"What they're really looking for is predictability. Not only predictability of the systems that they use, but predictable behavior on the part of the trusted vendors that they work with," King said.

Now that the feud has gone this far, there may be no good outcome for anyone, he said.

"Even if a suit found for one company or the other -- or, in particular, if it found for HP -- you have to wonder about how valuable a relationship that Oracle was forced back into would really be for both companies."

The IDG News Service