Try resting merry IT men
Let nothing you dismay
Remember data centers
Still run on Christmas Day
To let the punters get their mail
and keep bidding on eBay
O tidings of commerce and cash,
Sold in a flash
O tidings of commerce and cash…

This year in Redmond, Washington,
Was a new OS released
And hyped with wild abandonment
As if it were the best
Which the IT market
Treated as if it were a jest
O tidings of Vista for thee,
I’ll stick to XP
O tidings of Vista for thee…

And over at that knavish SCO
Bless’d bankruptcy arrived;
And certain wealthy financiers
To their own gain did connive:
And that is how the knavish SCO
Is improb’ly kept alive
O tidings of issues that are gray,
And won’t go away
O tidings of issues that are gray.

"Fear not peeps," said the ISPs,
"Let nothing you affright,
Your packets won’t be mess-ed with
We send ‘em quick and bright
But we control the networks so
You can trust we’ll do it right."
O tidings of net neutrality,
Won’t work for me
O tidings of net neutrality.

So what’s the year been like for you
Oh, what has come to pass?
You still work 15 hours a day
As if a broom’s stuck in your hand
At least you’ve kept your job
From flying to another land
O tidings of profits and pay
At least for one more day
O tidings of profits and pay

Ought-seven’s been a busy year
I think you will agree
There’s been a lot of stuff a-happenin’
As your letters told to me
And ought-eight shows no sign of slowin’
When it comes to technology
O tidings of stress every day,
Try cabernet
O tidings of stress every day.

Gibbs is festive in Ventura, Calif. Party on down at backspin@gibbs.com.