Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Working at Microsoft, the Inside Scoop

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the belly-of-the-beast dept.

bariswheel writes "Responding to the public interest, a long-time Apple and UNIX user/programmer, and a JPL/Caltech veteran, writes an insightful, articulate essay on the good, the bad, and the in-between experiences of working at Microsoft; concentrating on focus, unreality, company leadership, managers, source code, benefits and compensation, free soft drinks, work/life balance, Microsoft's not evil, and influence."

12 of 437 comments (clear)

  1. M$ != Evil by Doc+Squidly · · Score: 3, Funny

    What??? You can't post a story about Microsoft being anything other than the Evil Spawn of Hell, sent to crush all who'd stand between it and the total domination of the world.

    Don't they know? This is /.

    --
    I think I think, therefore I think I am.
  2. I don't believe it. by TooMuchEspressoGuy · · Score: 5, Funny
    the good, the bad, and the in-between experiences of working at Microsoft; concentrating on focus, unreality, company leadership, managers, source code, benefits and compensation, free soft drinks, work/life balance, Microsoft's not evil, and influence.

    Sheyah. They all say that until the chairs start flying.

    --
    Many Bothans died to bring you this sig.
  3. Obviously an MS employee by SQLz · · Score: 3, Funny

    Service Temporarily Unavailable

  4. You almost had me... by mlheur · · Score: 5, Funny

    Until I read the "Microsoft's not evil" part. This must be a hoax.

  5. work and microsoft by SolusSD · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm sure working at microsoft is a great career, running microsoft software is a different story.

  6. Re:slashdotted? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny
    try copying and pasting the link into a different tab.
    I use IE you insensitive clod!
  7. Personal Freedom by Billosaur · · Score: 4, Funny
    Microsoft gives software developers a lot of personal freedom over both the work and the work environment. I order my own supplies, customize my office as I see fit, schedule my own trips and meetings, and select my own training courses. I choose when I show up for work and when I leave, and what to wear while I'm there. I can eat on campus or off, reheat something from home in the kitchen or scavenge leftovers from meetings. I can even work remotely from home (within reason).

    Out of Office Reply: I'm not currently in my office, which is being rennovated to accomodate a swimming pool and a helipad, but am instead on a business trip to Hawaii, for a training course in pearl diving. Once I return to Redmond, I'll be happy to get in touch with you, after sampling the fine quailty pizza left over from the last meeting about Vista. Take care!

    --
    GetOuttaMySpace - The Anti-Social Network
  8. Re:suckup? twit? by msblack · · Score: 3, Funny

    Before you attack a person with Ad Hominem charges, check out his CV. The gentleman has more scholarly awards than a roomful of SlashDot readers:

    Awards

    2003 Microsoft Gold Star Award
    2003 US/International Patent (Pending) 304064.1 Common Query Runtime System and API
    2003 US/International Patent (Pending) 303845.1 Query Optimizer System and Method
    2003 US/International Patent (Pending) 301638.1 Query Intermediate Language (QIL) Method and System
    2002 US Patent 1911574.1 XML Views Over Relational Data Using XML Schema
    1996 NASA Grant NRA-96-10-OSS-055, A Collaborative Environment for the Space Interferometer Mission
    1994 Caltech Hinrichs Leadership Award
    1993 Caltech Don Shepard Essay Contest Winner
    1992 Caltech Robert Andrews Millikan Scholar (again)
    1991 Caltech Robert Andrews Millikan Scholar
    1990 National Merit Scholar
    1990 Oklahoma Academic All-State
    1990 Valedictorian, Midwest City High School
    1989 1st in seven-state region, American High School Mathematics Exam
    1989 Principal Mallet Percussionist, Oklahoma All-State Band
    1988 Principal Mallet Percussionist, Oklahoma All-State Orchestra

    --
    signature pending slashdot approval
  9. Re:suckup? twit? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    You're right. I would never question the authority of a "Principal Mallet Percussionist", especially one who mentions it on his CV.

    Just don't let this guy near a machine room...

  10. Re:embedded in this message (not surprisingly) by caffeination · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yeah, except all the Microsoft bashing I see here at +5 is reasoned. The only time there are peasants and pitchforks is in the caricatures painted in comments like this.

  11. Re:embedded in this message (not surprisingly) by covertbadger · · Score: 2, Funny

    (My elementary school principal used to tell me, "It takes two to make a fight!" What bullshit.)

    The only reasonable response to this sort of nonsense is to punch the idiot in the face. At least you know they can't hit you back without incriminating themselves.

  12. Re:Wow, you *nix blowhards crack me up... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Seriously, who do you folks think you are. Besides being, on the whole, the basement and server closet dwelling *nix geeks wearing sandals and shorts and playing MMPOGs or coding..."

    You got that sterotype wrong. I'm sitting in a major corp office space with a red stapler, TPS reports, cubicals and all. And if you are not a POSIX type you must be that "other" blowhard type that cracks us up even more.