Gentle HP 3000 Listers,

Well, never having been one to shy away from controversy and/or throwing fuel into the fire, let me just
quote a few excerpts from this week's Computer Reseller News (CRN).  On the cover page:

HP, Microsoft Join Hands on Total PC Cost

Palo Alto, CA

Hewlett-Packard Co. and Microsoft Corp. -already allies- are about to become blood brothers.

This Wednesday (today <dpb>), the two computing powers, represented by their respective chairmen
Lewis Platt and Bill Gates, will sketch out a far-reaching alliance aimed at minimizing the total cost of
ownership of PCs and network computers.  Such a deal is critical for both companies, which are betting
their success on the PC's future.

HP, Palo Alto, also expected to strongly endorse Windows NT as part of its core computing strategy.

"We are going to show you how we ?

(The story goes on to say that HP is expected to give Microsoft its own PC Common Operating
Environment, a middleware layer HP uses internally to configure systems with the latest drivers and
software updates.  The story also talks about how HP and Microsoft are more tightly integrating SMS and
Ovenview.  Then, skipping stuff about both companies wanting to lower the total cost of ownership of
PCs.  <dpb>)

The story continues:  HP and Microsoft also are in discussions about near-term peaceful coexistence
between HP-UX and Windows NT. (Not a word about MPE <dpb>)

"This is a bridge strategy to get HP from here to there.  There will be clearly defined roles for [each
operating systems]," said Jim Greene, an analyst with Boston-based Summit Strategies.  HP-UX will be
positioned as an enterprise server and Windows NT for various departments, observers said.  (Note that it is
not coming from HP <dpb>.)

HP is banking on both Merced, the next-generation chip it is co-developing with Intel Corp., and Windows
NT. But the company cannot downshift on HP-UX until it is sure those goals are met, said Rob Enderle, an
analyst with Giga Group, Sunnyvale, Calif.  (Again not from an HP person, but an interesting comment
nonetheless.  <dpb>)



Kind regards,

Denys. . .
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