Next For Oracle: JBoss? Sleepycat? Zend?

A few weeks ago a long-time source said she'd been hearing "strong" rumors that Oracle was on the hunt again. This time for JBoss, the Atlanta-based app server fave.

This is totally intriguing. Many (including me) scoffed at the idea that the Big O would buy Siebel within a year of swallowing PeopleSoft for billions and billions of dollars. So much for that theory. On the other hand, CRN was one of the few books that took Larry Ellison's hostile PeopleSoft move as a a real deal when many called a publicity stunt.

Now BusinessWeek reports that Oracle is talking not only with JBoss but with Sleepycat Software of Emeryville, Calif., and Zend of Cupertino, Calif.

Man oh man. This company is fun to watch.