tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post116183582702868101..comments2024-03-18T12:52:48.117-07:00Comments on Mini-Microsoft: Microsoft FY07Q1 ResultsWho da'Punkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18205453956191063442noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162547235302113312006-11-03T01:47:00.000-08:002006-11-03T01:47:00.000-08:00We announced 11/30 as the ship date (to businesses...We announced 11/30 as the ship date (to businesses, not retail) for Vista.<BR/><BR/>Why the fuck couldn't we do that last week when we announced our earnings? We gave folks what...a week? to bitch about how we're still not committing to a release date.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162353309910715362006-10-31T19:55:00.000-08:002006-10-31T19:55:00.000-08:00Mini, I know you are not posting the Richie Rich v...Mini, I know you are not posting the Richie Rich vs Raggedy Anne posts any more, but I would like to respond briefly to the quote below. I am the one who posted the TLDR thing about the homeless experience.<BR/><BR/>>>"I honestly don't know which group I loathe more--the people who claim they are poor because they don't drive a new SUV or the people who wag their fingers sanctimoniously and talk of their rich depth of knowledge about the indigent (don't lecture me unless you know my history of volunteering). But maybe the latter."<BR/><BR/>I only posted that because I was growing a little weary about all the whining going on in some of the posts about not having enough.<BR/><BR/>BTW, what I wrote, I actually experienced as a homeless person and not as a college student and it was just a couple of years ago not 20 years, and it was in LA, and yes, I am like you, a techie with a professional degreed background in a technology field. And what I wrote wasn't even a surface scratch of what really goes on--that is a book maybe, and yes I'm in my fifties.<BR/><BR/>If Softies are embarrassed, you shouldn't be, I'm not. Its purpose here was just to clear the decks a little about a really inane topic. Maybe it makes you uncomfortable, and for that I apologize, God knows its a no (desire to) repeat experience. Call this my 'Meet John Doe' moment (referencing an old Frank Capra film with the same title, same subject). <BR/><BR/>John Doe.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162352960542545552006-10-31T19:49:00.000-08:002006-10-31T19:49:00.000-08:00I work for a major UW booster. We have 1/5 the emp...I work for a major UW booster. We have 1/5 the employees of Microsoft and raised 1/3 the amount of money. Our directors get personally involved the regional organization, and officer-level donations are measured and announced before the general staff. Accountability begins at the top.<BR/><BR/>Personally I don't support the United Way because (1) the middleman issue--I want to get INVOLVED not just outsource my conscience--and (2) specific concerns about the politicization of the United way.<BR/><BR/>Poor at Microsoft? Sure, everyone's different. Uncovered medical expenses (e.g. a sick sibling or parent), gambling addiction, other personal issues, bad investments. There are many ways to be poor while having adequate income, and not all are the individual's fault.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162303834846035012006-10-31T06:10:00.000-08:002006-10-31T06:10:00.000-08:00Conspiracy theories about how "anonymous" it reall...Conspiracy theories about how "anonymous" it really is or not aside, I just want to connect w/o having to be on VPN<BR/><BR/>---<BR/><BR/>Nothing is anonymous inside Microsoft including MSPOLL. If someone makes an Al Qaeda threat in a blog, there should be a way to track it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162259953502253122006-10-30T17:59:00.000-08:002006-10-30T17:59:00.000-08:00I am impressed. Jeff Raike announced in the http:/...I am impressed. Jeff Raike announced in the http://give web site that MSFT has raised 63 millions for the giving campaign. <BR/><BR/>I think our partners should have given a lot this time. Good for them and good for all of us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162234652033339742006-10-30T10:57:00.000-08:002006-10-30T10:57:00.000-08:00So Mini, I'm curious what *you* think about the in...So Mini, I'm curious what *you* think about the internal blog? I assume you've been reading it...and perhaps even posting to it?<BR/><BR/>Maybe you could create a blog entry about this. :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162232915175272632006-10-30T10:28:00.000-08:002006-10-30T10:28:00.000-08:00A lot of serious and good discussion is going on i...<I>A lot of serious and good discussion is going on in the new internal blog and only the topics too sensitive to risk posting within MS remain here.</I><BR/><BR/>As a field based employee who can only reach the internal blog when on VPN, I'd have to say that I'm just a bit more than disappointed by it. We have enough things published externally that still require your domain credentials (and others that also add the additional requirement of your smart card) that it wouldn't be difficult to add this blog to the list of things published with smart card requirements via ISA 2006.<BR/><BR/>Conspiracy theories about how "anonymous" it really is or not aside, I just want to connect w/o having to be on VPN...IS THAT TO MUCH TO ASK?????<BR/> <BR/>If that system is good enough for me to do Expense Reports, why not for reading/posting to Lisa's blog?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162232373951322362006-10-30T10:19:00.000-08:002006-10-30T10:19:00.000-08:00I do agree poor-vs-rich debate was idiotic.But I d...I do agree poor-vs-rich debate was idiotic.<BR/><BR/>But I do see that the participation numbers in the Giving campaign is a relevant parameter to see how happy, satisfied, and secure employees feel. An sad, unsatisfied, and uncertain heart is less likely to contribute than an happy, satisified, and secure heart.<BR/><BR/>Participating in a good cause is never a function of poor or rich. The extent is. So as long as we only see the number of people (meaningfully) participated and not really how much money each has contributed the topic of rich vs poor is irrelevant.<BR/><BR/>By and large, my personal feeling is that Microsofties as group have shown a much higher percentage of participation than employees at most other tech-companies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162223227693650032006-10-30T07:47:00.000-08:002006-10-30T07:47:00.000-08:00Mini, please please PLEASE stop the inane, off-top...<I> Mini, please please PLEASE stop the inane, off-topic garbage about who is poor and who isn't.</I><BR/><BR/>Okay, I agree with you. This has run its course and pretty much entropied at this point.Who da'Punkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18205453956191063442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162221901229175772006-10-30T07:25:00.000-08:002006-10-30T07:25:00.000-08:00No wonder MSFT isn't doing so well. It's filled wi...No wonder MSFT isn't doing so well. It's filled with people who actually believe that driving an "older 80s car" is "being poor". Unbelievable<BR/><BR/>-<BR/><BR/>MSFT is a public company. Microsoft is run for the partners by the partners.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162197480466923292006-10-30T00:38:00.000-08:002006-10-30T00:38:00.000-08:00>No wonder MSFT isn't doing so well. It's filled w...>No wonder MSFT isn't doing so well. It's filled with people who actually believe that driving an "older 80s car" is "being poor". Unbelievable.<BR/><BR/>Please bear in mind that basically what you're seeing is the dregs of MS, if they're MS employees at all. A lot of serious and good discussion is going on in the new internal blog and only the topics too sensitive to risk posting within MS remain here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162189570343452272006-10-29T22:26:00.000-08:002006-10-29T22:26:00.000-08:00Mini, please please PLEASE stop the inane, off-top...Mini, please please PLEASE stop the inane, off-topic garbage about who is poor and who isn't. I honestly don't know which group I loathe more--the people who claim they are poor because they don't drive a new SUV or the people who wag their fingers sanctimoniously and talk of their rich depth of knowledge about the indigent (don't lecture me unless you know my history of volunteering). But maybe the latter.<BR/><BR/>This arose out of the observation that MS is a two-tiered company. That's relevant to the general subject of Microsoft management and whether the executives are out of touch. Please stop dragging in this holier-than-thou "I once ate a TV dinner" or "I worked in a shelter ten years ago when I was in college" BS. It doesn't belong and 99% of it is totally idiotic and embarrassing to read.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162181867485148412006-10-29T20:17:00.000-08:002006-10-29T20:17:00.000-08:00I am completely bewildered that anyone who works f...<I>I am completely bewildered that anyone who works for MSFT would even try to justify this "I understand poverty" routine. Let's deal with the facts. shall we? You work for a fortune 500 company that pays 60% on average - that means you're not starving. And your benefit package alone...tack on at least another 16K for that. You actually claiming that having to commute and implying that makes you poor reminds me of a spoiled brat. You want poverty? Hang out with some Katrina victims or some eldery in the CD whose have to sell their homes bc they can't pay the property taxes anymore. <BR/><BR/>To even imply you are poor makes me thing you were two things: a - very young and b-a bad hire.</I><BR/><BR/>You're ignorant. Employees at Microsoft may not be living in poverty by the national definition, but there are many non-core technical people at Microsoft who keep the company running and don't make the same pay grade that enables the majority to live comfortably in this area.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162171329547457622006-10-29T17:22:00.000-08:002006-10-29T17:22:00.000-08:00I too am really tired of the Giving campaign. I l...I too am really tired of the Giving campaign. I like how it launches shortly after we get our Sept. bonus and SA grants. It would be interesting to see the donations if they launched it earlier. For me, it doesn't matter much. I use every penny of whatever bonus I get to pay down the credit card I racked up from the previous year. I am not a spendthrift, I don't even have cable TV rather the high cost of living puts me in this uncomfortable situation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162158005014632482006-10-29T13:40:00.000-08:002006-10-29T13:40:00.000-08:00The poor at Microsoft. Yep we are there to. Not ev...<I>The poor at Microsoft. Yep we are there to. Not everyone there has a wife at home taking care of the house. Not all of us make over 50K a year with families to support. Try living in poor housing conditions driving older late 80's vehicles and the money you do make just makes the payments on rent and food and keeping your family going and having very little at xmas.</I><BR/><BR/><BR/>Oh, OK. How about you try this. Try living in a run down home filled with black mold and no furniture with no car and no conceiveable way of making an income, the idea of christmas for your kids a complete joke. Try depending on shelters for food, water and clothing. THAT is poor.<BR/><BR/>No wonder MSFT isn't doing so well. It's filled with people who actually believe that driving an "older 80s car" is "being poor". Unbelievable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162157226020191002006-10-29T13:27:00.000-08:002006-10-29T13:27:00.000-08:00So, with all this talk about partners being butter...So, with all this talk about partners being buttered up and the programmers being starved poor - do the engineers realize that unless the partners (well at least, the better ones) were selling the product they are building, no one gets paid? Partners will undoubtedly get paid more than your top notch software engineer for a good reason too - they rake in the money with their skills. Most engineers wouldn't know their a-hole from a hole in the ground when it comes to selling or communicating with people.<BR/><BR/>Yes, partners that don't sell jack, obviously, should not be remunerated the same as partners who sell the most, but I think that's already taken care of.<BR/><BR/>So stop bitching - if Microsoft didn't know what it was doing, as "bad" as it might seem to you on the inside, they would not be the company they are today.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162156804123662172006-10-29T13:20:00.000-08:002006-10-29T13:20:00.000-08:00>> Um...you do realize that even having a car or b...>> Um...you do realize that even having a car or being able to afford a bus pas puts you into middle class - right?<BR/><BR/>Hmm, we probably have different definitions of what "middle class" means. To me "middle class" means that I should be able to live comfortably (i.e. be able to pay mortgage and have money left for an occasional trip somewhere with my wife and kids) and be able to put my kids through college. <BR/><BR/>As of right now, I can not afford to buy a home within 30 minutes drive of Microsoft. And it's not like I'm a recent hire either - I have my glass prism already. When "giving" means "taking from my family", I don't think I'm in a position to give. Particularly when there's some stupid "target" percentage pushed from up above.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162153312756385062006-10-29T12:21:00.000-08:002006-10-29T12:21:00.000-08:00Ah yes, what a weird turn of discussion. Poverty?...Ah yes, what a weird turn of discussion. Poverty? At Microsoft, lions and tigers and bears oh my. If you wish to give without the United Way suck-a-thon, I suggest you find your nearest homeless shelter, walk in, and look around. Better yet, spend the weekend there just to get a feel for the velvet covered seating before you part with one dime. Some shelters are only open at night, so call ahead and find out what is involved. If you don't want to do it that way, call up and offer to come in a couple of nights a week to cook (food that you donate) or help in any way they might need. Do not drive by and throw your old clothes and items of no use to you any more into their driveway. The manages of the shelter see this a lot, wealthy people who think their garbage is someone else's treasure. Not so. It's still garbage.<BR/><BR/>In America, if you are ever lucky enough to spend more than a month in one, then things will start to really become clear to you. The first thing you notice is that there are a minimum of two different groups of people. The chronic homeless who do not want to work and have become accustomed to living on the streets (usually suffering from the likes of alcoholism, drug addiction with additional aspects of things like hepatitis A, teeth falling out (one tooth root canal can cost $1000) and a seriously different and dark view of the world) and the other group of those who have suffered an incredible turn of events, bad luck, or just dumb luck either way. <BR/><BR/>Both groups are filled with mentally ill people because to get there and stay there, not all your plugs are firing in the correct order. Might be your husband beat the crap out of you for years and you just walked away one day, maybe your brain is fried and you just can't seem to figure out what is going or it could be that you just can't stomach going over to labor ready and being ripped off being paid minimum wage (your take would be around $57/day, and their take would be double that) for sweeping construction sites while the Mexicans are getting $18/hour for framing houses (no exaggeration here). There is a newer group of boomers who can no longer get a job doing what they are good at. Believe it or not, a lot of older talent cannot get a job at all simply because they are over 50. And that group is getting larger and larger as the boomer generation get into retirement age.<BR/><BR/>Understand that homelessness has different tiers of seriousness and different places of existence. Besides the two group system mentioned above, there are also differentiators that separate you by where you live and what you live in. The lowest level is you have nothing, live on the street or in a tent of sorts. The next level up is you live in a homeless shelter, and the next level up from that is you live in an old trailer, usually parked in a trailer park in some place that does not notice that the trailers never move and this is no RV Park. It might be in a bad or worthless part of the state next to a railroad track, and the water is probably not drinkable and the state and federal government probably feeds back funds to the owners for providing these folks a place to live. Understand that having a trailer to live in is still homeless, because you are always at risk of being parked on the curb by events of normal people not having to want the homeless anywhere in their sight. The land gets confiscated, eviction notices are served and since most of those trailers have no way to be moved, the county hooks them up and tows them to impound, after the sheriff forcefully removes you from your property that is illegally parked on the side of the road.<BR/><BR/>Some of the places you can find homeless people near you (other than the usual urban alleys and streets): under bridges and unoccupied grounds near highways and train tracks, in old unused state and federal forest campgrounds, in thickets of places where people do not often go. They have to stay close enough to where they can find food but far enough away as to not get noticed. Know that if you give money to a bum on the street it is likely to be used for alcohol and drugs as it will never never be enough to really get off the street. Besides these people do not want you to insult them by giving them money, but they take it anyway because they have no choice. I once read about a bum who when confronted with the fact that he was a hobo and not who he thought he was, just walked out onto the freeway and was killed by a car rather than live one more day that way.<BR/><BR/>Go to it folks, and to you who do not want to give, I understand that completely. They say children have no conscience and zero empathy. The level of emptiness peaks at around 14. As you get older and experience real life, sometimes that changes sometimes it doesn't. There will always be a large percentage of people who not only don't care, they can't because they don't know how.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162147017989322942006-10-29T10:36:00.000-08:002006-10-29T10:36:00.000-08:00Anyone want to bet that giving campaign will be "e...Anyone want to bet that giving campaign will be "extended" this Monday by another week or so? Our group is 25% below the "target".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162137398448773392006-10-29T07:56:00.000-08:002006-10-29T07:56:00.000-08:00Poor at Microsoft.Yep we are there to. Not everyon...Poor at Microsoft.<BR/><BR/>Yep we are there to. Not everyone there has a wife at home taking care of the house. Not all of us make over 50K a year with families to support. Try living in poor housing conditions driving older late 80's vehicles and the money you do make just makes the payments on rent and food and keeping your family going and having very little at xmas.<BR/><BR/>But hey it beats digging ditches right?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162114474810158042006-10-29T01:34:00.000-08:002006-10-29T01:34:00.000-08:00Come on, folks. The $1k "leadership givers" are no...Come on, folks. The $1k "leadership givers" are no different than those buying $1k plates at political functions. It is about getting face time and access. Oh yeah, and helping those less fortunate than "us".<BR/>Play the game. Read allegory of the cave.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162110635193912222006-10-29T01:30:00.000-08:002006-10-29T01:30:00.000-08:00Look at the number that have to take long commutes...<I>Look at the number that have to take long commutes to Campus, look at the cars in the parking lot as this is a clear sign of the haves and have nots.</I><BR/><BR/>Um...you do realize that even having a car or being able to afford a bus pas puts you into middle class - right? Are you saying you are poor? Do you eat out of garbage cans or use food shelters?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162110510100353182006-10-29T01:28:00.000-08:002006-10-29T01:28:00.000-08:00Never assume that all Microsoft employees are rich...Never assume that all Microsoft employees are rich.>>><BR/><BR/>I am completely bewildered that anyone who works for MSFT would even try to justify this "I understand poverty" routine. Let's deal with the facts. shall we? You work for a fortune 500 company that pays 60% on average - that means you're not starving. And your benefit package alone...tack on at least another 16K for that. You actually claiming that having to commute and implying that makes you poor reminds me of a spoiled brat. You want poverty? Hang out with some Katrina victims or some eldery in the CD whose have to sell their homes bc they can't pay the property taxes anymore. <BR/><BR/>To even imply you are poor makes me thing you were two things: a - very young and b-a bad hire.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162105507686081062006-10-29T00:05:00.000-07:002006-10-29T00:05:00.000-07:00Re:giving campaign. I've not given any cash (hint....Re:giving campaign. <BR/>I've not given any cash (hint..<B>not</B> cash) during the giving campaign and I'm made to feel like a fucking villain (but I'm on the leadership team???). Everywhere I turn...from inbox to the cafeteria, I can't escape the perpetual hounding. You what to keep reminding employees? Fine, do it your way. But for the love of god , don't try to make me feel guilty about it. And to our GM whose giving numbers are sadly the worst in our division - the fact that you decided to organize <B>your separate group-giving event</B> during the <B>same time slot as the division wide giving event</B>, thats just pathetic. That really sent a great message to your employees, which is <B> you don't care about giving</B> - all you care about is your own stupid numbers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1162099350872840382006-10-28T22:22:00.000-07:002006-10-28T22:22:00.000-07:00I also work for a company (not Microsoft) that is ...I also work for a company (not Microsoft) that is in on the United Way extort-a-thon. The guy who described them as a crime syndicate is right on the money. Also, the management pinheads who are always behind these pushes are extraordinarily repulsive. The vulgar equation of money with caring speaks volumes (how many of these people volunteer their time in any meaningful way?). Not to mention these managers and VPs live like princes and then dun their underlings to contribute. Wow, you are so awesome Mr. I Gave A Miniscule Portion of My Undeserved Largesse to Some Nameless Charity That I Couldn't Give a Rat's Ass About. I hope I can grow up to be like you someday.<BR/><BR/>They will screw you out of a decent raise and then yelp that you need to help THEM hit THEIR "giving" targets. Makes me want to puke.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com