But morale at HP was said to suffer under Hurd's watch. And obviously, he "doesn't have the best relationship with HP's board," Scavo said.

Not to mention that going back to HP would certainly constitute a betrayal of Hurd's close friend, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, who famously defended Hurd and the HP board after his firing.

Truth be told, anybody wanting Hurd back in the fold at HP is probably dreaming, according to Hamerman.

"[The HP board] made a big mess out of something they could have kept quiet, and embarrassed themselves in the process," he said. "They shouldn't have rocked the boat. But there's no chance he'll go back. That bridge is burned."

The IDG News Service