Global CIO: SAP Tells Oracle To Free Java But Keeps Own Software ClosedGlobal CIO: SAP Tells Oracle To Free Java But Keeps Own Software Closed

Two-thirds of the global economy's transactions flow through SAP systems—that's an extraordinary amount, and a remarkable detail. And because of that globally vital position within the indispensable infrastructure of 65% of the transactions in the world's Gross Domestic Product, SAP—in Sikka's own words—"bears a great responsibility to provide a stable core."

You might even say that with such a responsibility comes a parallel need to step outside one's own narrow interests and give up one's own advantages for the greater good of the global community—as Sikka himself put it in his argument for why Sun and Oracle cannot retain control of Java, "Java is the lifeblood of the IT industry, and IT is a fundamental underpinning of the way business is conducted in the 21st century."

Well shoot—I'd say 65% of the global GDP is pretty fundamental too! So can't one make the case that the medicine Sikka is prescribing for Oracle and Sun should be administered in at least equal doses to SAP and its management of 65% of the global economy's transactions?

Since SAP is demanding that Java, because of its vital role in the global economy, should be part of the open-source community and free of overdue influence from any one vendor, shouldn't SAP be willing to make its own far-reaching ERP applications and underpinning technologies part of the open-source community as well?

I mean, fair is fair, right? Especially when invoking such epoch-shaping events as the fall of the Berlin Wall.

And then I came across a blog posting on this subject from Cnet's Matt Asay, who is consistently good on enterprise-level open-source issues:

Meanwhile, in the wake of the Wall Street Journal's suggestion that Apotheker's letter to Ellison about Java was in fact an attempt by Apotheker to insinuate himself into Oracle's tense negotiations with the European Commission over the acquisition of Sun, SAP released a statement yesterday evening that attempted to clarify its position on Java, Oracle, and the wayward letter to Larry. Here's an excerpt from that statement:

"SAP has always said that it stands for openness and choice in the market. In light of the proposed Oracle-Sun merger, we, like many others, have concerns about customer choice in the database market and the future open licensing of Java. We communicated our concerns to both Oracle and Sun at the working level as far back as the end of July 2009.

"Since there was no response, our CEO Leo Apotheker took the initiative and wrote to both Oracle and Sun CEOs in the middle of September to voice our concerns again, offer a dialogue and attempt to clarify the issues. We have not heard back from Oracle, but instead found Leo Apotheker’s letter leaked to the press last week. This is both telling and disappointing as it demonstrates that there is no real interest by Oracle to listen and explain how it wants to ensure the required level of customer choice in the database market as well as open access to Java."

Well, it might demonstrate that, and then again it might not—SAP believes that's what it means but can't prove that claim. And while I realize that Java's ubiquity adds a complicating layer to the whole situation, I don't find it so preposterous for a CEO to choose to ignore a letter from the CEO of a competitor. It might not win that CEO points in the charm and grace category, but that's not what CEOs get paid to worry about.

So back to you, Mr. Sikka: you have made an intriguing and eloquent argument for why Oracle and Sun should forgo their own interests with Java in order to ensure "fair competition between compatible implementations for the benefit of customers."

In a followup post, perhaps you could explain to the world why the rules that apply to Oracle and Sun in the pursuit of "benefit to customers" do not apply to SAP.

Recommended Reading:

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Global CIO: An Open Letter To SAP CEO Leo Apotheker