Predictions and info for Oracle Fusion Middleware launch, July 1

I saw some interesting tweets and have been hearing other rumors and facts regarding Oracle Fusion Middleware and Applications, and Oracle's upcoming announcement on July 1. Here is what I was able to glean and infer based on this information.

First, my predictions:

• Oracle will explicitly or implicitly reveal its plans (and post-merger org structure) for Java in the post-Sun-acquisition period for Fusion Middleware at the Fusion Middleware (FMW) launch on July 1.
• Oracle will deprecate Eclipse (which they don't control) quickly, trying to move Java developers to JDeveloper (which they control). JDeveloper will have tight links to FMW components as well as generic Java, which Oracle will tout as benefits. My $0.02: this is a futile and silly effort, as Eclipse is so much more than just a Java development environment, with an ecosystem that creates enormous value around it. Oracle should come to some "understanding" with IBM and just adopt Eclipse.
• Oracle will show a lot about how Fusion Apps will adopt FMW on July 1 (especially the Java Platform and WebCenter). This is likely to be a real game-changer. I am not certain that other ERP vendors will be able to deliver anything like the compelling user experience, social capabilities, and productivity which will be available with Oracle's new Fusion Applications. Of course, many application customers will stick with their legacy apps, but new implementations (and license purchases) will likely lean heavily towards Oracle Fusion Applications when they are available for financials/HR, which I predict will be around the end of this year. Incidentally, I heard that something like 1000 applications staff from the "legacy" apps at Oracle had been moved several (6 to 9) months ago to Thomas Kurian's group to work on beefing up the functionality in the Fusion Applications.
• There will be no major pricing changes with the new middleware (as compared to today's pricing). However, customers probably will have to buy new licenses as this will be viewed as new products rather than upgrades.
• There will be a new advanced rules engine included in FMW.
• WebCenter and Portal will be upgraded significantly and well-integrated.
  

Conceptual architecture diagram of Oracle's product offerings (click on it for a larger version):



Presenters at this event:

• Hasan Rizvi: Senior Vice President, Fusion Middleware
• Dave Shaffer: Vice President, Oracle Integration
  
• Duncan Mills: Senior Director, Product Management, Tools
  
• Margaret Lee: Director, Product Management, Tools and Middleware (?)
  
• Ted Farrell: Chief Architect & SVP, Tools & Middleware
• Sue Harper: Senior Principal Product Manager, SQL Developer
• Christina Kolotouros: Director, Product Management, WebCenter and Portal
  
• Forest Yin: Director, Product Management, Identity Management products
• Mike Lehman: Senior Director, Product Management, Java Platform

If you have any additional information or rumors or inferences to share, please twitter me or leave a comment on this blog.