Microsoft Caste System

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Posted by ryuzaki0 on Wednesday April 9, 2003 @12:26AM from the lowest-bidder-software-creation dept.

Ericka writes "Computer Source Magazine recently published an article on Microsoft's treatment of its contractors. According to some temps, the work environment for these folks has taken a downturn since the resolution of the permatemp suit."

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It's not a conspiracy by otisaardvark · 2003-04-09 00:29 · Score: 3, Funny

They just have low karma...
Typical... by theWrkncacnter · 2003-04-09 00:30 · Score: 3, Funny

"Our caste system isn't a problem, its a feature." Okay, sorry I had to go for the obvious.

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-1 (Troll) is antihammer
C# to the rescue? by oingoboingo · 2003-04-09 00:31 · Score: 5, Funny

I thought C# was supposed to do away with a lot of casting in everyday programming. oh FUCK
1. Re:C# to the rescue? by CrazyJ020 · 2003-04-09 00:52 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  no, with C# they just have to caste explicitly
  
  runtime lawsuits resulting from implicit castes are a thing of the past.
2. Re:C# to the rescue? by the-dude-man · 2003-04-09 01:02 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  you know if we were using java we could just catch a java.lang.classCastException...
  ...and then call the garbage collector.
Oh God! by Joe+the+Lesser · 2003-04-09 00:31 · Score: 4, Funny

They aren't invited to company parties.

This has gone too far! The humanity! Surely the person-to-cake ratio would be sufficient with them included!

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"I only speak the truth"
Karma: null(Mostly affected by an unassigned variable)
1. Re:Oh God! by Chanc_Gorkon · 2003-04-09 01:14 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Peggy: Now Milton, dont be greedy, lets pass it along and make sure everyone gets a piece.
  
  Milton Waddams: yea but last time i didnt recieve a piece.
  
  Peggy: Just pass.
  [the cake passes and everybody but Milton gets a piece]
  
  Milton Waddams: [whispering] I could set the building on fire.
  
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  Gorkman
*crack* RAWHIDE! *crack* by Anonymous Coward · 2003-04-09 00:37 · Score: 2, Funny

Mas'sa: Get back to your cubicle!
Subordinate: No!

Subordinate was eaten by a grue

Mas'sa: Anyone want to join him in his fate?

crickets chirping
duh?! by thesilverbail · 2003-04-09 00:40 · Score: 3, Funny

Many studies have shown that people subtly discriminate against members of an 'outgroup', even if the basis for group membership is something trivial

Thank you for your valuable insights, Professor Plaks. And now, Professor Schmidt will tell us why 25 year old males are attracted to women of their age group.

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I have found a truly wonderful proof of Fermat's Last Theorem, but unfortunately this sig is too small to contain it.
Re:It's happening at other corporations, as well by Anonymous Coward · 2003-04-09 00:44 · Score: 0, Funny

This is not the real Bruce Perens. The real Bruce Perens is now living in a cardboard box outside my home and continually begs for food and clothing. He does not own a computer. I would have thought that he would have saved some money after working at HP, but evidently he ain't got shit after being fired.
Re:Stop whinging by grub · 2003-04-09 00:48 · Score: 3, Funny

Psychological effects of having to wear an orange badge whilst other people have blue badges...? For god's sake, get a bit of backbone.

"You've worked with Open Source? Here's your yellow star."

"You don't like XP? Here's your pink triangle."

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Trolling is a art,
Re:So? Don't work for 'em! by archeopterix · 2003-04-09 00:53 · Score: 2, Funny

If people don't like their work environment, either organize a union, file a lawsuit, or quit. Whining does nothing but make you sound like a whiner.
I prefer to keep the job and become a cynical sadistic lazy immoral pencil-stealing morale-lowering whining obstructionist trying to inflict the most damages while precisely following orders.
Re:Stop whinging by garethwi · 2003-04-09 01:17 · Score: 2, Funny

When I was contracting in New Zealand, we weren't invited to the staff Christmas party, so the contractors all joined together and organised their own. The work organised party was a very civilised dinner, with lots of corporate speeches, whereas the contractor party was the wildest nearly 24 hours of drunken debauchery I've ever been to.

I've never been so happy to be excluded.

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I'm the only one who misread it? by epsalon · 2003-04-09 01:26 · Score: 2, Funny

As mistreatment of constructors, and was looking forward to read about C++?

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Re:This answered a lot of questions for me... by at_kernel_99 · 2003-04-09 03:39 · Score: 2, Funny

I've been in software development for 10 years, 5 of those as a consultant / contractor. I can't remember one client that treated contractors like regular employees. On assignment at IBM, I had a different colored badge than employees, a non-employee email & had to share an office. But nobody's writing articles about what bastards they are over at Big Blue treating contractors like 2nd class citizens. Nobody's questioning the impact of this behavior on their business success. Though, gee, maybe thats why they're not on top anymore. It must then be inevitable that the mighty Microsoft will fall for the same reason right? Give me a phucking break. I don't much care for their software or business practices either, but the gratuitous Microsoft bashing does get old. If the contractors don't like their little orange badges, trade 'em in & get a job at Starbucks. Maybe green will be a better color for them.