Will Oracle Keep OpenOffice.org Running?

Earlier this year Amsterdam based software consulting company Software Improvement Group warned the government not to implement OpenOffice.org unless Oracle proved they will properly maintain the software. Before Oracle bought out Sun Microsystems, Sun had properly maintained and invested in OpenOffice.org.

Oracle Corporation (NASDAQ: ORCL) is in the process of suing Google because they are using Sun’s Java technology for the Android operating system. Oracle also decided to stop supporting Sun’s open source operating system called OpenSolaris. It almost appears that Oracle does not have much of an interest in open source technology. And this is understandable because Oracle is an aggressive software company. It is what keeps them competitive with Google, Microsoft, Salesforce.com, etc.

After acquiring Sun, Oracle also gained ownership of MySQL — an online open source database technology. MySQL has been split into multiple projects that are independent of Oracle according to ComputerWorld.

Given Oracle’s lack of open source commitments, it only makes us wonder what the fate of OpenOffice.org will be. About 450,000 people have contributed to the open source office application platform. There’s a chance that one of those people may take the code and rename it, keeping it alive, just in case Oracle decides to no longer support the initiative.

Related posts:

1. Oracle Buys Sun Microsystems For $7.4 Billion; Now Owns MySQL and Java
2. Oracle Plans To Remain In Strictly In Hardware Business
3. Oracle and Monty Widenius In Disagreement About Future Of MySQL
4. Tim Bray Leaves Oracle To Join Google Android Team
5. Oracle Buys Out Data Security Company Secerno