Sigh. Hewlett-Packard.

After two months, one booted CEO and lots of lost stock-market value, H-P has changed its mind about spinning off its giant consumer PC business. H-P said in a statement this afternoon that it will keep the business, the world's largest consumercomputer maker.

Admittedly since H-P announced in mid-August it was exploring a spinoff of the PC business, it has backtracked a little every day. H-P's stock price ended the day 4.8% higher. It is relatively flat in after-hours trading as H-P made its decision to backtrack on its version of New Coke.

Here's how H-P's tune has changed (or evolved, perhaps) about its PC business.

February: Then CEO Leo Apotheker told The Wall Steet Journal that being in consumer businesses like PCs gave H-P 'an immensecompetitive advantage.'

August: Apotheker said 'we need to sharpen our focus,' and that to do so 'you need to take significant action.' H-P announced it believed 'the exploration of alternatives for [consumer PC business] will help the company accomplish its strategic goals and pursueprofitable growth and enhanced shareholder value.'

September: Meg Whitman, who took over as H-P CEO after Apotheker was pushed out, gave herself some wiggle room to hold onto PCs. 'I am supportive of the actions that were announced on August 18th,' said Whitman, in reference to the possible PC spinoff and other moves. On the other hand, as our Journal colleagues reported, Whitman also said, 'I will obviously step back and take a hard look at this.'

Mid-October: Our colleague Ben Worthen reported H-P was rethinking the idea of spinning off the PC business.

Worthen wrote: 'The new analyses, which Ms. Whitman and other executives are now studying, suggest the company is better off keeping the division, which contributed $40.1 billion in revenue and $2 billion in operating profit in H-P's last full fiscal year