[scomp]

big expensive Oracle-ish databases

Don't forget Teradata.

I found the same thing with MicroStrategy. I spent a lot of time reverse engineering what I could from MicroStrategy jars to expose additional functions in their plugin interface (which is so incomplete it shouldn't be advertised). But the reality is its 20+ year old system with front end updates, can only put so many band aids on it.

I think the only thing keeping MicroStategy alive is its cube functionality and the businesses who have invested to much into it.