HP is a long time solid provider of computer hardware, and EDS (founded the information technology out-sourcing industry more than 45 years ago) is a longtime provider of system services. The Plan of Merger, dated as of May 13, 2008, by and among EDS, Hewlett-Packard Company and Hawk Merger Corporation, under which EDS would be acquired by Hewlett-Packard Company appears to merge two very strong technology companies into one   diversified technology giant.

Note from Editor: Apart from the obvious financial side of the merfer, the real puzzle is how they’ll fit together. HP has a history of being more flexible than the “solutions in a can” big IT vendors. EDS, on the other hand, brings the experience on managing megadeals that HP lacks but that could hinder the flexibility and responsiveness that made HP different from the “big IT boys”. Still, given EDS’s experience in large projects, I’ll consider HP more for an outsourcing deal, while in the past I may not have.

Tags: business, Computer, Hardware, information, information technology, Software, Technology