworld.com, Torsten Busse) INTERNETWEEK "Loyalists sticking it out with Informix" (9/29/97, pg. 14, John Mulqueen) WIRED NEWS "Does Informix have a chance?" (9/24/97, www.wirednews.com, Daniel Levine) SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE "Business Insider: In hindsight -- looking for clues that Informix would blow" In this four-part commentary on Informix's restatement of earnings, business reporter Herb Greenberg investigates the occurrences leading up to the audit and the opinions of those tracking the company. Several analysts cite reasons why they lowered ratings on Informix stock during its peak performance, including its marketing of an unfinished product (Universal Server) and declining profits on its core product line. Most Informix employees are confident about Informix's future. "We can now deliver the technology we were only testing last year, and it's quite good -- almost certainly the best in the industry," said one Informix employee. Another commentary makes reference to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) placing Informix under investigation -- this has not been confirmed by the SEC or Informix. (9/26/97, pg. B1, Herb Greenberg) Additional coverage: SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE "Business Insider: Also, the SEC is believed to be probing Informix" (9/25/97, D1, Herb Greenberg) SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE "Business Insider: Also, lessons from Informix, and readers react" (9/24/97, B1, Herb Greenberg) SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE "Business Insider: Short positions" (9/29/97, B1, Herb Greenberg) COMPUTER RESELLER NEWS ONLINE "Oracle's Ellison: Informix won't survive" Last week at Oracle's OpenWorld conference, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison predicted that Informix would not be able to solve its financial problems. "There is no way they can survive this," said Ellison. "While competitors may speculate, it is ultimately our customers and partners who decide who wins in the marketplace," said Christine M. Shannon, manager of the Informix Worldwide User Group Program. "We're confident about our future." (9/23/97, www.crn.com, Shawn Willett) Additional coverage: INTERNETWEEK ONLINE "Ellison questions rival's survival" (9/24/97, www.internetweek.com, Ellis Booker) REUTERS "Oracle FY98 growth beating Q1 levels" (9/23/97, www.reuters.com, staff writer) WEB WEEK "Hardware firms to offer low-cost server packages" Informix received additional coverage on HP Domain, the Web server bundle announcement made last week with Hewlett-Packard (HP). HP is offering differentiated software bundles that run Web hosting -- higher-end bundles include Informix database software. The positive aspect of the system includes a one-stop shopping, low-cost alternative to departments that wish to plug into a corporate intranet. (9/22/97, pg. 9, Judy DeMocker) Additional coverage: COMPUTERGRAM INTERNATIONAL "Domain Internet hardware software and services bundle from HP reached version two" (9/23/97, www.computerwire.com, staff writer) INFOWORLD ONLINE "HP rolls out domain Internet servers" (9/22/97, www.infoworld.com, Cheri Paquet) INFORMATIONWEEK "Fly high on the Web" This article profiles online reservation company Biztravel.com, and the growth afforded by online travel Web site that serves niche markets. Biztravel.com targets its online airline, hotel and rental-car reservation site to unmanaged travelers, or those employees from small- to medium- sized organizations without a travel agency. Biztravel.com uses an Informix database to store information on its members' preferences to appropriately match travel bookings. (9/27/97, pg. 96, Clinton Wilder) COMPUTING CANADA "CitySearch site takes advantage of object database" Earlier this month, Canada's largest daily newspaper launched a Web site running on Informix's object-relational database and DataBlade modules allowing users to access text and graphical information on businesses, community groups, events and services in the Greater Toronto Area. Toronto Star CitySearch contains Web pages written by editorial staff in addition to ads for businesses looking to establish their own pages. Similar to other Ci