tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post115308116853806992..comments2024-03-18T12:52:48.117-07:00Comments on Mini-Microsoft: Intel-ligent Re-designWho da'Punkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18205453956191063442noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-67760356712967976872009-01-22T05:17:00.000-08:002009-01-22T05:17:00.000-08:00Thanks u r informationThanks u r informationAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1157634602358894012006-09-07T06:10:00.000-07:002006-09-07T06:10:00.000-07:00Check out Intel's wrongdoing atmalfy.org.Check out Intel's wrongdoing at<BR/><A HREF="http://malfy.org" REL="nofollow">malfy.org</A>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153676365203298442006-07-23T10:39:00.000-07:002006-07-23T10:39:00.000-07:00We should embrace and enhance our mediocrity by ta...We should embrace and enhance our mediocrity by taking advantage of our considerable cash flow. <BR/><BR/>I wonder if anyone in Finance has ever considered the option of converting to dividend trust/quasi-REIT status. Employment and infrastructure would be reduced to support and enhancement of core products and most income would be paid out as dividends quarterly. I'd guess that the annual payout rate would exceed 15% even while retaining a nice cushion. If that doesn't encourage stock appreciation, I don't know what would. SteveB still has delusions of ruling the world though, so it's probably not a valid option.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153497985656157982006-07-21T09:06:00.000-07:002006-07-21T09:06:00.000-07:00I've been here a long time - both in the field (US...<I>I've been here a long time - both in the field (US only) and at corp, and this is the first I've heard of 2 level differences between field and corp.</I><BR/><BR/>This is actually true, but if you have worked all your life in US you would never experience this. This is more international problem. In addition to that amount of responsibilities in international 61 is higher then in corp. role at 63 and basically any move to corp. is a demotion in terms of impact you can bring to the company as part of your job.<BR/><BR/>Microsoft is losing a lot of strong people from international subs, who would never relocate to Redmond due to this stupid HR leveling rules.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153450041477693462006-07-20T19:47:00.000-07:002006-07-20T19:47:00.000-07:00There's an irony in all of the complaining over mi...There's an irony in all of the complaining over mismanagement, the stock price and the slams against IT.<BR/><BR/>I think the folks in the Redmond ivory tower really are utterly disconnected from reality. Mini's IT rant demonstrates it well.<BR/><BR/>Microsoft continues to follow old patterns and adhere to bad old habbits in a world that is transforming around them.<BR/><BR/>Only within Redmond's walls can someone really not understand why IT (and consumers as well) would be reluctant to install/deploy the massive piece of bloatware that is Office 2007.<BR/><BR/>Increased price, an ENORMOUS footprint, the total overhaul of a UI that has been around for 10 years and all in exchange for what? Worse performance, a (marginal as usual) increase in commodity features and a (claimed) increase in productivity if you can get people to relearn everything they know? That's the answer to Google? It's a joke. THATS the reason why the stock is flat. It goes well beyond ineffective management. <BR/><BR/>Vista broken into 7 SKUs, SA mandatory for the Enterprise edition, BitLocker (the one feature of EE that means anything), lacking compared to 3rd party apps, the all new Vista UI not matching the all new Office 2007 UI, and neither of them matching any other app that is likely to run on the platform. The list of bad decisions which demonstrate a TOTAL disconnect from the reality of computing today and where it is going is ENDLESS.<BR/><BR/>At this point, why WOULDNT a customer simply deploy Open Office if the next MICROSOFT Office is going to require extensive retraining and an uncertain document conversion requirement?<BR/><BR/>Ranting against IT? You'd be dead without them and every year Microsoft gets worse at catering to them (yet the folks that post on this /blog mind bogglingly think their managers are PANDERING to IT to the DETRIMENT of MSFT!)<BR/><BR/>Meanwhile, Microsoft has not made ONE interesting move in the consumer space despite BLINDINGLY obvious examples set by Apple, Google, MySpace, Skype and every other more interesting company with a better grasp of where computing is heading.<BR/><BR/>You want a strategy that would actually have a shot at rescuing the sinking ship? Drop Office as a consumer SKU all together and release it for consumers as a pure web service BROWSER based app (before Google finishes the rest of their Office suite). <BR/><BR/>Keep a fat client SKU around for enterprises and power users and create a CONFIGURABLE UI and footprint that doesnt FORCE change and bloat on folks that DONT need it. Provide IT the tools they need to very easily configure the footprint of said app and deploy it and offer them compelling tiered pricing that doesnt attempt to blackmail them into spending top dollar for every desk that has a worker that needs to type a memo.<BR/><BR/>Honestly, the only two areas where Microsoft doesnt appear to be dangerously stumbling are dev tools and SQL server. <BR/><BR/>There is no way that level of failure can be blamed entirely on management. Maybe even YOU'RE to blame as well Mini. Ready to get in line for the layoff?<BR/><BR/>I've been reading this blog for a while, but this particular comment really brought a lot of clarity for me. The devs in Redmond really just dont "get" the needs of their customers and what both consumers and IT want and need (here's a hint - it isnt bigger, fatter, more power hungry apps that are impossible to deploy and support). As long as Redmond continues to ignore customers and assume that "they know best" and that IT is "pathetic and lazy" Microsoft will remain vunerable. As long as Redmond remains deliberately blind to the fact that CONSUMERS want SAFE, CHEAP, FAST and EASY and not big, massive, expensive, hungry and laden with rarely used features, Microsoft will remain vunerable.<BR/><BR/>I really hope you get what you wish for. A massive wave of new management that sweeps in and bashes the rest of you over the head with what you clearly sorely need - a nice dose of reality.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153436410472761692006-07-20T16:00:00.000-07:002006-07-20T16:00:00.000-07:00I know this is late for this blog entry, but...For...I know this is late for this blog entry, but...<BR/><BR/>For the guy that wanted to be an SDE at MSR - I'd say go for it. The other writer was correct that there is a lot of disconnect between the product teams and research, but that's probably a good thing. When you do interact with the product teams, it will be with folks that WANT to talk to you. And the MSR guys always seemed a lot more collegial to me than the average product team.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153431740294524872006-07-20T14:42:00.000-07:002006-07-20T14:42:00.000-07:00There is one big problem with the idea of cutting ...There is one big problem with the idea of cutting staff at MS or anywhere:<BR/><BR/>if the management structure is already out of touch and out of whack then they will keep tame pets and kick out the wild horses.<BR/><BR/>It's not likely that inefficient management will even cut staff randomly, but will more likely to be cutting the best people. <BR/><BR/>When heads roll it is always politics that decides whose.<BR/><BR/>ThomasAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153412692190880002006-07-20T09:24:00.000-07:002006-07-20T09:24:00.000-07:00I work in the field as a L63 (corp)/L61 (field) ma...<I>I work in the field as a L63 (corp)/L61 (field) manager ... </I><BR/><BR/>I've been here a long time - both in the field (US only) and at corp, and this is the first I've heard of 2 level differences between field and corp.<BR/><BR/>Most field people I know who came to corporate actually took a level cut for the priveledge of working in mecca. My move was "lateral".<BR/><BR/>Can any softies shed some light on this?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153412515170941972006-07-20T09:21:00.000-07:002006-07-20T09:21:00.000-07:00"Now that we have transitioned out of the personal..."Now that we have transitioned out of the personal computer era, you will find growth in other places."<BR/><BR/>Funny, Ballmer says no other company is as well positioned as MSFT and Gates says Ballmer is the best possible CEO for MSFT. So are they both lying or wrong or are you? BTW, my point wasn't that MSFT's stock performance should be better than any high-flier upstart in an emerging growth area. It was that it's been pathetic even for a modestly growing industry titan and management needs to get off their collective asses and start addressing that - versus paying themselves 100's $M for doing such a "great" job.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153411750233526662006-07-20T09:09:00.000-07:002006-07-20T09:09:00.000-07:00"As an aside - anyone know why the field job level..."As an aside - anyone know why the field job levels are 2 above corp in general?"<BR/><BR/>They actually have to deal with customers and don't have all the perks of campus?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153411497714101232006-07-20T09:04:00.000-07:002006-07-20T09:04:00.000-07:00"Apple's stock has no relation to Microsoft's at t..."Apple's stock has no relation to Microsoft's at the moment (Apple is primarily a Consumer Electronics company, Microsoft is primarily a PC Software company), so comparing the too brings no light."<BR/><BR/>At the moment or over the past 10 years in fact - but AAPL was just one example. You could pick almost any major MSFT competitor over the past 5 years and get a similar chart with MSFT lagging badly. And they don't have to be in the exact same segment as long as they compete for the same [tech] investor $.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153400726619781492006-07-20T06:05:00.000-07:002006-07-20T06:05:00.000-07:00Private folders was not our finest hour. It is bet...Private folders was not our finest hour. It is better off dead.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153372511249069732006-07-19T22:15:00.000-07:002006-07-19T22:15:00.000-07:00Any move to trim management, especially poorly fun...<I>Any move to trim management, especially poorly functional management should be encouraged. </I><BR/><BR/>Even if well-functioning management has to suck-up to lousy (but "well-connected") management in order to keep their jobs that doesn't make them good management. It makes them malleable. That's it. I guarantee you if Microsoft is stormed by a greater power, these people won't be standing next to you in the battlements. They will be looting the vaults and making off with as much as they can. They will figure its their reward for having to serve jerks for as long as they did.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153370758506417832006-07-19T21:45:00.000-07:002006-07-19T21:45:00.000-07:00Is there something preventing you from buying Appl...Is there something preventing you from buying Apple stock? Apple's stock has no relation to Microsoft's at the moment (Apple is primarily a Consumer Electronics company, Microsoft is primarily a PC Software company), so comparing the too brings no light. Just buy Apple stock if you want to. Just be sure to sell it before it slides back down (despite today's report, APPL is down more than 30% from Jan 2006).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153368805544675642006-07-19T21:13:00.000-07:002006-07-19T21:13:00.000-07:00I'm entertaining an offer for an SDE position in o...<I>I'm entertaining an offer for an SDE position in one of the groups at Microsoft Research. I read this blog semi-regularly but can't recall anyone commenting on what's it like to work at MSR. What do people think? <BR/></I><BR/><BR/>If you plan to spend your whole career at MSR, go ahead. If you want to eventually move to a product group, then don't. Researchers can't teach you product quality dev processes so without prod group experience, you'll be stuck there forever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153366810600660912006-07-19T20:40:00.000-07:002006-07-19T20:40:00.000-07:00The rumor I heard about the i-cups was that there ...The rumor I heard about the i-cups was that there was some contract dispute between the Bean providers and MS Dining.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153365143966810002006-07-19T20:12:00.000-07:002006-07-19T20:12:00.000-07:00Regarding the compare of msft to aapl and the fact...Regarding the compare of msft to aapl and the fact that aapl is now "kicking our butts"?<BR/><BR/>Yes, you are looking at things wrong. You should look at the entire picture.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=MSFT&t=my&l=off&z=m&q=l&c=aapl" REL="nofollow">MSFT vs. AAPL (the complete picture)</A><BR/><BR/>During the personal computer ere, I was lucky enough to be heavily invested in MSFT and did very well. Much better than had I been similarly invested in AAPL.<BR/><BR/>The personal computer era is over. Now, we are living in the network era. Lets look at another chart.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?t=my&s=MSFT&l=off&z=m&q=l&c=goog" REL="nofollow">MSFT vs. GOOG (the complete picture)</A><BR/><BR/>or<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?t=my&s=MSFT&l=off&z=m&q=l&c=yhoo" REL="nofollow">MSFT vs. YHOO (the complete picture)</A><BR/><BR/>Now that we have transitioned out of the personal computer era, you will find growth in other places.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153350785083342572006-07-19T16:13:00.000-07:002006-07-19T16:13:00.000-07:00"And of course, will end with management reaffirmi..."And of course, will end with management reaffirming how very bullish they are about the future despite their caution for the upcoming Q(s)."<BR/><BR/>Exactly. Meanwhile, folks like AAPL are blowing the doors of their quarters:<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.asp?feed=OBR&Date=20060719&ID=5880121" REL="nofollow">Apple profit rises 48 pct, helped by iPod sales</A><BR/><BR/>And seeing their 5 and even 10 year stock performance leave MSFT in the dust:<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?t=5y&s=MSFT&l=on&z=m&q=l&c=aapl" REL="nofollow">Apple vs MSFT - 5 year chart</A><BR/><BR/>I guess we're just being impatient and/or failing to take a long enough view. Right.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153346260068883782006-07-19T14:57:00.000-07:002006-07-19T14:57:00.000-07:00'Softies, a question about management layers. Exac...<I>'Softies, a question about management layers. Exactly how many links are there in the chain of command between BillG and a typical MSFT employee who doesn't have anyone reporting to them? At my job (~16,000 FTEs) the head of the company is five layers up: me -> my director -> my VP -> my SVP -> the CIO -> The Boss. Nobody under the CIO has more layers than that -- it may vary in other orgs though not by much.</I><BR/><BR/>You can't compare 5 layers in a 16k FTE org with a 60k org. It's apples to pears. Add in the fact we have 40k contingent staff - how many are in your 16k FTE org? Bear in mind contingents are managed via the same org chart as FTEs.<BR/><BR/>I work in the field as a L63 (corp)/L61 (field) manager of IC's (as opposed to a manager of managers). There are 8 levels between Bill & I. Compared to the customers I work with, this is not bad - it's not the best, but it is by no way the deepest org tree. Take a look at the chart in banks or big Government departments, neither of which typically have as many employees as MS. Then you see REAL unnecessary depth.<BR/><BR/>As an aside - anyone know why the field job levels are 2 above corp in general? It's not for $$$ reasons, given the package for corp people is not as good as most of the subs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153346009523703552006-07-19T14:53:00.000-07:002006-07-19T14:53:00.000-07:00This is how Microsoft ends,This is how Microsoft e...This is how Microsoft ends,<BR/>This is how Microsoft ends,<BR/>This is how Microsoft ends,<BR/>This is how Microsoft ends,<BR/>Not with a Vista but with a Mini...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153341696950496462006-07-19T13:41:00.000-07:002006-07-19T13:41:00.000-07:00Wondering if I'd be so lucky as to get suggestions...Wondering if I'd be so lucky as to get suggestions or viewpoints from some of the excellent, good looking people who write and comment on this blog.<BR/><BR/>I'm entertaining an offer for an SDE position in one of the groups at Microsoft Research. I read this blog semi-regularly but can't recall anyone commenting on what's it like to work at MSR. What do people think? Am fresh out of grad school so no experience at Microsoft except an internship. Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153331201094958942006-07-19T10:46:00.000-07:002006-07-19T10:46:00.000-07:00Guys, should we expect a pay adjustment anytime so...Guys, should we expect a pay adjustment anytime soon i.e. bigger than last 2 yrs raises? The reason I ask is because new hires at level 59 are easily paid more or very close to level 60 employees today. Isnt this unfair?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153323105394251692006-07-19T08:31:00.000-07:002006-07-19T08:31:00.000-07:00""I don't have a Starbucks machine in my kitchen."...""I don't have a Starbucks machine in my kitchen."<BR/><BR/>I too have been wondering when the Starbucks I-Cup will be installed into our building. So far it hasn't shown up yet..."<BR/><BR/>Five reasons you probably don't need to worry about your Starbucks Coffee Machine at Microsoft:<BR/><BR/>1. Balmer is really pissed at Starbuck's Howard Schultz for selling the Sonics, and thereby upstaging a classic Microsoft strategy of bait and switch.<BR/><BR/>2. In the realm of all things, if you can, go out on a clear night, away from any city lights at about 3:00 in the morning and look up at the visible trailing arm of our pinwheel galaxy, noting the remnants of an ancient cataclysmic collision of another galaxy arm merging in its wake and consider what is important. (thinking about incoming asteroids, comets and pending ramp up of WWIII also has the same effect).<BR/><BR/>3. The head of HR is Catbert.<BR/><BR/>4. I am Catbert.<BR/><BR/>5. This is a test of employee values the pointy haired guy and I are running in your midst.<BR/><BR/>Backup plan: go to the web, order a coffee maker of your preference, get a nice metal thermos that will look real blue collar and make you cool at work, go to Costco and buy their two lb bag of Kirkland Starbucks beans for $10. Yer done! (you will need a coffee grinder though).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153314380074203892006-07-19T06:06:00.000-07:002006-07-19T06:06:00.000-07:00PacketStorm 255255255255.blogspot.com saysin manag...PacketStorm 255255255255.blogspot.com says<BR/><BR/>in management-land, and that there are too many monkeys in the tree.<BR/><BR/>-<BR/><BR/>Another tribe of monkeys called HR is also sitting in the tree.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1153312920522538512006-07-19T05:42:00.000-07:002006-07-19T05:42:00.000-07:00... how unprofessionally a lead had conducted hims...<I>... how unprofessionally a lead had conducted himself and written an outrageous bitchy review for his report. The lead though incompetent in every way - project management failure, people manager failure, hardly familar with technologies. Yet this lead seemed to have survived merely by having "contacts", coffee, lunch/dinner with all the right people. Needlessly to say the team was utterly demotivated. People left and hardly anyone who joined stayed on! Ironically this person is still a lead, if not in the same immediate org!</I><BR/><BR/>But for the comment about technical acumen, since the person with whom I have experience <I>does</I> keep up with technology, this sounds like an experience I lived around last review period in one of the Windows orgs. Same outcome: the reward was to move the lead who'd alienated his staff up and out of the way of the people responsible for doing the work. He left his team in shambles and the teams near it full of post-nervous-breakdown refugees from his team. It took me a good 6 months of reduced productivity to recover. This is not an appropriate situation to put a gold star achiever into. No, I'm not a slacker, I got two on other teams before that one.<BR/><BR/>IMNSHO, if you affect a team that negatively, you need to be OUT, or at the very least, put back into one of the positions whose vacancies you caused and given the "opportunity" to live as an IC with the aftermath of the bad decisions you made as a lead. Promoting such a person, as a kindler and gentler way to solve the problem, isn't the way to keep the problem from happening again. That action ensures that neither the person at fault, nor ambitious observers who might be looking for a way up, get the message that this is unwelcome behavior.<BR/><BR/>Hmmm.... of course.... maybe as corporate politics go, it <I>isn't</I> unwelcome behavior. And maybe the problem isn't hopeless leads, but the mid-level managers to whom they report either lacking backbone or a sense of what <I>doing the right thing</I> looks like for the company as a whole.<BR/><BR/>Thinking about it (LisaB, are you listening?), looking for orgs in which leads with lots of attrition and trouble filling heads have been promoted, and looking at cronyism among the mid-levels in that area, might not be a bad place to start the process of mini'ing Microsoft.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com