It seems that Oracle wants to be more like IBM, that too the IBM of the 1960s.

In a Wednesday Webcast, Oracle executives outlined the company’s proposed integration of the hardware and software of Sun Microsystems with the Oracle products, once the $7.4-billion acquisition of Sun comes through.

Oracle is speculated to extend assurances that it will continue to invest in all of Sun Microsystems's main server platforms, with a view to convince Sun customers that they should stick with those products as the giant works to resuscitate itself as a systems and software company.

Today Larry Ellison and Oracle will announce a detailed work plan for the combined Oracle/Sun entity, a partnership that Ellison first extended nine months ago. In that context, it's illuminating to analyze Oracle's transformative intentions for wanting to acquire Sun.

Oracle Corp won unconditional European Union approval on Thursday from the European Commission for its $7 billion takeover of Sun Microsystems, a month post offering public pledges to tranquilize regulatory concerns.

While the European anti-trust regulators continue to delay the $7.4 billion Oracle-Sun Microsystems deal saying that it may be anticompetitive, the UK Oracle User Group has extended its support to Sun’s acquisition by the largest proprietary database vendor.

According to media reports, Oracle CEO and founder Larry Ellison recently revealed that the delay in the European Commission's (EC) antitrust review of Oracle's $7.4 billion takeover of Sun Microsystems is costing it $100 million a month.

World's second-largest software producer, Oracle Corp. reported a fall of 7 per cent in sales to $5.1 billion for the quarter ended August 31, against analysts' projections of $5.25 billion, though its profit met Wall Street forecasts.

Software maker Oracle Corp's $7.4 billion acquisition deal for Sun Microsystems Inc Thursday received the requisite approval of antitrust regulators at the US Department of Justice (DoJ), thereby bringing the proposed transaction a step closer to completion. However, the takeover still necessitates clearance by the European Commission (EC), which has to announce its decision by September 3.

A French labor union's Web revealed that Oracle Corp., the U. S. software giant, may hack as many as 1000 jobs in Europe.

Oracle provides work for 17,000 people in Europe, including 1,600 in France.

According to the French union, Oracle announced cuts during recent meetings of the company's European and French workers' committees.