FILE--Adalberto Lara, 24 of Crotech Landscaping trims the lawn around the Compaq Computer Corp. north of Houston, Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2001. Compaq Computer Corp. has been largely a silent party in the bitter fight over Hewlett-Packard's plans to buy the computer maker; analysts say part of the reason is increasing expectations the company will continue to plod on relatively unscathed if the deal falls through.(AP Photo/Chronicle, E. Joe Deering)