What is it, exactly, that makes Larry Ellison think that people would want to use Oracle software for e-mail any more than they would want to use Microsoft software? Is this not akin to trading the devil you know for the devil you wish you didn't?

Sure, Microsoft Exchange is a known carcinogen. It's the most efficient mail worm delivery system devised by man. But if the alternative is using a relational database disguised as an e-mail server, along with some never-before-tested calendaring and other messaging and collaboration tasks, I have one word for you: