2005 has been an exciting milestone year for Oracle and its 15,000-strong global network of partners. This year we not only completed our acquisition of PeopleSoft and JD Edwards, but we also announced our forthcoming merger with Siebel Systems and our acquisition of a majority stake in banking software vendor i-Flex.

We also shipped our most technologically advanced database version yet with Oracle Database 10g Release 2, saw the installed base for Oracle Fusion Middleware grow to 26,600 customers worldwide, and made great strides into the SME market space with our database, middleware and applications products.

As customers across all industries seek to consolidate and integrate their IT infrastructures, they are increasingly looking to standardise on Oracle's open-standards technology platform. There are therefore clear advantages for ISVs in developing Oracle-based solutions; integrating with Oracle Applications and participating in Oracle's go-to-market initiatives.

This is reflected in the sheer numbers of software vendors who are choosing to work with Oracle. So far this year we have welcomed 225 new EMEA-based ISVs into the Oracle PartnerNetwork, bringing the total to 4,759. In this newsletter you can read about just some of the mutually successful relationships that Oracle has forged with ISVs large and small across the region, including 21st Century Financial Systems, Daon and Convergys.

Get Oracle Database 10g free of charge!

Now, it's easier than ever for ISVs to explore the power of Oracle. We've released a free version of our Oracle Database 10g - Express Edition (XE) - especially for developers. ISVs can now start developing solutions on the world's leading database, bundle the database with their solution and ship it to customers, for free. The full upwards compatibility of the entry-level Oracle Database 10g XE allows ISVs to start small and grow with Oracle's database versions and licensing options.

Elsewhere in this issue, you can learn about the benefits of Oracle's Embedded Software Licence; find out what the Oracle Spatial option can do for your geographical and location-based systems; see how Oracle and its ISV partners are bringing open-standards-based service-oriented architectures to the public sector, and understand our ISV partnering strategy in the media and entertainment industry.

Your chance to win a top-of-the-range PDA!

Last but not least, it wouldn't be the holiday season without some fun and games. On the left you will find our fun Festive Quiz, where you can test your knowledge for a chance to win a top-of-the-range Fujitsu Siemens Pocket LOOX 720!

As the holidays approach, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families all a very happy and peaceful festive season. I look forward to communicating and working with you in 2006.