More on Mendocino
In an e-mail newsletter I received from ARC Advisory Group, Simon Bragg describes what he heard at Sapphire in Copenhagen about Mendocino:
User productivity...has been enhanced by the relationship with Microsoft, which aims to better integrate the Microsoft Desktop with the underlying SAP application. Outlook is likely to be a key interface for an enterprise whose processes are driven by events and emailed alerts. The project, codenamed Mendocino, will, for instance, enable users to book an appointment in outlook to a project within SAP. An e-mailed alert could bring up the relevant view within SAP’s portal, as a pane within outlook, to enable users to rapidly resolve the issue either themselves, or by kicking off a workflow.
With 12 million users, each of whom could be charged around $100 for the enhanced functionality, and there is a total available market opportunity of $1billion license revenue. Microsoft Business Solution products will also get this functionality, but Oracle Applications does not appear to be currently on the roadmap.
Sounds like a simple. but compelling, idea. Not a bad way to generate an extra billion dollars or so out of your installed base. Split that right down the middle between SAP and Microsoft and you still have a number worth getting out of bed in the morning for.