Close
  • Latest News
  • Cybersecurity
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Mobile
  • Networking
  • Storage
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Menu
Search
  • Latest News
  • Cybersecurity
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Mobile
  • Networking
  • Storage
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Applications
    • Applications

    Kinder Gartner

    By
    Spencer F. Katt
    -
    October 27, 2003
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      When does a Katt feel at ease in a mouse house? When hes at Walt Disney World to attend the Gartner Symposium/ ITxpo, of course. The consultancy offered the symposiums estimated 6,000 attendees a prediction of solid growth in tech spending for next year, a message that seemed as upbeat as that of the nearby Magic Quadrant, er, Kingdom. Of course, Mickeys theme park message doesnt also include continued cost cutting or outsourcing Donalds and Goofys jobs to make the wish come true—but what the heck.

      How much does Gartner value its clients? One Katt crony claimed that the saying “Bad breath is better than no breath” was sometimes used by insiders at Gartner when discussing sales and getting face time with potential customers. “Me-ouch!” thought Spence as he popped another Altoid.

      At keynote time, the Kittys curiosity was aroused when Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer mentioned the possible upcoming acquisition of an unnamed software company to provide Redmond with XML management capabilities for Web services. “You should stand by for news,” said Ballmer.

      Le Chat chuckled when HP Chairman and CEO Carly Fiorina riled the Big Blue bunch during her keynote by claiming she declined to purchase PricewaterhouseCoopers eight times, including for $3 billion a week before IBM coughed up $3.5 billion for the consultancy. One IBM exec, still grumbling the next morning, called Fiorinas tale “the Pinocchio story of the week.” The Katt did recall a July 2002 Forbes report that claimed IBM grabbed PwC for about one-quarter the price HP had previously negotiated to pay for the company.

      The symposium press room seemed more like Splash Mountain when a busted pipe sent water across the ceiling, dousing at least one reporter. Seeking drier ground and something to wet his whistle, the famished Furball made his way to Shulas Steak House in—where else?—the Dolphin. Instead of arguing football, the gridiron-grokking Grimalkin talked shop with a Computer Associates insider, who claimed that since CFO Ira Zar and several others had been axed for “accounting irregularities,” folks in the companys accounting/finance arm wonder nervously if more heads will roll.

      Just as the Tawny Titan was about to turn in for the evening, he got a call from a bookish buddy touting Melanie Crafts third novel, due in May. The authors Web site says the book is called “Man Trouble” and concerns a romance authors attempt to make a family man out of a billionaire playboy whose “bad-boy image is losing its luster.” One can ask if Crafts real-life fiancé, Oracle boss Larry Ellison, wonders where she finds such characters.

      Avatar
      Spencer F. Katt
      Spencer F. Katt, the Whiskered Wonder, has been the mascot and tipster extraordinaire for eWEEK and its predecessor print publication PC Week since 1984. The Gadabout Gatto makes the rounds of the high tech centers of the U.S. and beyond in search of news and gossip about the products, companies and people that keep the IT industry in top gear. By day he can often be found padding about the exhibit halls and briefing rooms searching for tips about the latest breakthrough products. By night he haunts the sushi bars and watering holes his ears alert to the merest whisper about a big round of venture capital funding or a blockbuster corporate buyout. The often tart-tongued tabby is always ready to share his own views about the inside stories behind the headlines. 

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Android

      Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro: Durability for Tough...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 5, 2020 0
      Have you ever dropped your phone, winced and felt the pain as it hit the sidewalk? Either the screen splintered like a windshield being...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Why Data Security Will Face Even Harsher...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 1, 2020 0
      Who would know more about details of the hacking process than an actual former career hacker? And who wants to understand all they can...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      How Veritas Is Shining a Light Into...

      eWEEK EDITORS - September 25, 2020 0
      Protecting data has always been one of the most important tasks in all of IT, yet as more companies become data companies at the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      How NVIDIA A100 Station Brings Data Center...

      Zeus Kerravala - November 18, 2020 0
      There’s little debate that graphics processor unit manufacturer NVIDIA is the de facto standard when it comes to providing silicon to power machine learning...
      Read more
      Apple

      Why iPhone 12 Pro Makes Sense for...

      Wayne Rash - November 26, 2020 0
      If you’ve been watching the Apple commercials for the past three weeks, you already know what the company thinks will happen if you buy...
      Read more
      eWeek


      Contact Us | About | Sitemap

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      Terms of Service | Privacy Notice | Advertise | California - Do Not Sell My Information

      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×