The Financial Times covers the Oracle Vs SAP courtcase which starts on Monday. What was particularly interesting if you work in this area and thought about developing some utilities what could bolt-on to any of that software is the last paragraph.

The theatre has obscured a more serious side to the TomorrowNow trial.

Through its lawsuit – and another case against a similar company called Rimini Street – Oracle has left a chill over the independent maintenance business, according to some analysts.

“Oracle is using that tactic to intimidate entrants into the market,” says Paul Hamerman, an analyst at Forrester Research.

With more than 70 per cent of his software revenues coming from maintenance and support, the tactic is understandable.