Big Apple Fruit Basket

Spence found himself whistling “Autumn in New York” as he strolled down Park Avenue enjoying the unseasonably balmy 50-degree warmth. Coming up for air after several marathon vendor meetings, Il Gatto hunkered down for a bottle of wine and risotto di mare with a Katt crony.

The Furry Ones friend was happy to report that Cognos new ReportNet enterprise-reporting product surpassed its revenue target by $6 million, thus saving CEO Ron Zambonini from conducting the companys fourth-quarter earnings call in the nude. Zambonini had promised to do the investor conference call naked if ReportNet delivered less than $10 million in revenue in the quarter. He still couldnt resist playing off his threat and delivered the earnings call in a slightly less revealing red tartan nightshirt.

As the Bibulous Boss of Blab ordered another bottle of Luna di Luna, he overheard a diner in the next booth claim that RSA Security is pursuing GeoTrust. The courted companys offerings—digital certificates, payment services and enterprise managed security services—would fit nicely with the products offered by the RSA security mavens. Spence ducked into the kitchen, donned a busboy jacket and swept crumbs from the tech talkers table. As Spence fumbled focaccia crumbs onto the diners laps, one pasta-loving patron speculated that GeoTrusts chief technology officer, John Adams, had once managed engineering, had been RSAs CTO and could be perfect to oversee the technical end of such a merger. “And both companies are just a hop, skip and a jump from each other in New England,” spouted the gabby Tabby, to glares from disgruntled gastronomes.

Slinking back to his table, the fabulating Feline poured another vino and asked his companion if there was any truth to the rumor that Salesforce.com head honcho Marc Benioff doesnt go anywhere without Koa, his golden retriever. Spence had heard the CEO (whose company just announced filing an IPO proposal, as the Kitty predicted it would in his Nov. 17 column) even brings the dog to restaurants. Not so, said the crony, but if Koa is in the office, the staff knows Marc is around. When Koa is absent, its assumed Marc is away.

Heading out to East 27th, the Furballs friend asked if the Kitty had heard that the domain name Men.com had just sold for $1.3 million. Rick Schwartz, a domain-name wrangler who bought the name in 1997 for $15,000, sold it to a group that is expected to launch a portal for men this month.

“Wow! Domain-name sales, surpassed revenues, eccentric CEOs and planned IPOs—sounds like Ive died and gone to 1999!” laughed the Lynx.