Sun Microsystems news stories on Newser

Mark Hurd: He's Back, Maybe

Imperator — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:56:17 CDT

You would think that ex-Hewlett-Packard CEO Mark Hurd would quietly lick his wounds and live comfortably off of his $28 million severance. But no: Hurd is rumored to be in talks with friend, admirer, and Oracle CEO Larry Ellison about taking a senior position there, reports the New York Times...

How 13 Big Tech Firms Got Their Names

Harry Kimball — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:33:04 CDT

The Business Insider figures you've also wanted to know how your favorite high tech concern got its name. Well, you're in luck! Here goes: SUN Microsystems: It's actually an acronym for Stanford University Network, the school where the founders met. Cisco: Actually not an acronym, as often assumed. It's just...

Sun CEO Schwartz Quits —Via Tweeted Haiku

Harry Kimball — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:30:53 CST

Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz is going out in geeky style with a tweeted haiku resignation. Schwartz has been in the crosshairs publicly since the CEO of Oracle, which just acquired Sun, said last week that he expected Schwartz to step down, Mashable reports. “Today’s my last day at Sun....

Oracle President Cops to 8½-Year Affair

Evann Gastaldo — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:11:09 CST

Oracle co-president Charles Phillips admitted last night to an 8½-year “serious relationship” with YaVaughnie Wilkins—the mistress whose picture was splashed on billboards across the country canoodling with Phillips. Gawker tipsters say Phillips, who is also a member of President Obama’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board, has portrayed himself as divorced...

Legendary Hacker: It Was 'a Huge Game'

Matt Cantor — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:00:41 CDT

Tagged a “computer terrorist,” Kevin Mitnick served jail time after eluding the FBI for 3 years; today, he’s a security consultant. The best-known hacker ever tells CNET his infiltration of firms like Motorola and Sun “was like a huge game”: “thrilling, adventurous,” and “all about solving the puzzle.” But to...

US Gets Tough on Foreign Bribery

Kevin Spak — Tue, 26 May 2009 08:06:00 CDT

US corporations are looking over their shoulders, thanks to a Justice Department crackdown on foreign bribery, the Wall Street Journal reports. At least 120 companies are being investigated under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA—a nearly-forgotten Nixon-era law dusted off in the wake of a rash of corporate...

Oracle Buys Sun Microsystems

Kevin Spak — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:20:19 CDT

Oracle Corp. has agreed to buy Sun Microsystems, swooping in after Sun’s talks with IBM fell apart. Oracle will pay $7.4 billion, or $9.50 a share for Sun, the Wall Street Journal reports, a 42% premium on Friday’s close. Though Sun has been losing money, Oracle expects the...

Stocks Slide Ahead of Earnings

Kevin Spak — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 08:57:39 CDT

Stocks turned south this morning, as a series of downgrades and bad news for the Sun/IBM deal spooked investors ahead of earnings season, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Dow dropped 92, the S&P 12. Financials sank after a veteran analyst downgraded 11 major US banks. The Nasdaq fell 33,...

IBM, Sun Break Off $7B Merger Talks

Neal Colgrass — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 18:51:28 CDT

IBM withdrew a $7 billion offer to buy Sun Microsystems this weekend after Sun's board called the bid too low, the Wall Street Journal reports. Sun also worried that IBM sought too much leeway to walk away from the deal if antitrust regulators challenged the merger, insiders say. People expected...