“You tell people, ‘I’m an orange badge at Microsoft,’ and pretty much everybody in the tech industry knows exactly what that means,” says Howard Wu, a software project manager who worked at Microsoft through a temporary staffing firm. “It’s practically a subculture in Seattle.”
Wu is trying to do something about it. He has launched an online forum, OrangeBadges.com, that is one of two new efforts to bring together Microsoft contractors, people who work temporary stints at the company. But unlike other initiatives among Microsoft contractors, organizers of both groups say they aren’t trying to create unions.
OrangeBadges.com is meant to be a place where current, former and prospective Microsoft contractors can seek advice, trade information and share frustrations and experiences, says Wu, 26.
The site is still in its infancy. But Wu — who also founded the popular BEAN professional networking and volunteer group in Seattle — says he hopes OrangeBadges.com ultimately gives Microsoft’s contract workers some of the elements of community that were missing from his experience at the company.
When i was still working at the redmond campus (as a blue), a few times a year we’d see a bunch of bozos walking around campus with “WashTech” signs / banners etc. A few people were trying to start a tech-workers union back then.
The sort of people Microsoft wants to hire (as FTEs) are not interested in unionization. Microsoft, more than anywhere else i’ve worked, is a meritocracy where people are vastly rewarded for excellent personal performance. We want to hire people that excel in that environment. People that know they are bright enough that they could walk and find other gainful employment, so don’t put up with things they don’t have to where they are. People that have a variety of options and beleive where they are at is the best available.
There are some distinctions at MS between blue and orange that probably need to remain, but others that could probably go away. The latter are mostly individual actions.. people with poor professional behavior that treat contractors unfairly or as if they’re some kind of lesser person. There need to be some differences in the way you treat the non-blues for legal/other reasons, but that shouldn’t spill into how you treat them as humans. Unfortuneately it is completely possible to work at MS and not really have any sense of how to interact with people effectively [unless you define “effective” as badgering people into submission]. - #
Thats what some of the full time blue badges at one point liked to call any of the vendors/contractors (they get e-mail addresses that start with a “x-” before the username and the different letters stood for differnt contracting & temp agencies. A friend of mine used to work there (went from Orange to Blue badge) said that there were a number of full timers who completely looked down on the contactors. They would ignore thier e-mails, not co-operate with them and brush it off since the temps were just “dash trash”. If this is still happens and full time employees still get away with it, they could use a support forum or two… - #
I started out at M$ as a contractor. (End user support for MSAccess in Irving, TX back in ‘95) I was an employee within six months. (Then an ex amployee six months after that.) When I switched over, the difference was like night and day.
While I was a contractor there was a site wide carnival where they trucked in mini roller coasters and other fun stuff. Contractors were literally ushered out the door and weren’t even told about it beforehand.
One day when I was a full time employee all of the contractors…ALL 700 on site…were fired because of low call volume.
The class action lawsuit brought in later years by former contractors didn’t surprise me one bit after that. - #
I was an orange badge at Microsoft in 1999, when the contractor lawsuits were going on. Other blue badges automatically assumed I was a money-grubbing orange badge, out to get what was rightfully theirs. People would stop talking when I entered a room. What irked me the most was that we had a group outing to Stevens Pass to go skiing. I paid my own way on the trip, and rode up with some of the guys on my team. On the way back, they decided they didn’t want to drive all the way into Redmond, so I had to catch the bus back with the other blue badges. People literally did not want to allow me on the bus because I was an orange badge. I wanted to join and/or participate in a group called GLEAM (Gay and Lesbian Employees at Microsoft), yet they were actively exclusionary too.
What made all this so irritating for me was that I looked at my job at Microsoft as a crowning achievement in my career when I started there - I had every intention of doing my time and converting to blue. I knew I wasn’t entitled to stock options or other benefits since I was an orange badge, but people didn’t seem to recognize that I knew that.
Quite honestly, I still hold a grudge against Microsoft because of this. I work for a large software company now, where contractors that I’ve worked with are treated with the same respect as the full timers. Yeah, they don’t get some of the benefits the rest of us do, but I’ve never seen anyone hold that over their heads. Just about every contractor I’ve worked with here has been converted to a full timer, also. - #
Expect there to be a lot of war stories at this new site. I leave you with this, from Seinfeld:
Kramer: You think that dentists are so different from me and you? They came to this country just like everybody else, in search of a dream.
Jerry: Kramer, he’s just a dentist.
Kramer: Yeah, and you’re an anti-dentite.
Jerry: I am not an anti-dentite!
Kramer: You’re a rabid anti-dentite! Oh, it starts with a few jokes and some slurs. “Hey, denty!” Next thing you know you’re saying they should have their own schools.
Microsoft created its answer to Google’s Zeitgeist: MSN Search Insider, a flashy, fun way to track the top queries, top movers, and popularity “duels”. Yet the site was abandoned in August (the last updated date on the page), and wasn’t publicized (Amit Agarwal just discovered it, and I never heard of it).
Why would Microsoft junk a chance to popularize its search engine without even giving it a chance to succeed?
A Forrester survey last July revealed that only a third of respondents plan to upgrade to Windows Vista in 2006, down from 43% in a survey in 2004, and a full 20% don’t plan to upgrade at all. Of course, they only surveyed 56 people, so it isn’t the world’s greatest survey. I plan on upgrading to Vista, and on buying a new laptop as well when it hits. What about you guys?
(via Vista Buzz)
MakeYouGoHmm has a list of eight things Microsoft can do to compete with Google and AdSense in the coming year. Its an excellent post, with good ideas like MSN Spaces integration and opening AdCenter to all (no invite-only bull). And the best one? “Get the freaking checkbook” out! Yahoo is making you look like fools. There are plenty of great websites out there that can be had for very little and bring oodles of users. So buy ‘em!
Bink has a very long list of the products Microsoft expects to ship next year. The question is, how many will hit their target dates? Anyone want to guess a percentage (or if Vista will go off without a major delay problem)?
The theory behind UAC is sound: When you’re about to do something that requires an administrator’s privileges, you need an administrator’s consent. For a regular user, that means typing in a set of credentials (username/password) that belong to a member of the Administrators group; if you’re already an administrator, you just have to click a Permit button. This option allows you to see when a program or process is trying to do something that can have an impact on your system’s stability, and it’s an effective way to block untrained or naive users from accidentally screwing up their system.
The issue is that UAC notices appear far too often, and appear often in conjunction with warnings from all of your other security software. If you are a user without the priveleges (and password) for UAC approval, you’re better off than someone who has it, even though you’ll be annoyed fifteen times a day.
The reason is that, when a power user is using their own Windows box, they will see all these warnings, and do as I do, and try to close those boxes as quickly as possible, rarely reading or paying attention to them. They get so annoying, and often, that you don’t have time to read them, you just need to get back to work.
I’m in 100% agreement with Ed over the feeling of being swamped by dialog boxes already and I can’t help but feel that things are going to get so much worse when you add programs like ZoneAlarm and Norton AntiVirus into the mix. There’s psychology at work against the system already - the scheme becomes annoying so that I can see users quickly go into a trance over it and just enter their password whenever it asks for one. Result, no protection.
I really hope that Microsoft improves this feature. I’m quickly coming to the conclusion that the dialog box idea doesn’t work and I’d rather see a message area developed for Windows that handled all messages to the user. That might be a lot better than the random mix of dialog boxes, message windows, balloons and such that Windows has become.
I think that the best option is indeed for Microsoft to consolidate system security messages into a single console, one that maybe becomes part of the Windows Sidebar. Messages, from all security programs, would be clustered together based on what action triggered them.
Messages would remain in the security message console until they are approved (or disapproved), and they prevent the program in question from acting, while allowing the rest of the system to operate just fine (and they certainly do not cover the desktop with windows that are steal focus and can’t be minimized).
Users could base their conclusions of the safety of programs on the sheer number of messages and variety of programs, if they have no experience in guaging such things. And if they approve an action, they can approve a whole cluster with one click. Such a process engages the user, instead of annoying the user, and is more likely to work.
Microsoft should push forward to consolidate these messages. Other vendors, like Norton, should make the Windows Vista versions of their programs use a system API. And if they don’t, Microsoft should do it themselves. Security is too serious an issue in Windows to have an abundance of security programs ruin the effectiveness of your setup.
Microsoft is holding a “Guess the Launch Date” contest. Guess the day Windows Vista will launch, and you can win a trip to the launch event, while 2nd-10th prize is an Xbox 360 (2-4 gets the Premium system). You must be a member of The Beta Experience program to enter, and:
All legal residents of Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, UK who are 18 years of age or older will have the chance to win.
Well, you can’t even buy this car. Microsoft and Nissan are unveiling a concept car, the URGE, that has an Xbox 360 integrated, and allows you to play Project Gotham Racing 3 using the car’s steering wheel, gas pedal and brake pedal, all on a flip-down 7-inch LCD screen. And yes, it only works like that when you’re parked, you moron.
The URGE concept car is equipped with the award-winning “PGR 3,” which allows drivers to control a breathtaking trip through the streets of five photo-realistic locations: New York City, London, Las Vegas, Tokyo and the Nurburgring test track in Germany. “PGR 3″ drivers view and play the game on a flip-down LCD screen, which doubles as a rear-view mirror when the car is being used for real driving. They control the action using the Nissan URGE’s race-inspired steering wheel, gas pedal and brake pedal. A Nissan URGE driver can, for example, maneuver through the streets of New York, park the car and fire up the Xbox 360, then virtually race through the same streets using the same steering wheel, gas pedal and brake pedal — blurring fantasy and reality in a way that the automotive world has never before seen.
A very cool idea, but as a concept car you won’t be able to buy it to get around shortages, and you won’t be able to “test drive” the Xbox 360 at your local dealership. You can only see it at the 2006 North American International Auto Show on January 9.
Ubergizmo reports that Microsoft has come out with the Xbox Live Diamond Card, which entitles cardholders to freebies and deals at selected stores. It is available only to those who have pre-paid for a year of Xbox Live. The card comes with your Gamertag printed on it. Participating retailers include Quiznos, Hollywood Video, Sam Goody and Cambridge Soundworks.
(via Findory)
Quote: “It shows you how to use Mess patch to remove all sorts of things from MSN Messenger like the MSN or Passport logos, the MSN Search box, almost any button, and yes, the ads. You can also do things like move the tabs the the right side of the window
Directions On Microsoft has a great article listing the things Microsoft needs to do for 2006. 2005 has been a year of stagnation for the Redmond giant, one of many in which I thought Microsoft had a chance of turning it all around, and instead did nothing. 2006 is the last big one, and I’ll be discussing it more later.
For now, DOM lists, among others, that Microsoft needs to convince enterprise customers Vista is about more than flashy graphics, take a lead on security and reliability, and produce a must-have Xbox 360 title.
(via Slashdot)
Microsoft has announced a settlement with Google over Google’s president of Chinese operations, Dr. Kai-Fu Lee, who was hired away from Microsoft. The (brief) statement:
Statement on Settlement with Dr. Kai-Fu Lee and Google Dec. 22, 2005
Microsoft, Dr. Lee and Google have reached an agreement that settles their pending litigation. The parties have entered into a private agreement that resolves all issues to their mutual satisfaction. The terms of the agreement are confidential and all parties have agreed to make no other statements to the media regarding it.
Microsoft is pleased with the terms of the settlement.
As you know, a trial date had been set for Jan. 9 in the litigation between Google, Dr. Kai-Fu Lee and Microsoft regarding a one-year non-compete period. The parties have settled and have the following statements:
“Microsoft, Dr. Lee and Google have reached an agreement that settles their pending litigation. The Parties have entered into a private agreement that resolves all issues to their mutual satisfaction. The terms of the agreement are confidential and all parties have agreed to make no other statements to the media regarding it. We are pleased with the terms of the settlement agreement.”
- David Drummond, Google vice president corporate development and general counsel
“I am pleased with the terms of the settlement agreement.”
- Dr. Kai-Fu Lee, president, engineering, product and public affairs, Google China
Microsoft has given up most of its ownership in MSNBC, selling more than half of its 50% stake to NBC/Universal, giving NBC an 82% stake and the option to buy the remaining 18%. BetaNews explains that Microsoft is selling off ancilary assets to concentrate on its core business.
The companies declined to disclose financial terms of the deal, which had been expected for months. At the time the venture was announced in 1995, Microsoft said it would invest $220 million for a 50 percent stake in the network.
The joint venture was launched with much fanfare amid hopes that the partnership would build a cross-media partnership delivering the news over both TV and the Internet, which was in its infancy at the time.
But while MSNBC.com has become one of the highest-ranked news sites on the Web, the cable TV channel was later eclipsed by News Corp.’s Fox News Channel, which also went live in 1996.
Today MSNBC still ranks a distant third behind Fox News and Time Warner Inc.’s CNN in the Nielsen ratings, with just 257,000 viewers in November, versus 449,000 for CNN and 889,000 for Fox News.
It’s a shame for Microsoft that MSNBC never worked out. The failure over the last few years can be attributed to bad programming (John McEnroe recording 0.0 ratings) and being less focused, politically, than either CNN or FOX News. For now, the 24-hour news market seems too small to support anything but the highly partisan viewers, and MSNBC was left out in the cold.
Miss Kroes goes bananas again, saying Microsoft didn’t do enough to share source code with its competitors.
Microsoft faces a 2.34 million dollar a day fine for not complying with European antitrust obligations.
Today’s papers in Belgium quote following statements :
“I have given Microsoft every opportunity to comply with its obligations. However, I have been left with no alternative other than to proceed via the formal route to ensure Microsoft’s compliance,” said EU Antitrust Commissioner Neelie Kroes.
To which Microsoft replied, stating new (updated & expanded) documents had been handed in already :
“In the interest of due process, we think it would have been reasonable for the Commission and the Trustee at least to read and review these new documents before criticizing them as being insufficient,” Microsoft General Counsel Brad Smith said in a statement.
The EU Commission said it based its decision on a report by the monitoring trustee of the 2004 agreement, which said that competitors seeking to operate with Microsoft software “would be wholly and completely unable to proceed on the basis of the documentation.”
Dear Miss Kroes :
It is quoted in the report you refer to that “the technical documentation is therefore totally unfit at this stage for its intended purpose.”
Microsoft isn’t an open-source community. They make money from source code they developed. If you were to apply this way of thinking to any other product, you’d even make a bigger fool of yourself than you do now.
If I have a recipe for delicious cookies, and I have a large market for it, would you make me go public with this recipe so that other companies can make the same cookies and make money with that too? Then if you give me a fine like you made Microsoft pony up, you would still be mad if I then published what kind of ingredients I used, without telling how much of each exactly? Apparently yes.
Time to go after Coca-Cola, don’t you think?
How typically European. Yada-yada-yada, we smell cash.
Nobody in Europe wanted a Windows ‘N’. The first thing you do is download a WinMedia player if by any chance you accidentally would have the ‘N’ version, and not some ad-stuffed other boring freeware player. In addition to WinMedia, people use WinAmp, some use Real. These players can exist next to eachother on the same desktop without any problem.
When are you going to sue Real for spreading .rm files? I can’t open them in my WinMediaPlayer. That smells like another monopoly to go after, doesn’t it?
I don’t know of ANY store that sells Windows ‘N’ versions, because no clear-thinking customer wants that. You’re so full of crap.
Do something useful with my tax money instead of wasting it to issues like this. Thank you !
Two weeks ago, when Time Warner Inc. was on the cusp of signing a sweeping online deal with Microsoft Corp., a team of executives from the media company’s AOL unit traveled to Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Wash., to make sure everything was in order.
When the executives returned, they reported back to Time Warner’s top deal negotiator, Olaf Olafsson, with some less-than-satisfactory findings. They had found some of Microsoft’s technology to be clunky, while the contemplated joint venture with the software king contained what they thought were financial pitfalls.
Toss those two paragraphs a few times around and watch even more people desert Microsoft. Does this bother you, Scoble?
(via Todd Bishop)
- #
