Microsoft and SAP, two of the largest worldwide software giants in the world, have officially announced an alliance to develop a suite of software codenamed Mendocino. Mendocino will closely link Microsoft's desktop applications and SAP's enterprise management systems, resulting in software that increase office connectivity and productivity while lowering redundancy. The two giants considered a merger last year, but wisely opted not to, since doing so will presumably result in an antitrust lawsuit so big that it will make the Oracle and Peoplesoft's antitrust suit look like a Hobbit in comparison.

With Mendocino, SAP, of SAP/R3 fame, looks set to put more heat on Oracle. The latter has also previously made alliances with Microsoft, tying up their DBMS products with the .NET platform. That relationship, of course, went South when Microsoft announced plans to consort with Oracle's enemy, SAP. According to this funny and short read, Larry Ellison (Oracle's founder) hates Gates so much that he "made Carly Fiorina's (HP's high-profile ex-CEO) hatred of Dell seem like puppy love". SAP should watch its back though, for Microsoft can always work with Oracle (a bit hard to swallow I admit) unless the alliance is exclusive and legally binding. That's what we all need... a ménage à trois between the Top Three Software Giants. Strange bedfellows indeed.

So, what to make of my verbal fart? This is all Microsoft's fault. Hah. I do admire Gates' tenacity in ensuring that Microsoft stays on top of its competition (and I'm not talking about Apple) though. Their competitive strategy might be very aggressive, but aside from disgust and hatred from the general public, it seems to working like a dream. What's a few broken toes (and fingers and arms and necks and other assorted body parts) along the road to worldwide office domination anyway? Very little, especially when they belong to its competitors. Right. I better stop farting, lest I become the first Singaporean blogger to get slapped with a defamation suit from the God of Desktops.

Update: Proof that Microsoft is intent on domination. Microsoft's IIS (Internet Information Server) is allegedly favoured by MSN search. As Slashdot puts it: Well, Duh!