Because they bought Sun for the hardware-business and Java. They sort-a already have a database, and if selling MySQL to Monty can save them some trouble with a bored EU regulator that gets its kicks from telling US business how to operate, I'm sure they'll be happy to. It'll have to be at market value, though, and it seems a bit like Monty wants a solution where he stays very rich.
So they didn't buy Sun to get the largest OSS database in the world?
Sun's storage products are top notch but I doubt Oracle specifically wanted to move into the field. Selling replacement SPARCs to the banks that still have Solaris won't last long, Oracle know that.
Sun has a very good range of hardware that goes far beyond SPARC, and Oracle is marketing it aggressively[1]
They specifically cited Java and hardware in the acquisition announcement, and I have a really hard time seeing the strategic value of the MySQL asset. Oracle has much more to gain from a "come to us when you're ready to sit at the grown-ups table" position.
Ah, I thought you were using to site that 'Sun has a very good range of hardware that goes far beyond SPARC'. Yes, Oracle are marketing SPARC, because they're going to own it. It doesn't mean that it has a future and people will start running new projects on SPARC again.
