[mattzito]

The difference between Oracle and Microsoft is that Oracle has offerings in the majority of the places that Salesforce.com plays in. Oracle has a CRM, a Marketing Cloud, Analytics, and so on.

Microsoft has a CRM, but not one with a significant market share. They also have an analytics platform, but not one that is as clearly defined - there's SQL Server, Azure Analytics, BI for 365. They have no marketing management, no real helpdesk/support system, etc.

If anything I would say that there is much less overlap between MSFT and SFDC vs. Oracle and SFDC.

Plus Ellison is an investor in Netsuite - not that it precludes a SFDC acquisition, but it's yet another hurdle.

[vinbreau]

Very true. I work for SalesForce's only major competitor. We were acquired by Oracle as social marketing is a space that they had almost no understanding of but a strong desire to enter. Since our company was already researching social analytics, sentiment analysis and direct social marketing tools, I'm sure it was easier for them to acquire us than start R&D on their own tool suites. Not to mention our already installed client base. Salesforce is a hot commodity in our space. Were MS to acquire them they would have a foot in the social space with almost no time investment and little onboarding expenses. I'm kind of surprised this deal fell through.