Detractors of the deal noted that buying Compaq was a "distraction" that would not directly help HP take on IBM's breadth or Dell Computer's direct sales model.

Company executives suggested last year that they wanted to use some of their foreign profits to pay down debt, which ballooned after Hewlett bought Compaq several years ago.

ICL buys Compaq.

He also bought Compaq.

After it bought Compaq this year, the combined company became the largest single buyer of Windows for personal computers and data-serving computers, and thus more dependent on Microsoft.

Just look what happened after HP buys Compaq.

The buyout would be like HP buying Compaq.

Hewlett-Packard, which wants to strengthen its balance sheet after buying Compaq, has more than $14 billion in untaxed foreign profits.

"I didn't like the company before it bought Compaq," Mr. Drake said.

"Small companies that might have bought from mail-order companies are now buying Compaq from retailers," she said.