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Comment by mikeryan | Hacker News Reader

Back Story (since I apparently missed it)

HP is buying Autonomy for 10+B. Many analysts feel this is over priced, and on Oracle's earnings call Larry Ellison couldn't help but get a jab in at HP by saying that they (Mark Hurd ironically) told Autonomy they were overpriced at their current 6+B Market Cap when Autonomy went to Oracle looking for a suitor.

Autonomy CEO then said "WTF we never talked to Oracle about being purchased".

Then this.

View on HN

Thanks ... Though it appears the real story is that the sandbox isn't big for both of them and now they're throwing sand in each other's eyes.

I see it more as Mark Hurd's way of giving the HP board of directors a huge middle finger.

I thought the fact the meeting took place on April 1st was entertaining. Maybe Hurd missed the joke?

Yes. It does give Autonomy an easy out: "Sure Oracle, we did pitch selling ourselves to you - on the morning of April 1st! Didn't you get the joke?!?! Joke aside, the meeting was indeed as we described in our first response."

Either that, or the two companies are actually having a joke at our (tech industry watchers) expense.

If Autonomy's CEO said it was an April Fools joke, then HP and himself would not look very good in front of Wall Street or stock holders. There might actually be SEC complications also.

Only if they didn't reveal that it was a joke at the end of the meeting...

No, he would lose creditability with everyone. You do not "punk" other companies. All future meetings would be clouded with the thought "is this real, or another punk by this guy".

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