I know he has one hell of a big fast sailboat.

 

Actually Ellison never gave that speech.

Quote: "Graduates of Yale University, I apologize if you have endured this type of prologue before, but I want you to do something for me. Please, take a good look around you. Look at the classmate on your left. Look at the classmate on your right. Now, consider this: five years from now, 10 years from now, even 30 years from now, odds are the person on your left is going to be a loser. The person on your right, meanwhile, will also be a loser. And you, in the middle? What can you expect? Loser. Loserhood. Loser Cum Laude."
Speaker: Larry Ellison

Status: False.

Origins: In July 2000, an inventive story about Oracle CEO Larry Ellison bestowing an unusual commencement speech upon the graduating class of Yale University began popping up in various inboxes. Some were left wondering if this could be the real thing, given what is known of Ellison's famed ego, and because the wide circulation of the 1997 Kurt Vonnegut commencement speech hoax had prepared the way for this piece to sound plausible.

In truth, Ellison did not give a such a speech at Yale, nor anywhere else. The article was the fanciful creation of Andrew Marlatt, a writer for the satire website, SatireWire. It was reprinted (with SatireWire's express permission) on BBspot, another satirical web site.

The full text of the piece:
< deleted >

 

R u sure? Seriously?

 

I was just surprised that it seemed you all actually believed this story. While I did not have the proof, I could not imagine him (or anyone) actually giving that kind of speech.

 

What r you trying to call us? Nah...I was skeptical at first when I got it in email. Even my boss "the big Oracle guy" was making some comment. So I guess innocent until proven guilty.

 

Having seen Ellison over the years, I wouldn't put this kind of thing past him! I also think it's plausible and COULD be pulled off with a sardonic tone. Interesting to learn it didn't really happen, I'm not surprised...

I just love how urban legends get populated around the internet.

 

I have no doubt that Ellison would THINK these thoughts, but even his large ego would not make him say such stupid things....at least not in a prepared statement.

I know what you mean by pulling this off with the right tone, however, this went on a little too long and I don't think I have ever seen Ellison successfully use that sort of tone. His demeanor is just to arrogant.

 

Maybe he's just bitter because he is still the 2nd richest guy after Bill Gates. Bill Gates has his number...

 

You guys think Larry Ellison is arrogant!!! Try talking with Tom Siebel of Siebel Enterprises. He's arrogant in such a non-confrontational way. When you leave his speeches, seminars, and so on, you wonder about the words he spat out and then get offended. The part that is bad, is that you can't retort any of his comments because he's already left.

I've had the "honor" of speaking with him one on one at a CRM conference roadshow and he sat next to me right in the audience. I recognized him right off the bat, and everyone else was second guessing whether it was Tom Siebel or not. No one thought it was him until the end of the day when he got up to be acknowledged by the MC of the seminar.

I spoke to him the whole presentation (4 hours worth of one-on-one).

You think Larry Ellingson's got it in for Bill Gates, you should see how he talks about Tom Siebel. . .you'd swear that they were immortal enemies.

Urmil
Luder94

 

Of course Siebel used to work for Ellison at Oracle. Siebel created the internal CRM for Oracle before going off and creating Siebel Systems which has been immensely successful. Of course Ellison's main objective right now is applications of which CRM is one. The current problem for Oracle is that their CRM solution does not really hold a candle to what Siebel offers. That may change of course. However, anyone who has something Larry wants (or Bill wants for that matter) is going to be in for a volatile time.