Gossip

Carly goes. Does she take her vested HP Compaq shares with her?

Your Sniffer was chatting with a big supplier to HP only two weeks ago, and pointed out that the takeover of Compaq wasn't a conspicuous success. Ah, yes, (said the big supplier) "but then the only reason Fiorina took over Compaq was for the effect on the shares she personally held." Tut, tut. The things people will believe.

And yet, interestingly - now that the deal has been done and Carly has been booted out - the comment is all on how well Compaq and HP will do now she's gone. Nobody seems to be asking how many shares you get to keep when you get fired.

Oh, yes, no doubt about her being asked to resign; it's official. But she hasn't been asked to go because buying Compaq was a bad idea. She's going because she didn't do a good job of buying Compaq.

Convincing, eh? All by her little self, she spoiled the way the company was run down on the factory floor and in the managerial cubicles. A new person will make all the difference, and Dell won't run away with the market any more.

And of course, if the company does turn around in the next two quarters, those who fired her will claim that it was thanks to them. In fact, any change in HP's fortunes in the next year, will - obviously - be due to decisions taken in the last 12 months ...by Carly Fiorina, naturally.