Dell boy just refuses to lie down

This week, silicon.com wrote about a certain Dell employee at the company's Montpellier office who mistakenly sent some naughty pictures to a female US executive on the corporate email network. The error allegedly arose because she had a similar name to the intended recipient - a friend of his, also within the company.

The story goes that the American lady was so upset by the mail, that she objected strongly enough to bring about the chap's dismissal for reasons of 'sexual harrassment'.

And boy, did this get your emails flying. Angrily on one side of the argument: "The executive should be sacked for being a fascist. Wielding her axe like a madwoman." Livid on the other side: "I wish they'd sack not only the people who circulate this stuff but the people who make it in the first place, and make money out of it, as well."

Far be it for the humble Round-up to get involved in such lofty debates, but there is one thing that has yet to be mentioned by anyone who's dipped their oar in these muddy waters. If you're going to be sacked, what better place to await a tribunal than the South of France in summer.

Surely sympathy for the chap now known as Dell boy has got to be limited when you have sun-kissed olive groves, fragrant lavender fields and cool Mediterranean waters on your doorstep. The only conclusion to be made is if you're planning on sending porn to the wrong person, don't do it from Runcorn.

Meanwhile the debate continues to rage online in our Readers Comments section at http://www.silicon.com/a45107 if you fancy a good stir.

One gentleman who certainly needn't fear unemployment at present in Vodafone's Chris Gent. Orange may be sneaking up behind him in the ratings war, but things couldn't be peachier for the former Chairman of the Young Conservatives.

Not only did he wake up this week to a pay cheque that's four times fatter than it was this time last year (one which incidentally will net him a cool £6.8m this year), but he also got an invitation from the Queen. Yes, he's richer than a Duke, and now the ultimate Gent is going to be a Knight.

With a telecoms company that's quickly heading for leviathan status and such a plethora of ego-boosting distractions, some readers may argue that keen cricketer Chris (yes, he loves his cricket too), should be elevated to the same Round-up status normally reserved for BT's Bonfield and Bland.

To our knowledge, Mr Gent hasn't done anything to spectacularly annoy the IT community just yet (email us if you think different at editorial@silicon.com) to justify such special attention. However, his latest marketing tactic might just be more offensive than single-handedly stifling broadband access in the UK.

Yes, his company has done an even worse thing. According to the evil red-logoed company from Newbury, mothers don't go to Wimbledon to see the tennis. No, they go in the hope of rain and a tediously un-impromptu performance from the world's least favourite bible-bashing pop has-been. "Mum needn't be without Cliff Richard during a sunny Wimbledon fortnight. From Monday 25th June, she can reminisce on past classics like 'Congratulations' and 'Mistletoe and Wine' and then download on to her Nokia mobile phone." Oh the horror&the horror.

Talking of companies with red logos (tenuous link admittedly, but it's been a long week), Oracle seems to have had more than its fair share of the silicon.com news podium lately.

Clearly the launch of its 9i database and the OracleWorld Berlin love-in last week were the main reasons, but the Round-up feels it should 'out' the way Larry Ellison's creation is treating its users.

27,000 people descended on the Oracle event from all around the world. Many paid their own fares. Many paid their own hotel bills. So what happened then? Why did so many leave so discontented? Unusually, it had nothing to do with the technology. Instead, it had everything to do with lunch.

In their wisdom, Larry's minions decided that swanky restaurants shouldn't feature in one of it's most important launches in years. No, thousands upon thousands of valuable Oracle customers should in fact be reduced to standing in line to pick up a 'doggy bag' containing a dry salami sandwich, a yoghurt, an apple and a Lion bar. They should then be forced to sit cross-legged on the floor of a vast, mostly chair-less exhibition hall to 'enjoy' the hospitality. Murmurs of 'where's my Wagon Wheel', and 'I'll swap you a Lion bar for two Viscounts' were heard drifting through the air. Who's going to upgrade to 9i after that?

And finally, the Round-up would like all our readers to just take a moment to think of poor Emma Tarring. Last week we referred to a piece of research which claimed that miserable people work harder, while happy people get distracted too far too easily. In response, Emma pointed out that there should be special mention of those who work from home. She says that when low morale strikes, she can't help but tackle household chores rather than deal with 'difficult' business contacts - and lord knows we all have them.

So to the woman with the cleanest toilets in Christendom, as she signs herself, the Round-up is with you, heart and Harpic.

We'll be back next week with fractionally less limescale under our rim...