Comments on: Oracle’s Social Web Debut

By: Anne Truitt Zelenka » On Covering Web 2.0 for GigaOM

Anne Truitt Zelenka » On Covering Web 2.0 for GigaOM — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:31:07 +0000

[...] reason I covered Oracle’s Web 2.0 efforts was because I thought they were great evidence of the diffusion of web 2.0 thinking into the [...]

By: Jake

Jake — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 20:38:49 +0000

JIC it wasn’t clear, you can contact me over at oracleappslab.com via the contact form. I don’t see a website listed for you.

I’m interested to know your feedback and specific criticisms.

By: Jake

Jake — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:31:20 +0000

Actually, I was referring to Anne's post as an attempt to encourage innovation. So, I guess I'm putting words in her mouth.

We're not moderating the ideas and questions on Mix. We believe the community will self-correct. Maybe naive, we'll see.

The entire app is built on Oracle, Enterprise Linux, database, application server, jRuby, so no license fees. We worked with ThoughtWorks for the development, but Rich did a very heavy amount of the build.

Check it out and feel free to share your feedback there or with me directly.

By: John

John — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 18:24:24 +0000

Hey Jake,

I didn't say there is anything wrong with encouraging innovation. What's up with putting words in my mouth?

We'll see how useful it is compared to non-company moderated message boards if any disgruntled topics emerge. By the way is oracle used for the backend? Probably costing you a fortune for the license fees and consulting fees to customize it.

By: Jake

Jake — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:28:02 +0000

Sure perusing, but to participate in Digg you need to register. As for me-too, sure, Dell and sfdc have idea sites, but no enterprise company I know of has a social network based around its products.

What's wrong with encouraging innovation?

By: John

John — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 13:50:21 +0000

Actually digg allows the user to peruse the site without registration so my question is it for Privacy or Control?

I'm all for improving your product and my original beef was with the way the entry was written...a shallow and glowing review of a big company releasing a group of me-to features that sounded like a reused press release (or maybe a by-product of that new Oracle blogger outreach program).

By: Andy C

Andy C — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 23:04:10 +0000

Oracle seem to be damned if they don't.

'Oracle just doesn't get Web 2.0 and don't invite us round for beer and pizza.'

...and damned if they do

'Oh it just marketing PR, marketing fluff, bribery and vapourware and the pizza was cold.'

when clearly it isn't. I am a traditional, 'old school' Luddite (monitor ORCL stock price closer than Connect) and have a healthy scepticism about Web 2.0 and social networking.

However, I am still recovering after seeing Ed Abbo's keynote where I thought I saw CRM OnDemand gadgets embedded in iGoogle.

[Full disclosure: I work for Oracle Corp but not in AppsLab]

By: EnThinnai Blog » Blog Archive » EnThinnai in the Enterprise

EnThinnai Blog » Blog Archive » EnThinnai in the Enterprise — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:11:05 +0000

[...] Oracle launched an internal social networking application (Hat tip: Anne Zelenka) called Oracle Mix: “Mix is our combination social network, idea sharing site, group [...]

By: Jake

Jake — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:17:29 +0000

John: Mix is both idea site and social network. Last I checked Digg and Facebook both forced registration too. Something about privacy.

I understand the skepticism, stay tuned if you care to see any change. We blog at oracleappslab.com, if you want more information or want to engage in more discussion.

By: John

John — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:07:42 +0000

Geez, didn’t think I would raise the feathers of Team Oracle today. Me thinks this is more PR stunt than embracing the community. The forced registration on Oracle Mix highlights their old school logic to community. If they’re going to clone Yahoo Answers and Digg then at least be as open as these websites are.

If I’m wrong, then please forgive me. Maybe we’ll start seeing some of those recommendations submitted by your customers actually implemented. That’s when there will be something worth writing/blogging about.

By: Anne Zelenka

Anne Zelenka — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:33:09 +0000

There was no press release. I was invited to Oracle OpenWorld but did not attend. It’s noteworthy that Oracle and other big companies are figuring out how to engage with bloggers and how to use Web 2.0 tools, and I won’t hide my enthusiasm for that. It’s a good thing for customers and employees.

By: Dazed

Dazed — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:21:39 +0000

Oracle also launched Oracle After Dark with an agreement with down2night.com the site is (link) or oracle.com/afterdark

By: OTN TechBlog

OTN TechBlog — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:01:30 +0000

Oracle's Place on the Social Map

Thanks to Anne Zelenka for her nice summary of Oracle's recent activities in the social media world at GigaOm.

By: Justin Kestelyn

Justin Kestelyn — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:50:01 +0000

Anne - thanks for the writeup!

John - How is this "making something out of a press release"? The apps and programs referred to here all exist, right now, today. What else do you need?

By: Jake

Jake — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:48:30 +0000

Anne did not attend OpenWorld, although we would have enjoyed her presence.

A couple noteworthy items: 1) We opened the blogger attendance to pretty much anyone who blogs about Oracle, Enterprise/Web 2.0, enterprise apps, etc. There wasn't a whitelist of invitees. 2) None of what is listed was announced via press release.

Thanks Anne.

By: John

John — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:14:21 +0000

This is a horrible example of someone taking a press release and trying to make something of it. Where is the “gusto”? By any chance were you one of the bloggers who got a free pass?