Microsoft employees are arguing among themselves over who is to blame for the delay in the launch of Windows Vista. One disgruntled insider named Who da’Punk voiced his feelings in a blog posting under the heading ‘Vista 2007. Fire the leadership now!’.
Microsoft Employees Call for Ballmer to Go
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Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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I hope noone is in chair range!
… developers, developers, developers!
That’s one of the greatest songs ever, my favorite. Apart from that I don’t think that Ballmer is to blame for the delay on Longhorn (or Vista as people call it now), if Bill Gates where the CEO things would not have been much different, Ballmer is jutst being made a scape goat in this case. Ballmer is not writing the code for Vista, the software engineers are. Vista delay is more of a marketing decision.
Edited 2006-03-28 16:20
Can I choose Bill Gates
“Can I choose Bill Gates”
Sure, then he says “ok, F it” and leaves and sells all his stock, which causes MS stock price to dive which then causes the whole tech industry to dive.
Frankly I think too many people think Bill Gates is the centre of the tech industry world. One of these days the guy’s going to have to die of old age and then what? Do you think the world will implode on itself.
If Gates folds for whatever reason that simply means change, if anything the abundance of good operating systems that have been around prove that replacements aren’t too hard to find. If you think Windows is a cut above every other operating system that’s been around then you’re simply fooled by all the third parties bending over backwards to write applications and drivers for Windows. That is something that would simply have happened to some other OS had Microsoft and Bill Gates never been.
That said Gates founded the company, the founders of companies should never be cut out of the picture unless they choose to sell their stake. He could loose his position as CEO, but he shouldn’t loose the voting power his stock grants him.
Gates isn’t really in charge of anything
He’s just a large shareholder that has an office, makes pretty speaches and perhaps throws ideas around. He doesn’t really manage anything.
… how do we know these are actual, current Microserfs?
Why should we assume they aren’t?
Because its easier to lie on the internet when you’re anonymous.
It’s also easier to stay employed and still criticise your employer. And do you honestly want to assume that those HUNDREDS of comments are all a bunch of liars?
There are more geeks on the internet that don’t like MS than geeks on the internet that work for MS.
There does seem to be a fair amount of comments that are not coming from MS employees.
It is also easier to say the truth when you are anonymous
… how do we know these are actual, current Microserfs?
We don’t. But it’s a blog known for being a blog by a Microsoftie, and known to be used as anonymous expression valve for Microserfs, known to be frequented by a lot of Microsoft employees.
And if you read the comments, either there are a lot of people in on the joke, referring to internal build processes, company structure, stock deals, loads of manager names, and no real Microsoft employee is calling them on it, or most of them are genuine.
Edited 2006-03-28 02:23
The politics of large institutions can be quite byzantine. No one on the outside can be quite certain who is posting these articles. They probably are MS employees. It’s interesting to speculate who within MS might be behind this. The lament about missing Holiday sales seems like the kind of thing sales people might complain about particularly if they know that the CEO is already upset about this. I can not imagine software engineers being unduly focussed on a particular release date. It might be that the sales force which has no direct influence or control over the engineers is agitating in the hope of stimulating action from on high.
I have to agree with this one. Judging Microsoft on its internal politics is not somewhere you want to go. As for the blogger, I can’t say I approve of airing the company’s dirty laundry on the internet. It’s one more reason for my distaste of employee blogs. Between Jonathan Schwartz’s blog and stuff like this, well, it all paints a very undignified picture. However, since it seems that such blogs are inevitable, I wish people would keep their blogs on the up-and-up. I think IBM’s blog guidelines are a model for what employee blogs should look like: http://www-03.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/page/jasnell?entry=blogg…
Edited 2006-03-28 03:41
Why? One could argue that the stockholders should be privy to such things rather than perhaps not getting the truth from the higher ups or Microsoft’s PR department. God forbid, corporate execs should be embarrassed. It would seem to be light punishment for perhaps a subpar performance whereas a worker lower down the rung after a subpar performance might be out of a job. No, people not speaking out when things are wrong (granted they may or may not be wrong in this situation) would be the corporate equivalent to hollering “National Security” everytime there’s something embarrasing to cover up. Even more undignified would be believing or knowing something is wrong and standing by idly while it happens. A shake up inside Microsoft wouldn’t be the end of the world.
Why?
It’s a matter of principle. Employee grievances should be handled through the proper channels of communication within the company. If the company doesn’t have proper channels of communications, and it appears that might be the case at Microsoft, then that’s really the company’s fault, and the company is responsible for the consequences. However, that still doesn’t give employees the right to air the company’s dirty laundry in the media.
No, people not speaking out when things are wrong (granted they may or may not be wrong in this situation) would be the corporate equivalent to hollering “National Security” everytime there’s something embarrasing to cover up.
Your analogy is incorrect. A corporation is not a country. A government works for the people. Employees work for the company. Corporations are not democracies, and should not be run that way.
Even more undignified would be believing or knowing something is wrong and standing by idly while it happens.
I’m not objecting to them doing something, I’m objecting to them publicizing internal politics. You could argue that such actions could potentially benefit the company in the long run, but that’s besides the point. Decisions relating to the public image of the company are in the domain of management and its public relations staff. If they don’t want certain things publicized, that’s their call. The “rank and file” don’t have the right to make that call for them.
Which law states that employees can’t complain about internal corporate policies in public? A corporation is not a country and it doesn’t have to be run like democracy, but that doesn’t mean corporation have the right to tell people how they can act in public. Certainly, an employee that talks about internal politics in public should suffer the consequences, but that’s about it, there is no law on this issue.
Certainly such actions might be unethical, but who cares. It’s only a corporation, since when do they care about acting ethically. Especially Microsoft, they are not known for acting ethically.
Why don’t you support a good cause or something, not act as apologist for corporations, I am sure they will be fine without your help.
Which law states that employees can’t complain about internal corporate policies in public?
No law, just common sense. To steal a quote, “men must be governed”. Corporations are hierarchical affairs for a reason, and making a habit of acting outside that hierarchy can be very dangerous to the running of the company. Now, if you don’t care about the health of your company fine, say what you want. But if that’s the case, perhaps it is more honorable to go find work somewhere you do care about.
It’s only a corporation, since when do they care about acting ethically.
A corporation is just a group of people. If something you do “unethically” causes Microsoft’s stock to tank and causes your coworkers to lose a lot of money in their 401k’s, is that fair? What gives you the right to make that decision about all your coworkers? Management has that right, by definition, but employees simply do not. To use a somewhat seedy analogy, this situation is like posting naked pictures of your bitchy ex-girlfriend to get back at her. Yeah, maybe she deserved it, but is it the right thing to do?
Edited 2006-03-28 17:13
I agree with you up to a point, however the problem is that while employees are held accountable, often managers aren’t, and failure is a rewarded as success. In fact, if you go up to the top, CEOs often make more money when they fail (through over-generous severance packages) than when they succeed!
Most managers have the wrong idea: employees don’t work for them, they work for the employees, i.e. it is their duty to make sure that employees receive clear tasks, objectives and directions. A bad employeed might do a little damage, but a bad manager will do a lot…and yet chances are his job is a lot more secure, because he can blame problems on his employees.
Of course, this is in part due to the Peter Principle…
Now, if you don’t care about the health of your company fine, say what you want. But if that’s the case, perhaps it is more honorable to go find work somewhere you do care about.
If I am not mistaken, I think Who da’punk is in fact worried about the health of his company. He is giving suggestions as to the way to make it healthy. He isn’t simply chanting ‘DEATH TO MS, DEATH TO MS, LOOK AT HOW MUCH MS SUCKS! DEATH TO MS!’ He’s trying to expose mismanagement in a safe manner to make MS healthy. Maybe if shareholders react then the mismanagement will be fixed?
It’s a matter of principle. Employee grievances should be handled through the proper channels of communication within the company.
All very nice and proper, but it never happens like that. Dirty laundry is put out around water coolers and coffee machines all over the place, and since Microsoft is a more public company than most with a lot of money at stake, they simply have to put up with it. This is just one giant coffee machine. The grievance procedure in jus about all organisations is seldom ‘official‘.
It’s a case of like it or lump it I’m afraid.
It’s a matter of principle. Employee grievances should be handled through the proper channels of communication within the company.
No doubt in perfect world that would just fine. But clearly this is the only recourse these people have. Especially after last year when someone was fired there simply for taking pictures of the G5 PowerMacs arriving at Microsoft’s loading dock. After that episode, who would dare speak out. We all know know how Gates would love to have absolute control. But it could be advantageous for Microsoft to allow the employees to speak out like this rather than, say, file a class action lawsuit against the company. I’m sure they could find grounds for one if they look hard enough.
If they don’t want certain things publicized, that’s their call. The “rank and file” don’t have the right to make that call for them.
This is old fashioned thinking. No doubt, Dale Carnegie would have appreciated that kind of mindset, but if we learned anything about corporations in this last century, it’s that they must be held accountable whether it’s something minor like this or something major like Enron. Bill, perhaps, needs to clean up his house, and if he doens’t know where the dirt is maybe someone else can show him.
Especially after last year when someone was fired there simply for taking pictures of the G5 PowerMacs arriving at Microsoft’s loading dock. After that episode, who would dare speak out. We all know know how Gates would love to have absolute control.
See, this is exactly what I’m talking about. How do you know that employee wasn’t fired at the behest of Jobs himself? How do you know he wasn’t fired because Jobs was furious at the breach of his precious security, and made some calls? The thing is you don’t. You have no idea what Microsoft’s internal politics are like, and that’s precisely why such debates shouldn’t be dragged out into a public that cannot understand the context.
No doubt, Dale Carnegie would have appreciated that kind of mindset, but if we learned anything about corporations in this last century, it’s that they must be held accountable whether it’s something minor like this or something major like Enron.
Accountability in the sense of Enron refers to actions that may be illegal. There is no allegations of illegal action here. Outside legality, the internal workings of a company are really none of the public’s business.
I can’t read the PCPro article, since it requires registration which I’ll be damned to fill in, but I’m assuming it’s referring to the Mini Microsoft blogposting that was referred to here:
http://osnews.com/permalink.php?news_id=14098&comment_id=107668
here:
http://osnews.com/permalink.php?news_id=14102&comment_id=107847
and somewhat indirectly, here:
http://osnews.com/comment.php?news_id=14127
In other words, 3 and a half days ago, 3 days ago, and although referring to the above 2 posts, hours ago. Kinda old news by now..although it had around 326 comments earlier, and now has 479.
Which in itself is amazing, but not newsworthy.
EDIT: check out the blog’s newer posting however. ‘Who Da Punk’ comments on his previous entry and the number of comments generated. He relativates some elements, emphasises others.
Edited 2006-03-28 02:00
As long as I remeber reading that blog (Mini Microsoft) the author is calling for management to be trimmed.
Not to say that he is not right (because he is, yet another Vista delay proves it), but it is really nothing new.
A lot of comments on theat blog seem to like the idea of Sinofsky being moved from Office to Windows. They think he’ll do a better job keeping things in order and getting them done on time. With the recent news about Office being delayed ( http://osnews.com/comment.php?news_id=14127 ), perhaps that confidence is a bit misplaced. Not that one guy could whip all of such an huge codebase into shape anyway, just saying the figurehead might be slightly tarnished.
There really wasn’t any delay, the heads of Microsoft saw a opportunity to increase X-Box sales this next holiday season and therefore delayed consumer Vista past the holidays on purpose.
It just so happens to also give them a opportunity to make sure Vista is more secure and stable for buisnesses, their primary market.
There really is no other viable alternative to Microsoft’s dominance in the buisness space, they will adopt to Vista when they buy new hardware in their normal upgrade cycle.
It’s not like they are all of a sudden going to switch to Mac’s and retrain everyone.
Who this hurts is companies like HP, who sell a lot to consumers during the holiday season.
So to cover this head honcho move, a few heads are rolled and some management changes made, some propoganda spread and agitation made.
After all Microsoft doesn’t want Dell and HP to start making their own OS and buisness product software.
Anyway that’s my 2¢. Just a wild thought.
I don’t think that MS is using the time to secure / better the OS for business. Their press release indicates that Vista for corporate customers will likely be rolled out several months before Vista for consumers.
Additionally, the recent news about developers being pulled from Xbox to work on Vista implies the media-rich consumer versions. Namely, what appears to be the case is that they’ve found many problems with DRM, A/V codecs, and playback performance — enough to call in an overhaul of a very substantial portion of that part of the codebase.
I expect that you’ll see the corporate versions come out about 2 months before the consumer versions, and that there will be a service pack to enable the media features in the corporate versions.
>>Their press release indicates that Vista for corporate
>>customers will likely be rolled out several months
>>before Vista for consumers
At first, version will be released for “partners”, not for “customers”. Do you know what it means? “Partner” will silently wait for update. Only partners are ready to download 10M of patches every day.
Same story again… Remember release of Visual Studio 2005? Yes, it was released, finally. “At all costs!”. With a lot of problems, almost untested (even not all basic scenarios were tested).
Why so big gap between “business” and “final” versions? MS keeps silence. “Problems with security”? WTF? “business version with securiry problems” is Ok, but “customer” version not? Strange logic. It looks like pure “marketing decision”.
Microsoft is hemoraging billions in devoloping this new OS and basically they are trying to catch Apple and Linux.
There has to be a better alternitive to MS.
I have been using linux for desktop for more than 3 years. Despite that we already have some high-quality desktop applications such as firefox and gimp, there are just not enough of them. For instance, where is a multimedia encyclopedia like Encarta? Or a multi-language translator like UltraLingua? Or programs specially for making icons? (like IconWorkshop)
Well, you could buy a mac, but are you really going to pay for every softwares you use? (remember nobody makes crack for mac apps!)
Mac apps are cracked all the time. You are uniformed.
You are uniformed.
In blue jeans and black turtleneck perhaps?
I don’t know where to begin, Encarta? wtf are you doing in the 1980’s still get onto wikipedia or if you have some thing for encarta go to http://encarta.msn.com/ same for language translation (ever heard of Babelfish), you got me on the icons program but hey if tooling around with icons is your thing, you may as well stay with windows.
No cracks for Mac Apps? There are plenty out there but seriously the law is there for a reason, if you disagree with a law fight to change it, dont break it.
As far as icon programs are concerned, aren’t Gnome/KDE icons supposed to be SVG (scalable vector graphics) soon? This means that any SVG-compatible program can be used.
Now, for bitmap icons, one can just use the Gimp and export to 32×32 (or 48×48) .png.
I think the original poster didn’t realize that Linux systems can use a variety of image file formats as icons, instead of the queer “.ico” of Windows…
“Or programs specially for making icons? (like IconWorkshop)”
Why do you need a program specially for making icons in this day and age? Inkscape is great for this, scalable SVG icons, how can you ask for more? How do you think all the Tango icons are being created?
Edited 2006-03-28 08:55
Reading this I am amazed.
I really think this is the start of something big.
It seems everyone has been frustraited over at MSFT, and just hasn’t said anything about it until now…
The Shi*t is hitting the fan, it seems.
Yes, but nobody’s willing to *do* anything about it. As long as they’re collecting their paychecks and benefits (still copious for the industry), none of those employees is going to stand up and cry foul. Like they all say, it’s basically a management feeding frenzy; any peon that dares to speak against the powers that be faces extermination and a sullying of their name.
No, what’s happened is that a company that’s long prided itself on being different because it rewarded enthusiasm in its employees is becoming like the rest of corporate America: a soul-sucking 9-to-5 that feeds its workers’ stomachs whilst starving their minds. The only hope for developers in the software world is Google, which has out-Microsofted Microsoft, daring to best the goliath at its own employment game by emphasizing fun and creativity in the workplace; so much so, in fact, that it’s become a part of their development model (20 percent time or whatever it’s called). That, or a startup.
Here is more of his baloney: http://www.forbes.com/home/enterprisetech/2006/03/22/ballmer-micros…
It’ll be nice to see how this fans out since it is basically a deflection of attention away from the SCO trial at the moment.
It’ll be nice to see how this fans out since it is basically a deflection of attention away from the SCO trial at the moment.
There’s not even one single reason to worry about it. Hell, you can only smile about this. It basicaly means:
1. They notice you … checked
2. They ignore you … checked
3. They laught at you … checked
4. They started being scared … checked
5. They fight you … checked if they proceed
6. They lose … NOT YET, but it is doomed to be in this progress
Just as SCO made a mistake of attacking giant corp like IBM, MS made mistake too (they waited too long). They might even stand in this a chance in the pre-IBM times. Now not.
Few reasons why this is only laughable matter:
1. Linux has gone a long way from being hobby OS, companies depend on it. And some of the biggest see it as proffit, they will sure fight for their money. In the pre-IBM years MS could simply fight hackers working on kernel and it is a done deal (no sweat).
2. Patents are not enforceable everywhere
3. Probably all MS patents can be dropped on prior art.
4. OIN (Open Inventors Network).
Ballmer is just admiting MS does not see a solution and showing how stupid and childish he is. And instead of choosing the right one and start making better or more open products, they will try to enforce their way on everybody (basically MS against the world or in simple translation MS pissing against the wind).
Edited 2006-03-28 15:53
it’s amazing somebody hasn’t spoke up sooner actually, Windows and Office are Microsoft’s flagship products. Imagine if GM missed the ship date for a new car or truck anounced to ship in XXX year! Factories get closed, workers get laid off, heads roll… That investors aren’t screaming at somebody is a real shame. That, or they know Microsoft is such a monopoly that new products don’t really matter much, after all, they collect full price for everything they ship right now.. there’s no discounts on “old” products anymore for OEMs, the beauty of software.
The only good news from all this is that it only proves Microsoft management is really fat and really lazy right now! That’s the formula that killed off most of the competition [not innovation] on their way up the food chain, now it’s their turn. Novell could stand a real shot with their new Desktop. If the anti-MS mojo goes around to enough OEMS at once Microsoft won’t be able to fight it thru the usual means. At this point the Novell & the DOJ should start taking careful notes of who Novell talks to and who “changes” their mind with “prodding”. All the pieces are there for sudden violent change, it would seem the change would be slow, but MS is pushing it’s weight around for so long it could be sudden and violent… sounds like fun!!!
someone’s going to be f*cking killed!
It’s software, not hardware.
The whole article is just 100% pure speculation.
Of course there are employees that want to see Ballmer (aka Monkey Boy) leave. But thats the case with any company.
Now if there were some serious animosity inside the Microsoft camp they would problably band together and arrange official protests or something related.
The workers doesn’t become idiots just by working for this company.
they need steve jobs help
“they need steve jobs help”
Nope,only his cashflow.
I have said it before,it’s time for some new blood in charge at MS.The visionair pool has been empty since the end of the good old eighties.
Somethig happening in MS imperia. Something really bad.
Too much marketing. About “mess on all levels” I’ve heard several times from different people. We’ll see. May be it is beginning of the end. May be we need “new microsoft”.
>>Well, you could buy a mac, but are you really going to
>> pay for every softwares you use? (remember nobody makes
>> crack for mac apps!)
🙂 Funny! You know, internet P2P networks are full of pirated Mac apps.
What’s the best way out of this for them? War. They will turn all of their engineers in to warriors and take over Seattle. Once Washington State is secure, Oregon and Idaho are a piece of cake. The US Army is spread so thin they will be able to march right across the country wreaking havoc… trashing every Apple Store they find on the way.
One thing people (both in Microsoft and outside) don’t take into consideration, is that the market is not ready for another Windows upgrade, yet. In that sense, the delay is not something MS should be particularly worried about.
Delaying Vista for a few months will not have any impact on Microsoft, in my opinion. Microsoft has lots of money to spare, and it is not that in a few months people will switch to Linux or MacOS. Furthermore, people/companies are not willing to change their WinXP O/S unless Vista offers them a good reason to do so; and from what I have seen so far, Vista has few things really necessary for average everyday use of a computer.
Microsoft’s financial year runs from June to June, I believe, so if they get Vista into the hands of OEMs when they say they will, Microsoft really isn’t going to lose much. Several analysts have pointed out that this delay doesn’t mean a great deal since probably 99.9 out of 100 of MS customers will not move elsewhere just because of this (and are probably happy with WinXP). Those that do move were probably ramping up to move anyway.
Microsoft’s whole board is in this up to the hilt, none more so than Mr Gates himself. You don’t sign off on multi-billion projects just on a whim. If they got rid of a main board member now it would look terrible. Changes are more likely to happen long after Vista is out, perhaps when developments from Google et al throw into question Microsoft’s whole sprawling, monolithic approach to operating systems generally.
In the meantime, Who da’Punk’s blog serves its purpose, I would guess, because if it didn’t Microsoft would chase it down and close it.
What everyone seems to be missing here is that Microsoft’s developers, by and large, have stock in the company and receive dividends. Of course they are not going to be happy when Microsoft misses the two biggest sales seasons of the year for them: back to school in the Autumn and then the holidays. They are going to miss out on a nice fat financial boost because of it.
I also don’t believe that Microsoft’s customers will en masse migrate away from Windows and Office due to a delay, but their shareholders (including their employees) *shouldn’t* be happy about it.
(how MS will force users to install Vista)
After some “WindowsUpdate”:
Message after reboot: “New Windows version is available on WindowsUpdate. Download and install? [Yes]/[Reboot]”.
After first reboot initiated by Vista installation:
“Your current hardware configuration doesn’t supports Vista operating system.
[Reboot]”.
PS: everything is so easy…
//”Your current hardware configuration doesn’t supports <insert distro here> operating system.//
Funny, I get a similar message when I attempt to install Ubuntu/Fedora Core 4/Mandriva/Suse 10.0, and try to configure my computer’s PCI wireless networking card. And don’t even tell me how “easy” it is to use ndiswrapper …
Desktop Linux is taking big strides (especially Suse 10), but hardware support is still lacking.
What’s your wireless card? If it is a Broadcom, try out Linuxant’s Driverloader. It works flawlessly on my Compaq Presario laptop.
Ndiswrapper is pretty easy to use on Ubuntu, as long as you have the original Windows drivers, BTW.
Gates has complimented Ballmer enough in public, I don’t really think it’s probable that he will be moving from Microsoft anytime soon.
On the other hand, in the unlikely event that he will get fired, it’s entirely possible there will be better Microsoft products.
However, if that happens — and timely enough — Vista will be delayed for improvements.
This is not a democracy