That appears to be what is happening at HP. They did something even stupider
when they bought up Apollo in the mid-'80's and learned quite quickly that CAE
was not a realm they should be attempting to capture. It is a really
attractive field because of the numbers, but once one learns about the profit
margin, one backs off, as they did within a year. That left a number of
companies high and dry, since HP, and they, realized that HP couldn't support
the products they'd sold, no matter how much money they threw at it.
The PC business is one where DEC didn't fit, and where HP doesn't fit either.
HP's already learned they can't compete with SUN, so they're probably headed
for a big fall here. Of course that "queen-bee" that ramrodded this
acquisition by the board and perhaps by the stockholders as well, has her
sights set on unseating IBM, and while IBM's not the great power it once was,
mainly because a huge company can't compete over the long term in this market,
IBM's gotten some valuable experience over the couple of decades they've been
in the business, that HP hasn't got yet.
I don't think Compaq has much to contribute to the mix, having endeavored,
successfully, to outlive their market. They'll probably take HP down with
them.
Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: <jeff.kaneko_at_juno.com>
To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2002 5:06 PM
Subject: Re: Destruction of DEC
>
> What ought to happen to these asswipes should be what
> happened to the company I used to work for:
>
> The 'aggressor' company purchased a competitor, but
> by so doing, bit off *way* more than it could chew,
> incurring hevy debtload and ensuing layoffs.
>
> The whole bloody mess will be in bankruptcy court
> before the year is out.
>
> Serves 'em both right . . . .
>
>
> Jeff
>
> On Wed, 20 Mar 2002 17:00:05 -0700 "Richard Erlacher" <edick_at_idcomm.com>
> writes:
> > It's more a question of whether Compaq will do to HP what DEC did to
> > Compaq.
> > In either case, I'm glad I don' t hold any HP stock.
> >
> > Dick
> >
>
>
> ________________________________________________________________
> GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!
> Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!
> Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit:
> http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.
>
>
Received on Wed Mar 20 2002 - 19:56:57 GMT