Of Course - Why Not

Implications: LAMP is the future of the Internet; MySQL has a toe hold with good partners; Consolidation, in this case, is good.

Analysis: SUN has struggled over the years for a future. Its not that their SPARC hardware, and/or the X86 Cobalt offerings of years past , which are still out there - and running - were bad nor that Solaris is bad, it just that they were niche products that were not known to a wide spectrum of PC users, business IT departments, main street developers and/or the money people.  SUN is now on the path to be a force in the market place.  MySQL gives SUN an multi-OS building block to run with.  For those who don't buy into the world owned by Microsoft and their SQL offering, MySQL is a good alternative.  MySQL runs on Novell and other platforms.  With Novell pushing MySQL for their connectivity offering and the Linux juggernaut growing with leaps and bounds in the under belly structures of Web and data handling, SUN cannot hurt themselves with this one. Yes - I know - SUN has collaboration offering - now, with MySQL, there is even more network sales opportunities, as well as standalone needs.  In fact, this is a real good move by SUN.  The test now is one of the integration of management.  It is important that SUN create a good LAMP marketing bundle and get to the street, while at the same time, building a good VAR story the VARs can run with, too. They shouldn't allow any grass/weeds to grow under the SUN-MySQL footprint or on the road ahead of them.  Personally, I think this deal will server both companies just fine.