Did You Hear the Rumour?

by Alan Alexander-Manifold

12 April 1993

	"Hey, I hear NOTIS Systems was recently sold!"
	"Oh, yeah?  Did Ameritech think it would fold?"
	"No, Computer Associates just must have thought
that the company's assets were worth quite a lot."
	"Well, that sounds like the kind of decision they'd make.
Do you know what direction CA will now take?"
	"Oh, I heard that they've fired the whole UNIX staff,
and they've cut the Support group by almost a half."
	"What?  They fired the UNIX folks?  What about OTIS?"
	"Ha!  Well, you know CA....  Their attraction to NOTIS
is its solid connection to seventies code,
and the UNIX development projects had showed
far too much innovation and promise of change."
	"What about the support staff?  How will they arrange
to provide us with quality service if they
have cut back on support staff?"
					"Well, all I can say
is that they don't seem worried about that at all."
	"Why does that not surprise me?  Hey, who do I call
to find out more about this incipient sale?
I am sure that my Dean will want every detail."
	"Well, before you embarrass your self and your school,
you should probably know this is just APRIL FOOL!"