Oracle boss slams HP board for ousting Hurd

Worst decision since Apple fired Steve Jobs

Oracle CEO Larry Ellison has roasted the HP board for railroading his chum Mark Hurd, saying that forcing the exec to resign was "a grave mistake".

In an e-mail to the New York Times, Ellison said, "The HP board just made the worst personnel decision since the idiots on the Apple board fired Steve Jobs many years ago.” He added “That decision nearly destroyed Apple and would have if Steve hadn’t come back and saved them.”

Hurd, who was recently cleared of sexual harassment, was forced to resign after he allegedly fiddled his expenses to cover up an affair with an actress.

Ellison said, "In losing Mark Hurd, the HP board failed to act in the best interest of HP’s employees, shareholders, customers and partners."

Ellison may not be a dispassionate observer, though, finding himself in the happy position of being able to sling mad at a competitor, with is feet up on his desk and a string of not dissimilar shenanigans behind him.

Observers are largely agreed, however, that Hurd was good for HP and fleeing investors seem to agree with that analysis.