BO creates big stink with Brio

Business Objects (BO) has been caught out in what a Brio executive described as a big "fib" today. But the row depends on whether tool maker Brio or BO is or is not IBM's preferred tool supplier for slicing data cubes. Two weeks ago, BO issued a press release saying that IBM was reselling its products. That cut straight across IBM's plans for its meta-data warehousing tools, which are in the arms of Brio. Brio complained straight away to Big Blue and asked IBM to make BO issue a retraction. According to our sources, a senior VP below IBM's CEO Lou Gerstner told BO: "Make that so." The result was a re-issued press release without the offending fourth paragraph. Now Brio is taking tougher action against BO and asking IBM whether it really wants this sort of stuff put out in its name and asking for a firm retraction. At press time, that retraction from BO had not materialised. ®