Hi Craig, and Everyone :)
I see Craig's answer as part of the overall issues/problems. Brice mentioned Tektronix (Tek) ... I grew up as a "Tek Brat" - Dad started there around 1950-51 (he doesn't remember things anymore) - my Uncle ran the shipping department for decades... and I remember Earl Wantland from when I was in Cub Scouts with his youngest son...
Tek did what Craig pointed out... Technical people moved up into management and Senior Executive Management wasn't a bunch of people who had no clue of the customers and didn't chase the latest tech fad product! Instead they went after things they knew the customer wanted/needed...
Tek started it's long slide down from the mountaintop (where they were with HP) when Tek started trying to be in every market and product line... Anyone remember the first Tek Printer? Remember, the Tek Scopes that ruled the world? (hint I learned to operate a scope before I learned Introductory Algebra!!!!
My Question/Pondering for this August group (which makes my post on topic) ... is Where is HP going to go now? And who will get the PC business units? Dell? (now that would make a powerhouse PC source or end Dell) ...
Art "Pondering" Bahrs
P.S. I also worked for Tek, albeit as a contractor, back in '89-'90 when I wrote a system for the Spectrum Analyzers Sales Team (and other ones) to compare on screen dynamically Tek versus other products for a customer!
Art Bahrs, CISSP
Security Engineer (Oregon Region)
(503) 216-2722
-----Original Message-----
From: HP-3000 Systems Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Craig Lalley
Sent: Sunday, August 21, 2011 4:28 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Disappointed again.
Christain,
Perhaps the problem is that HP is now run by MBA's and accountants who don't understand the product or what customers want.
Awhile ago, management rose from ranks of engineers that understood what the customer wanted and the product being developed. In the 70's and earlier companies grew slowly and earned their profits.
Or maybe my old age is tainting my opinions. :-)
-Craig
--- On Sun, 8/21/11, Christian Lheureux <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
From: Christian Lheureux <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Disappointed again.
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Sunday, August 21, 2011, 2:37 AM
Hi all,
Even doing business with only privately-held companies is far from enough. As you all have seen many times, a privately held company can be purchased overnight by a publicly-traded company for any reason. A privately-held company can go public for any reason. Just see the frantic pace of M&A in the tech business : 3PAR, Lefthand, Ibrix, and many, many more.
I'd rather put my faith in a short-term capital-gains tax, to fend off speculators, as suggested by James, but this ought to be coordinated worldwide, to avoid capital feeing to the nearest tax haven.
Speaking of HP and tablets, well ... if history is any lesson, just let me note that any market where HP can't grab, say, a 30% share is abandoned, period. Remember the Photosmart cameras ? Proprietary OS mini-computers (a.k.a. HP3000) ? Dot-matrix printers ? TVs ? Polyserve file cluster ? With the Tablet, they probably quickly realized they would never get 30% against the iPad, so they dumped it, full stop. Same goes with the smartphones / pocket PCs as compared to the iPhone. Why do you think they purchased 3Com ?
Remember, it's not at all about tech innovation, but all about market share, actual or future. ROI. Earnings per share. Gross margin. Operating profit. You name it. I guess that's the way companies are run these days, and, BTW, it's what keeps them in business. Anybody remember the seven pillars of the HP Way ? #1 was profit.
Sigh .... just my €0,02.
Take care,
Christian
-----Message d'origine-----
De : HP-3000 Systems Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] De la part de James B. Byrne
Envoyé : dimanche 21 août 2011 04:20
À : [log in to unmask]
Objet : [HP3000-L] Disappointed again.
On Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:21:45 -0500, michael
<[log in to unmask]>
> Yesterday, HP was in the perfect position to bring the tablet to
> business applications with the Linux based TouchPad, which was HP's
> response to the Apple iPad, but more in-line with business
> applications.
> HP spent $1.2 billion for Palm in March 2010, and similar to ten years
> ago, in August 2011, HP dumps it without warning, and without any
> regard to partners and customers.
>
> I almost bought one, and had plans to develop business solutions for
> the TouchPad. HP has shown that you can't have any faith in a company
> (HP) that appears to be fully invested into an idea to invent, even if
> they themselves have invested billions of dollars, they've proven that
> they will throw everyone (including themselves) under the bus in a
> heartbeat!
>
> The HP way,
> HP Invent,
> HP WTF!
> --
> Mike.
The short answer is: do not buy anything from any publicly traded, joint stock, company, that you plan to depend upon for the long term. Period. The so-called efficiency of the market on the stock exchange amounts to a roulette wheel and companies that thereby choose to dance to the tune whistled by gamblers have no vision beyond that of the end of their own nose. Instead, buy from private firms that have some idea of what it takes to stay in their own 'business' and are not beholden to speculators.
The accomplishment of HP's shareholders is that the last bits of HP gear at our firm will be gone by year end ( with the sole exception of the HP3000), and good riddance.
The pity is that the stock and commodity markets could be returned to their basic function overnight if governments decided to do it.
All it would take is a 100% capital gains tax on sales of investments held for less than 12 months. Bingo, companies have access to capital and the gamblers will flee to somewhere else.
--
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