In a weird way I'm happy that Hewlett and Packard are not around to witness this, to see the work of a lifetime butchered like this is just too painful.
Actually for the company that Hewlett and Packard founded see Agilent. After the HP/Agilent division around 2000, Agilent took most of the early HP records. Why? Because Agilent's business lines were the original HP business lines.
From what I've read about them their retirement was permanent, they both had more than deserved it. So I don't think they could have avoided the mess unless they stepped in and that would be highly unlikely. Maybe a 'watchful eye' would have had some positive effect or a consulting role of sorts.
HP was a unique company and it definitely isn't the first time that such a unique company flows from the hands and brains of unique people and does not survive the transition to new management without significant damage.
The HP story does not bode well for Apple, which was even more the brainchild of some pretty unique individuals.
Steve Jobs is still around, and I really hope that Tim Cook will not embarrass Steve in the way that the HP board has fouled the HP legacy. Those guys deserved a lot better than this. Once upon a time there was the HP way. Today that's the stuff of legend.
In a weird way I'm happy that Hewlett and Packard are not around to witness this, to see the work of a lifetime butchered like this is just too painful.