Oracle licenses Borland tools

Oracle announced today that it will license Java-based tools from Borland International (BORL) to be integrated with Oracle's databases and applications tools for both NC and traditional client-server platforms.

CEO Larry Ellison termed the Java tools pact with Borland important for Oracle and its NC subsidiary. "The only way to program the NC is through Java," he said. "We picked Borland's technology because it's the most advanced technology out there, and that more than offsets its newness." Borland is not yet shipping its Java products.

The Java tools announcement is a boost for struggling Borland, which has been losing money and shedding employees for several quarters.

Borland said it would license its C++Builder and JBuilder tools to Oracle, which will integrate Borland's technology into Oracle's own existing and future tools. The agreement is nonexclusive, leaving new Borland CEO and chairman Del Yokam, who took control at Borland in November, the option of cutting similar deals with other software companies.

"Borland technology will become the de facto standard for Oracle developers, whether they purchase it from Oracle or from Borland," Yokam said in a teleconference today. He said the Oracle pact is a key step in Borland's strategy to extend its reach into corporate IT departments.

"Obviously we need alliances with leadership companies like Oracle," he added, pledging to return Borland to profitability after a still-unannounced restructuring.

Financial terms of the deal were not released.

Oracle will incorporate Borland's Java technologies into its Developer/2000, Designer/2000, and future Sedona object-oriented tools, giving Oracle customers more options for developing Internet and intranet applications.

"We selected Borland because it implements all Java standards, including JavaBeans," said Sohaib Abbasi, senior vice president of Oracle's tools division, which also evaluated Java tools from Symantec.

C++Builder is Borland's new object-oriented development tool for the C++ programming language that builds on Delphi, Borland's rapid application development product line. Scheduled to ship this quarter, C++ Builder aims to help developers bridge the gap between client-server and the Internet. A beta version of C++Builder is currently available on Borland's Web site.

JBuilder is Borland's Java application development tool, scheduled to ship in the third quarter of this year. It provides visual component-based development tools for high-performance, cross-platform development. It allows developers to incorporate add-ins and JavaBeans components.

Oracle said its tools revenues are $361 million, with more than 500,000 developers worldwide. Its offerings include Designer/2000 and Developer/2000 tools for enterprise-class application development and Oracle Power Objects, a Visual Basic-like tool. Designer/2000 is a repository-based modeling tool that works with Developer/2000.