They are participating in yet another massive business-to-business exchange as the technology provider, and investors love it.

Despite the sea of bad news lately in sector-wide demand, we see key progress at Oracle with its long-troubled 11i applications suite.

We're hearing that database demand may be experiencing some negative pressure from the bursting of the Internet valuation bubble this year and its influence on database demand from so-called dot.com businesses. At the low end of the market, this tends to influence unit sales more than revenues, but it is a factor.

In many ways, it's like splitting hairs between the gold and silver medalists when the bronze medalist is miles behind. The market is consolidating into the hands of the largest few.

That's what everyone is wondering. In this environment they're probably not going to aim too high, leave well enough alone and have a modest target.

Oracle is just at the beginning of a five-year period of enabling the economy's movement into the new digital age.