And in my opinion, an even more accurate assessment of what needs
replacement at HP, is the Board of Directors (BOD).  They've been around
throughout the demise of the company more than any CEO has been.  They
haven't seen the light as has IBM's (as an example) BOD.  These 2 companies
are heading in opposite directions.  Who else do you hold accountable for
this?  Who else is steering the ship?

John Lee (my opinions)

At 08:10 AM 3/20/02 -0800, John Clogg wrote:
>To The Augur:
>One of the easiest ways to win an argument (at least in your own mind) is to
>put words into your opponents' mouths that are indefensible.  An excellent
>example is your assertion that those who oppose Carly do so because she is a
>woman.  What nonsense!
>
>I honestly don't know whether the merger will prove to be a successful
>venture, but I do believe it is fraught with peril.  The poor track record
>of previous high-tech mergers speaks for itself.  I know you and other
>critics of Walter Hewlett believe this is a question of moving forward or
>standing still.  I don't see it that way.  I do believe HP must move forward
>and that acquisitions are a good way to do it, but that Compaq isn't the
>right acquisition.  To assume that everyone who believes Compaq is not a
>good takeover target wants the company to do nothing is to ignore the facts.
>It is unfortunate that Walter Hewlett felt compelled to come up with his own
>alternate vision for the company's future.  Those who disagree with that
>vision seem to automatically assume that the only alternative is to approve
>the Compaq deal.  Aren't there other options?  Of course there are.
>
>I am among those who hoped the Compaq deal would fail.  I am worried that HP
>will find itself spending too much money for too much duplication.  Yes, it
>buys them a larger share of the PC market, but that isn't a very good market
>to be in, as numerous "emotional" analysts have pointed out.  My main reason
>for hoping the merger would fail, however, is that there seems to be
>universal agreement that its defeat would lead to Ms. Fiorina's resignation.
>I believe Carly Fiorina is destroying HP.  Under her watch, numerous R&D
>organizations in HP have been closed down, unprecedented layoffs have
>happened, and many more are planned in the wake of the merger.  HP's
>strength has always been a very loyal workforce of extremely competent
>people, working in an environment that encouraged innovation and nurtured
>creativity.  I see that culture eroding.  This switch to commodity hardware
>sales and a "people are disposable" ethic will remove everything that has
>made HP stand out from the crowd.
>
>Believe it or not, there are reasonable, intelligent people on both sides of
>this issue.  There are people who disagree with the acquisition of Compaq
>for reasons that make business sense, and there are people who support it
>for good reasons.  Not everyone who disagrees with you is a sexist or a
>slave to unreasoning emotion, as much as you would like to believe
>otherwise.
>
>P.S.: I originally sent this reply only to "The Augur", but it bounced back.
>Evidently this brave soul who rants anonymously has closed down his Hotmail
>account.  What a fine specimen of moral courage!
>
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>

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