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Orange Badge Culture At Microsoft
coolball writes "For those of us that have worked as a contractor (a-dash or orange badge or whatever), Seattle PI's 'Microsoft's 'orange badge' culture gets forum' article caught my eye this morning. He talks about OrangeBadges.com and Contractor's International Network, two forums that have sprung up as a meeting place (cyber & meat) for current/past/future contractors of the empire. If you have been a Microsoftee, then you would laugh out loud in recognition some of the tales he relates."
"It might be psychological, but it does make a difference," he said. "You walk into a meeting and everybody knows immediately that you're orange. It changes things a little bit -- however slightly, but it does."
People recognizing your orange badge instantly makes you an 'outsider' or 'not really and employee' at Microsoft. It is in people's nature to want to belong to a group, and once they see that you are not part of their group, you are not deemed as trustworthy or good enough to be part of their select group.
If I ran Microsoft, I would make a lot of changes but first I would not make badges with an opposing colour scheme. Everyone should have the same badge, eliminating the psychological effect of being an 'outsider' or 'not really part of the same team.' One less thing to worry about and one less possibility for employees to become divisive and uncooperative.
He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
If he's building a site that encourages community, couldn't any other member in the community just as easily make a big push to unionize as he could?
What's the point? They are Microsoft contractors and temporaries usually hired by outside firms. These workers would need to unionize within their own temp agencies and then bargain for better treatment/wages/benefits with them.
I don't see the benefits of independent contractors unionizing as it would defeat the entire purpose of being an independent.
Arguably, you're right--even if parent was meant as a troll. Only 31 posts on OrangeBadges.com with 121 replies. Not exactly a thriving environment. Sorta surprising that this was considered interesting enough for someone to write an article.
What'dya mean there's no BLINK tag!?
The people left homeless in new orleans seem to be the biggest whiners I have seen in the world. *Whine* they didn't rescue us fast enough, they put us in a stadium and we didn't have food *Whine*.
Guess what? No one cares. Some people never had a home, period - especially a cushy historic home in a famous tourist destination.
I really hate the "you have no right to complain because other people have it worse than you" mentality. You're half a step above the "why are we discussing this when people are dying" trolls.
You pay 15.x% up to a certain amount, which employees actually already pay. Your employer pays you less so he can pay the matching 7.7% or whatever it is. As a contractor, you already figure this tax into your billable rate. 20 hours a week at $150 per hour, minus the self-employment tax is still hefty dollars.
I will accept that some contractors are highly skilled problem solving ninjas, well worth the premium they're paid.
The stories that I'm always fed are about contractors who are paid 180-300% what the regular coders get, eat steak every day from their ridiculous per diem and travel compensations, jerk off for a few weeks at the office, then its up to the regular staffers to fix their shoddy code for a month afterwards. And for whatever reason, some companies get stuck in these loops for a long time. A friend of mine built databases for a big big big tech firm (huge chip/IC mfr), and that was his story about twice a month. What was even richer was when he was laid off along with most of his dept while the company increased its reliance on the shoddy contractor work (he found a better position in a couple weeks since he was experienced and talented). Of course, this is more a story about poor management than any real statement about contracting.
This is where I get my recommended daily allowance of "Foot in Mouth."
I have close family that was affected by Katrina. The ones that are whining Whine* they didn't rescue us fast enough, they put us in a stadium and we didn't have food *Whine*. have this sense of entitlement and are losers. They are lazy. These are the same people that were given food stamp and cash credit cards that spent it on televisions, stippers, and booze.
Mind you that this money comes from our taxes so WE are giving these 'unfortunate' people luxuries that we work hard ourselves to EARN.
Now, I'm not heartless and alot of people were put out that deserve a break and a little handout but you never hear of the stories of the families that move their family and start over (like the ones I know) without any assistance. You never hear of the real heroes that provide comfort and security for their familes ALL THE TIME. All we hear is how someone was stupid enough to stay in a flooded house for 2 weeks, get rescued by a recue worker that will never be thanked, and how this person is now going to be evicted from a hotel room.
Well, you know what? GET A JOB.
if you steal from one source, that is plagiarism, if you steal from many, well, that's just research.
Hyperbole isn't just a glorified Mad-lib, you've got to have a valid point.
A statement that applies for one group (Upper Middle-class tech workers) might not apply for another group (Impoverished disaster victims). That doesn't mean the original statement is in any way incorrect.
Dead on. People buy insurance and then expect coverage for every little tiny thing.
I recently lost my wife's wedding and engagement rings, and I was, of course, crucified for this rather significant error in judgement. But we didn't spend a ton of money on the set - probably $2,500 for both - and that's Canadian dollars to boot.
My in-laws think we should go through our house insurance, which i think is ludicrous. I have a $1,500 deductible, so the very best I can hope for is to squeeze $1,000 out of them, which I will, of course, have to pay for myself anyway in the years to come in the form of rate increases.
Insurance is for protection from *catastrophic probems* like your house burning down, writing off a car wreck or covering $250,000 in medical bills for some obscure ailment which strikes unexpectedly.
Ratcheted up your deductible, and your rates go down significantly. Put the deducible in a bank account and use it to cover the little "emergencies" that life dishes out periodically. You'll be far better off.