I can see why
Forgive my anonymity but I like my job...
I'm guessing that they want Business Objects primarily for Crystal Reports (which actually looks like Microsoft made it - BO probably thought MS would buy it).
Oracle have also just bought Lodestar, which has been making in-roads in the energy software market. Good luck. It's the biggest piece of impenetrable convoluted bespoke programming language (ie shit) that I've ever had the misfortune to work with.
I thought that, before I got on to their fucking appalling thin client crap built on ancient technology that nobody else would touch with a barge pole.
Larry, stop buying stuff because it's popular. Buy it because it works.