So far I have refrained from Carly-bashing.  After all, the demise of MPE
was brought about by market forces, and was not decide by Ms. Fiorina.
Arguably, HP's meager and unsuccessful efforts to sell MPE are partly at
fault, but those problems predate her reign.

My real problem with the Fiorina regime is the damage to, if not the
complete destruction of, the HP Way.  The recent layoffs, and the massive
layoffs planned for the aftermath of the merger are certainly inconsistent
with the HP Way philosophy.  The reported handling of the recent layoffs, if
true, is breathtaking in its impact on HP's ability to attract and retain
the best talent.  The dismantling of the various labs and development groups
is further evidence of HP's change in philosophy.

Hewlett-Packard built its business on innovation and best-in-class design
and quality.  HP's greatest (only?) asset is its people.  A management team
that seems to have lost sight of that fact could destroy one of the world's
great companies.  Perhaps bringing in an outsider was the real mistake.
HP's (former?) corporate culture was carefully cultivated over the years,
and is perhaps not well understood by outsiders.

I now feel that HP's only hope for continued success is new leadership.
Whether the Compaq merger was a good or bad idea, I guess the silver lining
is that it appears the attempt to merge the two companies will bring about
just such a change.  I hope the board makes a better selection this time!

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