Gavin Scott <[log in to unmask]> writes:

<big snip of storm analogy>

> Again, I think it's clear that the people steering HP (or at least turning
> the wheel, since it's not yet clear whether that wheel is attached to
> anything or not) believe that they are out to Change The World (or at
least
> the stock price) and this plan involves promoting those of their children
> whom they perceive as being the smart, good looking, intelligent ones, and
> not the funny looking stepchild who sleeps in the cupboard under the
stairs.

Does anyone remember a company called Jobscope?  My first "in house" job (as
opposed to outside consultant) was with a company who got an HP3000 because
they bought Jobscope software (an integrated accounting and job shop
manufacturing system).  This was back in 1989.  I went to the Jobscope
User's Conference in New Orleans in 1990 (IIRC).  There was a big brouhaha
there because the Jobscope company refused to listen to the user group's
elected board about enhancements and porting the software to NM, etc.  The
president of Jobscope made an address to the attendees at the end of which,
the entire user group board resigned en masse.  I can't recall the exact
text of his speech, but the pertinent part went something like this:

"I went white water canoeing with my son.  He was in the front of the canoe
and I was in the back, steering.  As we came to a particular tricky part of
the river, my son told me that there was a rock right in the middle of the
river, but that I should steer right for it and the current would sweep us
aside.  He said, 'Dad, if you steer to the right or the left, we'll wipe out
for sure.'  So, when we got to the rock, I steered to the left and we wiped
out.  My son asked me, 'Dad, why didn't you steer the way I told you to
steer?' And I told him, 'Because I'm steering, that's why!'"


Jim Phillips                            Manager of Information Systems
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]     Therm-O-Link, Inc.
Phone: (330) 527-2124                   P. O. Box 285
  Fax: (330) 527-2123                   10513 Freedom Street
  Web: http://www.tolwire.com  Garrettsville, Ohio  44231