HP To Buy Compaq

ComPack? Hewlett Paqard?

i decided that i dont care if this makes a monopoly or not. i dont care if it sends smaller manufacturers under. i dont get manufactured computers. i make my own. everyone should make thier own.

Can you say 'Monopoly' ?

Here's a bit of an e-mail I sent to my girlfriend who works at Compaq here in Australia, but I guess it applies to this article and the standard Shacker's take at whats going on. remember this really applies to the Australian take on all of this, so flame me or whatever :)

It's amusing, but it adheres to market trends - that is for HUGE companies to merge, and create even larger ones - for no other reason but to absolutely quash any feasible competition. It's disgusting - little companies really don't stand a chance anymore - it's like people trying to go up against Micro$oft, it's just impossible.

As for jobs, employees should be fine. Compaq will continue to operate as per normal, at least for six more months - expect nothing mroe than a mere name change, and perhaps a few changes in procedures, due to Compaq incurring HP's products. I'd imagine the home market PCs will merge ( Pavillion + Presario ), with the corperate stuff remaining much the same ( look at the Compaq swallowing Digital stuff ).

Still, the merge may be a money saving and profit boosting scheme for both parties involved, which may translate to a bit of culling in the staffing dept - but I really doubt that. Compaq and HP are obviously aiming for raw market domination, and with this merger, they're most likely going to succeed, leaving the rest of the IT industry to play ball, and conform to what ever Compaqard are going to throw at us - because, really, what choices are there left ? Dell ? Gateway ? I'd imagine Dell will be struggling to convince customers to choose them over this potential giant.

I smell some Microsoft involvement here aswell. Compaq and M$ have been in bed over the whole Windows XP introduction, which to me seems like a fitting piece. Microsoft and Compaq have always worked REALLY closely in the States, and it looks to me like this is going to transpire to the International market.

HP ( and Compaq ) + Microsoft = World domination. No longer in just the software front, but it seems the hardware front is going to take a turn for the worse aswell.

The OEM market will either flourish or be absolutely smashed by this, meaning the once acessible to every man and his dog IT industry, is going to be a pretty tightly governed and regulated market - for both professionals and enthusiasts alike.

Underground development and b1tchings is going to increase ten-fold. If people thought the Open Source and Linux wars waged a couple years ago were big, they haven't seen anything yet.

I think this will really impact this industry in a big way - thats assuming my 'Micro$oft being in bed with these guys' theory is correct. I really hope I'm wrong. I hate market domination, and this is a prime example of it.

This is good in a way. I owrk at a computer store. I fix these thing everyday, so forth and so on. HP blows, but i hate compq even more. So, this can be good even though the new compaq's r more standarized than any HP. Thats the thing i hate most, standards not existing in a pre-built world. Hopefully they will learn from each other, or better yet die(that won't happen but i got my hopes).

*cough* is this the merger that makes HP and Compaq computers fun?

This is totally unexpected. Like the nVidia buying 3dfx. Wow.

Here's a little tidbit from a Capellas memo at Compaq:

By marrying HP's "Invent" with Compaq's "Inspiration Technology" we will build a true innovation machine.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

My first PC ever was Compaq. 486 33mhz 4mb RAM. Memories.

One step closer to 1984.

if i had $25billion to spend, id buy somthing way cooler than compaq!! >:(

So what will they call this new company? HPC?

If so, then that might translate to "high-ping craputer".

This just in... Ford buys the Chrystler division....crap meets crap! HOORJ!

Oh, and the Compaq lappy I had awhile back sucked wicked bad.

Some people obviously need to learn the definition of what a monopoly truly is.

I'm still not touching their copyrighted motherboard asses.

Sonsabitches.

ALL YOUR COMPAQ ARE BELONG TO US!@!@!@

I worked for HP through Volt (not as a contractor, HP used VOLT as their helpdesk for everything from phones to facilities to helpdesk..) and HP came to volt and asked for volt to cut 5% of the staffing hours for 3 months. so they were looking for excuses to fire people.

heh. i was one of the "excuses" i'm no angel but i got fired because i made 1 mistake by not letting my superiors know that i wasn't coming in on a monday after having come from reno and gotten in at 4am.

i have never heard a bad thing about HP when i worked there, but i thought it was a joke to ask people to cut 5% of their time because HP was "losing money". Of course working for volt i also heard that Manpower was going to take over the contract and we got the typical "we are here for the long haul and <insert company name here> is great and we have a solid relationship with <insert company paying for the services here> and we are also looking into having HP and other contracts to bolster our technical needs".

i hope volt loses it's contract. after having fired 20 or 30% of the staff in roseville i would expect that HP is not happy with what's going on.

it's also nice to know that HP bought a dead system that's similar to their piece of shit.

hahah.

It's amusing and sad at the same time that even if the slanted Q and the circle enclosed h and p merge, they're still number two behind IBM

All I want to know is, will this affect CPU prices?? But...damn...that's one big merger...*shrug*

this is like AOL buying comp usa or something...the blind leading teh blind

The CEO of HP is a woman. Poor Compaq :(

so now HP has to buy both of Compaq tech support dudes?

1 MEEEEELION DOLLARS.

holy shnikes though. That's a merger if i ever saw one.

Uhhhhhh... wow.

Holy shit.

SUCK + SUCK = EXTRA SUCK!

at least the shitty prefab comps will have one less tag now?

Holy! I own two Compaq products which both work great.. this kinda sucks. I kinda liked compaq.

How will I be able to tell all hp journada owners my iPaq owns them and their mothers? I WONT!

/ [V]

HOORAY! For Monopolies!

Pretty soon we'll have 4 companies running the planet, as if they don't already

Well now maybe I won't feel so bad when people come into RadioShack looking for a computer.

"Oh yes, Ma'am. Compaq is the #1 manufacturer of computers right now. You can't buy a better PC."

This is too funny. Both companies have notoriously quirky consumer lines, decent professional and server lines, and are both suffering setbacks in the recent slump, and now they're helping each other out.

Interestingly, MaximumPC mag, who traditionally has hated Compaq, gave their 7000 series a "kickass" (9.0) rating. They've gotten away from proprietary parts and really souped their machines up with good stuff.

I went to their site and they offered pretty much everything I would put in a box -- and Klipsch speakers -- if I were building it myself.

damn and I thought HP was having money troubles.

25 million really isn't that much though.

Pooopooo. It said 0.

hahaha still showing zero after refreshing!

wow this is pretty big

#2? this is certainly big news

First???