Unusual Article about Autonomy and its Founder
February 5, 2014
I was surprised to read “Who is Mike Lynch and What’s the Deal with Autonomy and Hewlett-Packard?” The write up appeared in IBTimes on February 4, 2014.
I continue to monitor Autonomy, but I focus on the technology and Autonomy’s impact on the search and content processing sector. The goose is frisky, but he has not used this shocking statement in his discussion of the company:
“He, together with some former Autonomy bosses, have started technology investment firm Invoke Capital, which has a $1bn fund to play with. Its first investment was in Darktrace, which calls itself “the world’s first Behavioural Cyber Defence platform” and sounds like a sci-fi euphemism for toilet bowl skidmarks.”
The write up is similar to those I have seen from azure chip (my phrase for low- and mid-tier) consulting firms.
I have released a free analysis of Autonomy’s technology in a Xenky white paper. You may download it at http://bit.ly/1nTtueY. The write up focuses on the technology, business approach, and products the company offered in the ten year period from 1996 to 2006. A longer version that includes an analysis of three core patent documents is available for those who are interested in Bayesian-Laplacian methods, Monte Carlo Markov Chains (MCMC), and Volterra recipes.
My view of the HP deal is that a large company bought a smaller company. The larger company then had buyer’s remorse. The larger company is trying to get its money back.
The international accounting rules, the post purchase audit, and the realization that search and content processing are not trivialities surprises some.
The dust up is fascinating, and I anticipate more to and fro. As my Xenky report shows, Autonomy disrupted the enterprise search sector consistently until it was acquired by HP. Does Mr. Lynch deserve credit for his ability to make competitors work overtime to match Autonomy’s market performance?
I am going to say, “Yes.” International Business Times would answer with another tasteless reference to “skidmarks.” Even in the hands of another firm, Autonomy evokes strong reactions. I prefer my Xenky report approach.
Stephen E Arnold, February 5, 2014
Comments
-
- Subscribe to Beyond Search
Feature archive
News archive
-
