Robert Scoble and I were talking last night about HP and the shitstorm that they are in. He summarizes my thoughts in his blog post. Hewlett-Packard Company was a great company. Their DNA is everywhere in the best valley companies and through the world. I feel for the employees. Demand that they give you the company back. Put the employees in control put innovation in their hands.
When I joined the “Hewlett-Packard Company” in 1988 the revenues were around $8 billion and when I left in 1997 it was close to $40 billion. Now I live in Palo Alto not far from the Garage that is the landmark (birthplace of silicon valley) of the founding of the company. They survived those post-mini computer days by innovating computer products. With the LaserJet leading the way they introduced ink jet printers then established a PC and Server (Intel line) of products. The dominated the ‘distribution channel’ in the early 90s. The HP-Way was a part of that. It was a great time of company growth and reinvention. The company was vibrant and full of energy – all under the helm of Lew Platt who was old school Hewlett-Packard (Lew passed away this past year).
Then Carly’s failed strategy to change the HP Way basically destroyed the company. Employees revolted. She changed the name shut down offices that were shinning examples of the HP way (company’s scared cows). Then tried to dominate the industry through acquistions not innvoation (like the laserjet and printer business in the late 80s and pc dominance in 90s).
HP needs the best of the Hewlett-Packard Company and the swagger of Compaq. Lets see it take over this bullshit that the Dunn is pulling. Dunn must go.
Something doesn’t smell right a 20 yr board member leaking stuff to cnet. Give me a break. My take is that the company, employees are still fighting hard to bring back the ‘proven’ HP-Way. Sounds like the board is thinking is different.
Silicon Valley Technology Blog - John Furrier 
There’s a subtlety to the naming that I’m not quite following. The Reuters lead this morning is “Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ.N) on Thursday admitted that private investigators…” Did they miss the memo? And the copyright on the corporate website is “© 2006 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.”
Wasn’t the blank in “the ___ Way” always “HP”? I know the ticker symbol changed after the Compaq merger. But what else?
Shouldn’t that be “sacred” cows, not scared cows?
I hope the workers win. I’d love to see Hewlett Packard back properly.
Thanks John for keeping a warm spot for HP’s people. What part of HP did you work in? I’m in the Labs, one of the last strongholds of the HP Way. Anyway, between you and Scoble, I was inspired to think about HP Way 2.0.
Michael,
HP was always short for Hewlett-Packard Company all company branding was strictly Hewlett-Packard Company not HP. As I drive home down Page Mill Rd the sign on the grass says ‘hp” not Hewlett-Packard Company.
John
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