UPDATE: Please take the time to read my followup post, Fifteen Minutes of Fame, for my thoughts on what happened after I posted the picture, why it happened — and most importantly, why I don’t blame Microsoft for their actions. Thanks!
The day started like any other day — get up, dink around for a bit, bus into work, and start working through the stack of jobs. Just shy of an hour after I got in, my manager came in and asked me to step into his office when I had a chance. Sure, no biggie, and I headed over as soon as I finished the job I was setting up.
“Okay, here’s the first question. Is this page,” and here he turned his monitor towards me, letting me see my “Even Microsoft wants G5s” post from last Thursday, “hosted on any Microsoft computer? Or is it on your own?”
“It’s on mine. Well, it’s on a hosted site that I pay for, but no, it’s not on anything of Microsoft’s.”
“Good. That means that as it’s your site on your own server, you have the right to say anything you want. Unfortunately, Microsoft has the right to decide that because of what you said, you’re no longer welcome on the Microsoft campus.”
And that simply, as of about 2pm today, I once again joined the ranks of the unemployed.
It seems that my post is seen by Microsoft Security as being a security violation. The picture itself might have been permissible, but because I also mentioned that I worked at the MSCopy print shop, and which building it was in, it pushed me over the line. Merely removing the post was also not an option — I offered, and my manager said that he had asked the same thing — but the only option afforded me was to collect any personal belongings I had at my workstation and be escorted out the door. They were at least kind enough to let me be escorted out by one of my co-workers, rather than sending security over to usher me out, but the end result is the same.
More frustrating for me is that, having read stories here and there on the ‘net about people who had for one reason or another lost their jobs due to something on their weblogs, I thought that I had done what I could to avoid that possibility. To my mind, it’s an innocuous post. The presence of Macs on the Microsoft campus isn’t a secret (for everything from graphic design work to the Mac Business Unit), and when I took the picture, I made sure to stand with my back to the building so that nothing other than the computers and the truck would be shown — no building features, no security measures, and no Microsoft personnel. However, it obviously wasn’t enough.
So, I’m unemployed. I am somewhat lucky in that I’m not technically unemployed — I am still on the roster for my temp agency, who has been very good to me so far (and hopefully will continue to be), but as their ability to place me anywhere does depend on the current job market, it’s not a foolproof guarantee of employment coming in quickly. I’ve put a call into them and let them know of the situation and that I’m available and willing for whatever can be found, so with any luck, they’ll be able to find a placement for me. However, it appears that it’s also time for me to start hitting the streets and shopping my resume around again.
Wish me luck.
373 Responses
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The list of reasons Microsoft sucks so badly just keeps growing. This is ridiculous. hug
oh god. Sorry
Omg. That’s just incredible. You must have stepped on somebody’s toes - nay broken somebody’s toes… It’s amazing what people and corporations get pissy over. Microsuck just needs a swift kick in the nads and I volunteer! No one sacks my friends! Unless it’s the other kind of sack - if you know what I mean…
Holy fucking shit, I think your month just got way worse than mine. I can’t believe they dismissed you for something so harmless. Can you really be fired for that? Are they terrified of letting people know where their shipping dock is?? What the fuck??!!
Needless to say I’m shocked that your post title really meant what it implied.
Let me know if you get in a financial bind - I know I’m not the only one who reads your blog who would scrape together a few extra bucks to make sure you have rent/food money. In fact, I’d venture to say that some folks with popular blogs would put up a tip jar in your stead, even if you don’t.
Also, I’m pretty good at editing documents and making them look pretty - I’ll help on your resume/cover letter if you want any assistance.
hugs from me as well.
Oh, Kiddo. I ache for you. And you thought it was only family and friends who were interested in your blog. Big Brother was not on your list of expected readers.
We love you.
I am stunned. So sorry that such a little thing lost you your job. I hope you find something else quickly and I appreciate your posting on this topic as it validates my own paranoia about what content I allow the world to view with my own blog.
But yikes! Hang in there…
That’s a load of crap to put it a nice way. I remember reading that post and saw no security issues. But that’s Microsoft for you. Just another good reason I use Linux. As someone already said, “the list of reasons Microsoft sucks so badly just keeps growing”.
This is just beyond the pale. I never thought they’d screw someone so close to me on the Kevin Bacon metric. I’m sorry, man. Let me know if there’s anything that I can do.
I’d say “that stinks”, but I’d be telling you something you already know. I offer my sympathies and my shared astonishment. On the plus side, you don’t have to worry what they think of your blog any more. You could certainly let them have it, if that’s what you feel like doing.
Ridiculous! Utterly insane! At the risk or repeating earlier responses, Microsoft couldn’t possibly suck any worse! They’re total idiots! I agree with Kirsten—if there’s anything I can do to help, let me know. I’m also quite adept at editing resumes and cover letters. (‘Sides, I owe you for all of your editing help on my various projects!) Lots of HUGS from me too!
We are sorry to hear of your job situation. Michael, we will remember you in our thoughts and prayers. Just remember you were looking for a job when you found the one you were at and with your talents, you will be able to find another one. Good luck and keep the faith.
First of all, I am so sorry!!!
Secondly, can your agency place you elsewhere or has Bill Gate’s actions blackballed you?
Thirdly - is there a free legal clinic in SEA? I am not sure what they did is kosher, but I do not know WA law.
I love you, kid. I agree this is an overreaction. The post was merely funny, not derogatory.
Bummer.
Love
Dad
Bummer! I agree that your posting was innocuous. You did mention a building but you did not give any useful details on the building. There is some paranoia about terrorists attacking the Microsoft campus. See — http://www.winnetmag.com/Article/ArticleID/24492/24492.html
Ultimately it’s their campus and I guess they get to set the rules. It would have been more just if they gave you a warning and/or they had a policy on these things. If you were an employee (not a contractor)then I am sure they wouldn’t be so cavalier.
I hope that official Microsoft bloggers such as Robert Scoble don’t dare mention buildings or post any photos. Good luck finding your next career opportunity.
Wow! I’m really sorry to hear the news Michael. What the hell is Microsoft trying to hid? There must be some latent issues inside that corporation that are f*@#ed up! Anyways, I would say, check out your legal rights if you feel that it is a good thing to do, but i’m not worried about you. The universe is tilting you in a different direction and you are fully capable of sliding away toward something new and exciting!
Unfortunately, it is well known in other shops that are more code-centric that yes, MS is terrified of everything. Paranoid, no. You can’t be paranoid enough when they really are out to get you. And everyone is out to get Microsoft.
However, as a former contractor, I can sympathize and even empathize. I doubt I could get hired @ MS again if I wanted to.
Give me a call on my cell, and send me your resume to my work email. I’ll see what I can do.
Btw, as an offhand thought. Dont’ forget this — you posted last year about the National Novel Writing Month — NOVEMBER. It’s time to try again, and this time, I’m challenging you to write more than I do. :*-D
You better watch out, Uncle Pervy. I’m all set to go for NaNoWriMo this year…
Screw them Michael, I wish you best of luck in the job hunt. I agreed with Hope, you should check out your options to take legal action against them.
Jess
Oh man….What can I say, I’m so sorry. When I saw the post I was worried a bit, I also work for a large Corp. (Now I won’t even say the name, but it starts with an X) and my boss made it clear to me that I was not allowed to take any pictures in or around the building without permission. I did ask one day and I did take pictures but they “reviewed” the shots before I left.(digital camera). One of the reasons I hate working for large Corps.(they suck)
But Michael all is not lost. The very large X that I work for is looking for a Docu-tech operator. call me……TONIGHT
I’ll be home between 4-8 pm. and E-Mail me your resume.
Good luck
My sympathies and congratulations. That blows some pretty big chunks.
Michael, this is beyond asinine. If you lived out here on the east coast I would help ya find something. While I am a security geek, and I can understand their position, it does not merit the punishment. I would have taken you aside given you a warning … maybe beat ya with the rubber hose… but fire you? Thats just bullshit.
Whats next? Are they going to fire people for putting their building number on their business cards? Feh!
holy cow, michael! i can’t believe this. it was such an innocent post. i admire your restraint in discussing your former employers. i likely would have been a little less generous.
like the other offers, if there is anything you need please let us know.
this is stunning.
Wow! Amazingly sad
Wow. This really enhances my perception that Microsoft is utterly evil.
Geez. Unbelievable. I’m new to blogging, and I had no idea that this could happen. I guess I’m glad I know how. Sorry, dude.
Sweet Jesus! I’ll post this to my blog (hell with them - I’m on a Linux box anyways). You should see what the press thinks of this one, unless it conflicts with your employment agreement. Make a heck of a news byline for someone….
I’m standing behind you on this one.
Karl Windows - a colorful clown suit for DOS!
Oh my God - that’s horrible! I’ve been fired from a job too because of what I’ve blogged. I feel your pain and hope you can find another employment opportunity soon.
that is utterly asinine. if they fired you for “security” reasons, then wouldnt they have wanted you to delete the post? I mean, who didnt have their bowl of logic that morning? They say its a security violation but they’re content with letting you keep it posted up. That doesnt exactly compute. I hope you find a new job quickly. Its horrible to be dealt such an unfair blow like that.
I just want to say, that I blogged some pretty serious secrets about the project I was working on four years ago, and all I got was (three years ago, when the project was released) a lawyer calling me up and saying “please remove all references in your posts to the product name or company name”. In retrospect, not too smart of me to blog all that, but I worked for NAI (the third largest software manufacturer in the world) and they were pretty damn cool with it. Didn’t even ask me to remove the posts or anything, just politely asked me to rename any reference to the product name.
Maybe because this was 4 years ago, and maybe because blogging wasn’t taken as seriously then. I know for sure I wouldn’t have blogged what I did before, now.
Anyways, I just wanted to say that that sucks, dude. But not every company handles it as draconian as MS. Methinks this is a PR disaster waiting to happen.
I feel for you. I came thisclose to losing my job because of what I wrote on my site. Now, I know it’s being closely monitored and I feel limited in what I write.
The funny thing is, I never really wrote about anything that violated any confidentiality policies. I was also very careful about Google (and other search engines) not showing my site when people ran searches on the name of my employer, the city, and my profession. Only other bloggers knew about my site…and one of them blew the whistle. Just for spite.
I urge everyone to use extreme caution with blogging. Real names? No way. Specific job and employer mentioned? Never. Not after knowing what I know.
Good luck on future employment. Things will work out. They always seem to for me, anyway. I can’t imagine that there’s anyone more luckless than myself…so you should make out fine.
I got axed in 2001 by my company for something frivilous like this. It sounds like maybe they were just looking for reasons to trim some fat and used this as an excuse to give you the boot. That is what my company did to me over something totally insignifigant.
Hope you are back gainfully employed in the not to distant future.
Rob Nance Austin, TX
Greetings from a small village in northern Thailand sixty miles from the Burmese border. My wife and I wish you well. I must say that the equanimity with which you related the account of your dismissal is remarkable. I suspect MS has lost a valuable employee. Good luck to you.
Sorry to hear about the job - I guess no matter how big Microsoft gets, they’ll always be touchy about some things. I suppose after all the years, they’d just like a change from all the blue screens for a while - which we can’t really blame them for
Best of luck finding a new job… I would make a donation, if I hadn’t also recently become unemployed! Unfortunately MY unemployment doesn’t have an interesting story to it.
regards, digitalfire http://www.digitalfire.co.za
I’m amazed that something as innocuous as that post could get someone fired!! Actually, its just your word that the photo has been taken inside the Microsoft campus. Without any external features visible that could link the photo to Microsoft, it could well have been a truck delivering a whole load of G5s to my very old and rich aunt who has a peculiar G5 fetish! By dismissing you, MS has just openly accepted that it REALLY IS a photo of inside the MS campus!! How silly and incredulously naive of them!! On the other hand though, with Microsoft, nothing amazes me anymore!
MS has bulldozed its way into a sureshot PR disaster!!
Wishing you luck for your future employment plans.
Sorry to hear you got canned for the image, Michael. Good luck finding your next job!
Bryan Editor TMO
I hate Microsoft. What an utterly useless software company.
Dit is gewoon belachelijk !!!!!!!! This is dutch for : This is completely utterlous ridiculous !!! Maybe smart to write to Steve Jobs for an job opening ?? Good luck and hope you wil find a new job ! Wouter Minderhoud
has this been submitted to Slashdot yet?
Someone please do it.
picked up on your story via a link truly absurd over reaction - my heart goes out to you. best of luck with the job search mate.
Not to be cold hearted, but you should be careful of “blogs”. I cant figure out why people write in these things, its like a public diary without a lock; it can be viewed as unprofessional. I can understand why Microsoft fired you; they view your behavior as unprofessional. Like it or not, most corporate entities are going to view behavior this way. My view of working for a big company is to think of yourself as a mercenary, or hit-man for the company: act professional all the time, and keep your personal life completely segregated in every way: maintain complete confidentiality and discretion. If you don’t, you will get “wacked” (sorry for the mafiaesque jargon, just watched the Sopranos). The responsible person would just chalk it up as experience; the hard lessons are always the best.
Crap crap crap. Total unbelievable crap. This just shows how worried Microsoft really is. Like Windows XP users might see Microsoft’s 10 G5s and suddenly switch to MacOS. This is one of the reasons I’m scared to make a blog, or even own a personal website. No matter what I put up there, it could be used against me by my employer. That is crap, especially if it was something as tame as what was posted here.
To me, the singular irony in this case is that you’ve been sacked for a “security violation” - this from the company that has inflicted hundreds of security violations on tens of millions of computers by releasing software that makes Swiss cheese look more solid than a brick - and to say that is an insult to Swiss cheese.
My suggestion to Microsoft - if you’re so serious about security, why not deal with it where it counts - in your software? All of this nonsense about firing someone for revealing the building they work in as a “security violation” is nothing more than a distraction from the very serious task you have in front of you - cleaning up after all of the loose ends you left in Windows NT, 2000 and XP.
You didn’t want to work for them anyway did you
J
If Apple is smart, which I believ ethey are, they would hire you……
give us a call for a job. we like your work.
This also happened to Gregg Easterbrook of ESPN, Atlantic Monthly, and the New Republic. He got fired from ESPN for badmouthing Disney on the New Republic’s blog site.
Go figure. sigh
sorry to hear this mate, maybe [hopefully] you’ll be working for Apple sometime in the future… =)
I do not believe that Microsoft could ever buy Macs. Apple has sent these computers to the Microsoft Campus as a clever publicity act. There is nothing Microsoft could ever learn from the guys at Apple. Of course, these machines might not be intented for copying the stuff from Apple, but might be for the most important people who just can’t afford to have the Windows crashing on them… but I thought that they were mostly using Linux in those cases.
I am sure you will find a new job with a better moral background, a job that you can tell proudly to your grandchildren.
I would like to propose a toast to the latest Apple martyr.
Three cheers for [what was your name again?]!!!
Current Borg employee here…
I feel for you man, I really do. This is why I blog under a pseudo and avoid talk of work whenever possible. If I do mention work, I don’t use their actual company name, just to make it slightly more unlikely that it can be found via a search engine. Oh, and I never blog from work.
I wonder if the fact that you were a contractor might also have contributed to this. Perhaps a FT might have survived with a warning…
Sorry Bro, It looks it looks like Big brother is comming and not in the form of government, but Microsoft
Sounds like you have a case of wrongful termination on the basis of the following. That fact that Mac users are notoriously avid supporters of the platform, your personal expression should be expected by Microsoft management. Your actions are not unexpected.
I think if you get yourself a lawyer you can win a claim against wrongful termination.
Hi!
Just want to say you were also mentioned in slashdot.org
s
I smell a lawsuit. Take em to the fucking cleaners.
Man, that is just sad and weak. I feel for you and wish you luck.
Hey man, I’m really sorry to hear this.
I wonder if anyone at Micro$oft thought to do a cost/benefit analysis of the impact on their security of just blowing off this non-issue versus over reacting, firing the guy and bringing down even more fear, loathing and outright hatred upon themselves when the story hit the press? Maybe if they didn’t act like this in the first place, perhaps security on the Micro$oft Campus wouldn’t be such an issue.
Dude! Totally send your qualifications to Apple and say, “This is why Microsoft fired me! Do you have any job openings available?” Apple probably has more of a sense of humor, especially about these sorts of things, than Microsoft. And, besides it never hurts to try. Good luck!
The posts about this being no different if it had occured at virtually any company are spot on. If this same scene had taken place at One Infinite Loop, the results would have been identical.
This guy obviously doesn’t have a clue, based on his blog. Further, those who are using this to bash Microsoft (an often worthy target) don’t have a clue either. This guy will be asking, “would you like fries with that,” in his next job, as Burger King is likely the only remaining source of employment for a moron of this magnitude.
Thats really bad news mate. Microsoft have just proved once again, and in a very public way, how much they suck. I wish you luck in finding a better employer.
good luck daddyo.
in reading about your mishap, I’ll surely be more careful in my posts.
or should I be? what the hell.
First off, sorry you lost your job over this; sux. However, for those saying watch what you blog, I give the big middle finger! In other words what they’re saying is, watch what you say, cuz someone might do something bad to you; i.e., you have no free speech.
Last time I looked, we live in America, home to the brave, free speech, and many tax skating corporate offices located in the Bahamas. The last thing you should be doing is censoring yourself every second of every day. Am I saying don’t employ common sense? No, not at all. When the entry was posted, you took good measure to make sure none of the surrounding buildings or outright anything m$ was visible. For all we know, that truck could have existed somewhere else in the universe and the only thing connecting it with the m$ campus was your words.
Your personal life - including blogging - is (for now) totally your own thing and completely separate from m$ the uber-company. I’m sure this story will get more legs and someone will offer you a better position, or something good will come around regardless. Or maybe, even as some people said, someone at Apple will glance over.
Anyway, good luck.
Things could have changed, but when I worked at Microsoft a few years back I remember there being a policy banning employees from taking pictures inside MS buildings with out permission. It is common knowledge that MS makes software for the mac so it shouldn’t be a big suprise that they took delivery of some macs.
Sucks to hear of the unemployment. No loss really though… it was only Microsoft. It’s not like they’re an innovative company anyhow. Nothing to show for, except for a subpar OS. You’ll find another job, one where you don’t have to work for the enemy.
Slightly off-topic, but a good friend of mine (we’ll just call him JRD) who used to live near me in California moved to Washington (yes, the state, not the capital) to work for Macro$haft. The funny thing is that he seems to have turned on his friends. It’s as though he has become some sort of secret service agent or some clandestine crap like that. I think that the Macro$haft lifestyle has ruined him. Poor sap!
-he who stacks pork
So sad, so sad, so sad. It is such a stupid measure to take. They are clearly shooting themselves in the big Corprate MS foot for doing this. I wish you the best of luck, If you have any thoughts about moving to the French Riviera, answer this posting, I can probably find you a job over here. But I agree with several other posters here, if Apple wishes to get some seriously good publicity, they should hire you immediately. The very best of luck! We are keeping our fingers crossed for you!
Sincerely,
Svinto
Perhaps John Doe (from a post above) needs to think about what he’s saying before he ends up looking like a Moron (too late in this case). Think about this John Doe (Moron), perhaps the answer is to have employees of corporations of this type/magnitude to sign agreements not to take photos in and/or around the work place/parking lot/loading bay, etc…
Is this really necessary? Obviously John Doe (Moron). There is nothing wrong with the photograph in question. It does not violate any security issues what so ever. What does it show? Nothing. The description of the photo given does not give anything away either. It simply says they are being delivered to Microsoft. Embarrasing for MS, but nothing to fire someone over.
Think before you post John Doe (Moron). Thanks a lot, dumb ass.
Well maybe our DooM 3 project will cheer you up! http://doomforcolumbine.com
Billgoat Gates and his mountain of cash are subject to jibes, here and there, so check it out okay? Thanks for those nice G5 textures for the M$ levels!!!
I can really sympathize with you over this situation. I too was fired due to inappropriate blogging that wasn’t done with malice, but simply a lack of forethought. But the good news is that I was forced to leave a job I hate, and got one that I love. It will all work out, and you will always have the awesome story of the time you were fired for outing Microsoft’s love for macs. Good luck.
I feel for you. The job market is tough these days and employers seem able to do pretty much anything they want, for any reason. You may have had some recourse as an employee but as a temp…
I was laid off from another big company (though not quite as big as Microsoft—but then, who is) when I returned from disability from treatment for breast cancer. Apparently, I increased their premiums or something. With no insurance and no money, I can’t even afford follow-up to make sure it’s still gone. People have become merely a commodity, it seems. Very sad.
I’ve been looking for another job for almost a year. Sure hope you have better luck than I’ve been having! (I did have two interviews in the last week so am keeping my fingers crossed.)
As popular as this blog appears to be, maybe you can turn it into a money-making venture. At least until you find another gig. Good luck to you!
Well, this is yet ANOTHER problem with America. I love this country, don’t get me wrong. But capitalizm and corperate greed is becoming such a huge problem. With the economy the way it is, every corperation that was already greedy has gotten worse and doesn’t seem to really give a @%#@$ about their customers. I’m a small business owner (ISP and onsite work)and in the course of the past 3 years I’ve had to break long term relationships with alot of companies we dealt with and more on the way. Things such as my notebook supplier (Chembook) sent me a faulty notebook and refused to fix/resolve the problem so I had to pay for the hardware to repair a 4 month old notebook. What made it worse is, it was the motherboard requiring a $700 part.
My advise to everyone right now is do as little dealings as possible with “public” companies. If they are on the stock market, their concern is the bottom line. NOT taking care of their customers. Small businesses might be a bit more expensive but you can just about bet you’re going to get taken care of and not just have your wallet thinned out.
this really does suck. microsoft should really be aware of the bad press this is causing them. screw microsoft. screw their lousy software.
Oh boy. Any press is good press, eh? Not really.
Let’s face facts here: You are a high school graduate with no college degree (or attendance as far as I can tell from your resume), with what seems to be very limited job experience as well. You were a temp contract employee for a large corporation, and you took pictures inside that corporation’s campus. It doesn’t matter at all that the large corporation in this case is Microsoft, and it doesn’t matter whatsoever that Apple is involved.
The fact that people are using this as an excuse to bash Microsoft is just another example of the Apple community embarrassing itself with its oft-blinded hatred of Microsoft or anything related thereto. And, since people will automatically respond to what I’ve just written with ignorant “M$ Lover!!” statements, I think I should mention that I own a Power Mac G5.
Sorry, pal, that you got fired. It’s always a bad thing. But, in this case, it is understandable. I’m sure you’ll get some donations, which is good for you since you’ll need to pay bills, but I honestly don’t think they’re deserved. Due to the names involved in this firing, you’re getting tons of press in the Mac community (a community that tends to be both willing to help each other and willing to do anything, it seems, if they think it hurts Microsoft), and you’ll no doubt receive money and possibly a new job because of this. That’s unfortunate for everyone out there with money trouble or job trouble who are qualified and understand how large companies work, but who do not have weblogs and/or get fired for things like this.
I’ll leave you with this: you’re really, really lucky. Ten years ago, you would simply be SOL. No questions asked. But now you’re going to get help. Help you really don’t deserve. I just hope you learn a valuable lesson and help others when the opportunity arises.
Now the whole world knows. Congratulations Microsoft! You’d think that companies would learn that whenever they do something stupid like this, they are just BEGGING to get lots of publicity. Essentially, Microsoft fired you because they don’t want their purchase of G5s to be known. However, in doing so, they’ve attracted more attention to the issue than could possibly have been gotten otherwise. Glad I don’t work for Microsoft. They’re absolute bastards in so many ways.
As much as I disagree with what has happened to you, Michael, I am very suprised with the comments I have read here and responses on other blogger-websites. I have read posts of people that are afraid to tell the name of the company they work for, and seen comments like “If in doubt, don’t post”, “Always be careful when posting”. That is utterly ridiculous! Are you scared to do anything that makes your boss think you’re anything else than a mindless drone? Are you not allowed to live your own life? From my (european) point of view this shows the hypocrisy of Amercia when it comes to their favorite right: FREEDOM.
This is the letter I sent to Microshifty.
Dear sir madam,
I read on the internet that you’ve fired this poor chap who blogged about the presence of Macintosh G5 computers on the Microsoft premises.
Here’s the
Isn’t it a bit rigorous to fire him over such a trifle matter? Because of this I bought a Macintosh today and this will be the last E-mail using a Microsoft product to send it. As we speak I am downloading another program to replace this one. As from today I will make every effort to replace any Microsoft program on any computer in my company for concurring company’s software, including the OS’es. This means I will switch to Linux and shout it of the rooftops too. I am considering writing something about it in my own column on my own site (now a Unix system running apache) and it will certainly not be pleasant for you. That is the consequence for your actions. I also crossposted references to the poor man’s blog on numerous forums throughout the world. I dare you to respond!
Mr. Leendert V** G****** III, CEO VG****.NL WebDesign, The Netherlands
Does this mean there’s an opening at Microsoft now?
Wow, it’s amazing how corporate culture behaves. Good luck, man… Big D slipped you a lil somethin in your PayPal account.
CMON FOLKS, chip in a little (or more if you got too much)!
That’s too bad. Too bad a business has to worry about the individuals they hire might be untrustworthy and may violate the security necessary to maintain a competitive advantage. It’s too bad that a company has to pay for legal services to aviod the circumstance in which a former righfully dismissed employee may sue because they feel they were unjustly let go. That’s too bad.
Attention America: Grow up, and take responsibility for your own actions. There are no seconds chances in life.
Welcome to Amerika… Land of the fee, home of the nave.
Good luck finding a new job, bummer mate. Wish we Mac guys culd do more to help you… Although I did find it extremely funny: Redmond using Macs! …kinda like the Coke guy drinking Pepsi!
Although I do find this circumstance somewhat disturbing, I have to ask, are you really suprised? Microsoft is notoriously security sensitive and you were publishing inside information. It could be considered that same as though you were doing undercover reporting. Taking photos inside your workplace can be considered, not only unporfessional, but possibly illegal. I work for an A/E firm and I must say that taking photos of plans or even models, no matter how inocuous the post was, would be totally inappropriate. I had a very active blog for three years and managed to keep my workplace out of it and I was still worried about prospective employers finding personal information that would rule me out of the running. Everyone has a right to privacy, absolutely, but when you post your “private” thoughts, comments, photos, etcetera on an electronic version of a flashing billboard on a major interstate - people are going to read it, those people are going to react to it, and those people may include your employer. They must naturally consider what their clients or target audience would think if they stumbled upon it too. Microsoft, due to many factors, are one of my very least favorite business entities, but I wouldn’t want an employee taking photos and yacking about my business online either.
efforts, and what little notoriety I may gain in my fifteen minutes of fame, …. errr .. little is the understatement of the decade if not the century.All the same MS never could accept criticism and never will.From the famous presentation where they missed power and the Apple logo showed on the large screens to this new incident it’s bad for MS to see the Apple logo on it’s grounds, presentations etc.IT’s not a matter of security, it’s a matter of having people saying that MS is not as good an OS to do stuff like you do on an Apple.Graphics and music particularly.Personally i think it sucks you lost your job.. but that’s the nature of the beast.You will find another job.No doubt.And then be free from the tyrants that try to control every aspects of our lives. Good luck in your future endeavours and take care
These pictures reveal company secrets just as these did:
http://forums.macrumors.com/archive/topic/19575-1.html
http://virga-x.adtn.net/screenshots/Apple%20Internal/
“I’d be willing to bet that somewhere in the labyrinthine red tape of contracts among my temp agency, the vendor, and Microsoft, this situation is probably covered in one form or another.”
You shouldn’t have accepted that Windows95 EULA eight years ago.
Shit happens.
Everyone go but a Mac, their fun an easy to use, not to mention prettier
We have the “Bill of Rights” in these United States but however, they do not apply in Corporate Amerika. Food for thought. We workers have a little more freedom today but I talked to people who worked for Corporate America back in the 1940’ & 50’s had their hands tied not only in the workplace but outside as well. Depending what level you were at, you were expected to fulfill social expectations such as avoiding nice resturaunts (5 Star) if you were on the lower part of the food chain or expected to belong to some high society type of clubs if you were higher up such as being an executive.
With the job market being in the toilet, a lot of employers are attempting to take back some of the freedoms that we had before such as stricter dress codes, less flex time for example. If the job market gets as bad to where there is high unemployment like in the 1930’s, we could see companies being much more intrusive again.
What Microsoft did was wrong and besides, sounds like they don’t have much of a sense of humor. I have worked at places like them before and if someone pissed off a manager, even outside of work, there were repercussions that were swift such as getting terminated, escorted oout without being allowed to get your personal effects. They were sent to mailed to you within a couple of month
Sorry to read about this. As a Mac user who cannot stand M$, they really are overreacting to this. Go apply for a job with Apple. Good Luck
Speaking from a certain amount of experience, I wouldn’t expect much help from whichever Temp Agency you were contracting with. In all likelyhood you will never be placed anywhere by them or any other tech agency in the area again. Even though it is illegal for them to share information about thier employee’s, it is highly rumored that they do. I know from personal experience that once you have been terminated from a contract, none of the agencies will touch you again, for any contract, MS or otherwise. I wouldn’t expect any support from them in trying to rectify this either. They may tell you that they are “doing everything they can”, but it’s just a line to keep you pacified. Their contract with MS is much much more important to them than you (or any other contractor) will ever be. Also, MS has most of the good law firms here in Seattle on retainer so they won’t even speak with you about this incident. I feel really badly for you, as this is about as stupid as what happened to me. Point in case about the difference between FT and CSG: The “incident” that resulted in my contract being terminated was instigated by a FT. We were both terminated for it, but 2 weeks later he was back as CSG with full permission to go FT as soon as he was able. I was CSG when the incident occured, was mostly a bystander in it all, and I have been banned for life from MS. Six months later I have not recieved a SINGLE listing from the “temp agency” and do not expect to. Good Luck man because you are going to need it.
I think Microsoft did the right thing by firing this person. If he took one photo of some Macs on a dock it doesn’t appear harmful. How would we know he wouldn’t be taking photos of somehting more harmful to the company? I hope he will learn from his mistake. My concern would be with him securing future employment. I wouldn’t be bragging about all the traffic and support I got for taking pictures. That would be a red flag if I was in a position to hire him. “Hey I violated one of the terms of my employment. Can I have a job?” He should let it go and move on.
hey dood I’ll take ur job
Perhaps MS Security was embarassed because some of the G5 boxes fell off the pallet.
hmm Security issue of a temp employee with less than .0000005% influence or other on MS of us knowing where you work as physical location..
I call total bullshit!
This was a PR issue pure and simple nothing more nothing less..
The interesting and odd thing about this overreaction is how sensitive Microsoft administration is to this revelation.
They certainly are liberalizing the concept of a “security violation”. Usually that’s reserved for either an actual revelation of proprietary (or government classified) information or, more commonly, of a rule that’s intended to prevent such a revelation.
Was there an actual rule posted somewhere saying this was prohibited?
Would Redmond prohibit labor union picketers from marching on their “campus” because it also constitutes a “security violation”?
You might be able to “move up the food chain” and get your issue addressed—at least if you haven’t burned any bridges yet. It sounds like security is doing a “stupid reflex action”, to ensure that people know that they are serious about security, but in the end provides no benefit whatsoever.
Usually you find these sorts of mindless, reflexive beaurocrats at companies that have a broken management structure (people protecting jobs rather than innovating). It is pretty obvious to anyone that MS gets worse PR from the firing than from the post.
Then again, if it may really be a security issue if they are using the G5s to authenticate and actually provide security within MS. If they were agnostic and serious about security it would be a smart thing to do. So the hubbub over the firing may have actually caused more of a leak than the photos. Buying Macs for testing wouldn’t involve security… but buying macs for login and mail (postfix) would improve security. Besides, they’ll save money on the unlimited license
just say NO to microsoft products!
Hoooo, boy.
Yes, it would have been nice if they had just fired whatever Security idiot let a non-Shipping&Receiving person into the area. Do you realize how the photo shows that there is NO ONE around and the doors are WIDE OPEN? “Come on in and steal computers! We don’t even post a guard! Wanna replace a computer with a bomb? No sweat!”
Maybe this was your first experience with a big corporation…in my experience they’re all paranoid.
Remember kids, Freedom of Speech does not mean Freedom from Consequences.
You’re in Seattle. Apply at Adobe. If you have print shop AND software developer experience it might be worth your time.
It’s a sign of the times.
America use the “freedom flag” so often to justify the use of their military supremacy that people in the USA lost the truth meaning of the word freedom.
When a person can be fired for no reason other then taking harmless photo and a striking headline on a blog, it’s time to wonder what will be the future. The hilariuos part is that duality of the “freedom-right-duty” balance on the microsoft manager:
“you have the right to say anything you want. Unfortunately, Microsoft has the right to decide that because of what you said, you’re no longer welcome on the Microsoft campus.”
Basically, that frase and their actions can be translated plain and simple as: “If you are an employee here either you don’t tell what I don’t to hear hear, or get fired. Doesn’t matter if you said elsewhere, or in the middle of 10 million people on the net. This your right. Period”
Here in Europe thast person couls sue Microsoft for his lost job. If in court it found that he doesn’t violated his contract, he could get his job back. Private business included.
That really is protecting the freedom of speech, right’s of employer and employe’s.
And that’s because freedom is a concept that can’t be turned off the minute you sign contract with an private business.
That’s great! Let’s here it for big corporate. May they all burn in hell! Linux is coming, Bill. Watch your ass!
“Remember kids, Freedom of Speech does not mean Freedom from Consequences.”
Are you trying to excuse Microsoft for this foolishness?
Get a lawyer—I don’t think this kind of dismissal is legal. Unless it’s specifically called out in an employee manual, there was no grounds for firing.
The question is,
What would they have done were it two pallets of Dells?
I think its obvious what’s going on here. Microsoft is starting to feel the pressure. They’re scrambling to make an operating system as secure as the mac and as reliable. This is a need brought on by the terrorist threat and the stark realization that Windows isn’t a safe platform. Recently Windows’ vulnerability was proven by the soBig and some other worms. I would call this panic.
This is all over /. Microsoft’s Screwed. And yes it’s besides the point that many /.ers use Linux.
what the phrack is going on with this world nowadays
Man, I hope my blog entry about Gates and Ballmer being the right and left hands of The Dark One himself doesn’t end up getting me killed. Oh well, at least I had a few weeks of joy with my G5. Luck to you sir.
First Amendment.
Marshall Law.
Get a lawyer.
So sorry about this.
Since it’s all over the blogosphere and on ‘net I am hopeful you’ve already secured a new job. If not, hopefully, via the platform in which you were terminated, you will soon be employed. Gotta love the irony in that.
But seriously, call Legal Aid. I’m certain there are some lawyers who would love to get a piece of the Marshall himself, Bill Gates.
Blogs + Mac = Good Thing. Blogs + MS = Bad Thing.
Halves,
First of all what the hell does “America use the “freedom flag” so often to justify the use of their military supremacy that people in the USA lost the truth meaning of the word freedom”., suppose to mean? That America spends countless billions of dollars to keep ignorant, lack of the english language and spelling Europeans, Middle Easterners, Asians, Central Americans… sorry the list is too long of how many we have fought and died for to keep thier country free at our expense. Sorry that we have tarnished our image with you while you most likely enjoy the freedom that was at our expense. Please, let me simplify.
BLOW ME.
What a crappy thing to do, Microsoft. It shows that Microsoft has something serious to hide when a couple of G5’s shouldn’t be photographed as being MS’ machines (Oh dear, what is MS up to with those G5’s… ermm. DUAL G5’s… Win2k3 for G5 testboxes? Or .NET for OSX testboxes?
Clearly made me wonder why I’d continue alpha/beta-testing their software.
Hang in there, buddy. You’re better of at another employer who respects an employee. Or come to Europe, where we have decent laws to protect employees from stupidity like this.
i’m sure that the mac world would let you in for a job interview, and possibly even give you signing bonus.
Yes … never underestimate the possibility of a full-bore corporate panic.
I think the explanation you posted is just about correct … the photo itself may not have started the “death spiral” phone calls. But, keep in mind, many, many aspects of corporate American have NO sense of humor whatsoever. They take their companies as deadly serious as we might treat a heart operation, and, unfortunately, they are missing the part of their brain that allows a person to interpret, “Oh … isn’t that funny … even Microsoft uses Macs for their printing, etc, etc …”
Nope … what they interpret is, “Holy jeebers, Batman, we have a temp snapping pics on this property and posting them on the Internet … what else might he be doing with them?”
Please keep in mind that the reasonably professional handling you had at your termination was not at all reflective of the actual climate of when that post hit the fan. I can virtually guarantee you that when that post hit the individual who was upset with it you would have heard some language you typically only hear in the Holland Tunnel in a traffic jam.
Just for the love of God be careful in the future — one person’s joke can be another person’s Four Alarm emergency.
I know a company in Cupertino
only because of that pic?!
As a revange, you can contribute to linux ! microsoft seams so happy to lose a skilled developer !
hey ! I finaly know why you lost your job by write in wich building G5 are !
you are giving to people precious strategic security and “patriot-act-and-homeland-security” informations ! yes! by telling which building is now equiped with G5, you are telling to the world and to “internet-terrorism-and-script-kiddies-how-8-m$” which building is no more vulenarable to bugs (or features?) or security holes!
That’s the most important information to the eye of MS, the new top-level security plan : to avoid microsoft products !
This world is going crazy !
ok, lets wait for few year, linux will rulz da worldz
Did you get fired for taking pictures from inside the campus? So, they fired you from breaking a non-photo restriction that appends to the area?
First of all i have i think you have a legal case against M$ cause there was no legal reason to fire you for that matter. second: This sort of attitude reminds me of a guy named Leon van Schie aka Sarge who is an owner and webmaster of the Apple-website Macfreak.org in the Netherlands. He also dismisses folks on instant who won’do what they’ve been told or who are somewhat different in their attitude. Maybe related and also a former M$ employee? Seems like. Anyhow… wish you all the best for the upcomming future.
Man, that sucks hard. I’ll be sending you lots of good thoughts.
Look, he could have gotten fired for taking and posting a picture of an EMPTY Microsoft truck and loading dock.
Macs had nothing to do with it.
Free speech had nothing to do with it.
MS’s supposed fear of Macs had nothing to do with it.
This was a security problem, end of story. Find another job and DON’T TAKE PICTURES of the facilities without the company’s written permission.
Wish I’d got this in the Slashdot thread before it went crazy. If Apple was smart they would hire you just to flaunt it in the press. I’m sure the publicity would more than cover the cost of hiring you for 6 months. You could even try approaching them.
It would be cool if Apple would see this and offer him a job.
According to Anony Mouse free speech had nothing to do with it. As a weblog owner myself who sometimes speaks his mind about his employer’s decisions with which I don’t necesseraly agree, I do believe free speech had everything to do with it. I find it disturbing such thing can happen and every time some person loses his job for saying things he shouldn’t have said (at least from his employers point of view), I have a hard time believing we’re in a free country.
The fact that Microsoft knew about it in the first place might also imply they are checking out on their employees, which isn’t too noble either.
Poor Bastard,
You’ll find a better job, in a cool company. We’ll keep the finger crossed for you!
Screw M$!
You are better off.
A weird and daft decision like that one belies their ‘shoot first…ask later’ mentality.
I now hope that one of those G5s was damaged in that tumble in the truck! Better dead on it’s back than livin’ on it’s knees inside that place!
Good luck to you, spin this into something great!
Just had lunch with a friend at One Infinite Loop (Apple HQ), you can bet your left butt cheek that Apple would fire someone for posting pictures taken on campus.
Sorry guys, this isn’t a free speech issue it has everything to do with being professional at work. Taking snap shots of a rivals machine and then posting on the web is funny but not that clever. I’m sure it wasn’t meant to hurt anyone but c’mon…
MS also skirts the whole wrongful termination issue because he is a temp and his employment is at will. They have a looooong standing history of this. If they don’t like the way you smell one day, they can call the agency and have you replaced, no questions asked.
As far as free speech goes, yeah, you can and should say whatever you want. The other party also has the right not to hear it and to request a change of venue for you.
Why did you spit at the guy paying you? And having spit at him, what’s so weird about him doing something about it? While you might be tempted to bask in the glory of victimhood, you’ll serve yourself better by seriously considering the fact that you lost your livelihood, however temporarily, as an unintended consequence of your action. Fair or unfair has nothing to do with it. It’s a done deed. Think straight, move on and do right. Sincerely, Someone’s Mom
So? If MS does this, that’s their choice. I don’t see what’s wrong with it. Actually, when this means they’ll use them to port their software, or something else i cannot imagine, i see it as progress. I don’t see it as hugely or something but it makes me laugh for a few seconds. Did you also knew MS owns a large % of Apple obligations?
This IS all about free speech; but company ”secrets” (interest) are seen as more important than that therefore free speech is less important and doesn’t count - see also laws against discrimination and free speech or laws which make it illegal to call names about God plus lots of more examples available, worldwide. In a transparant world where progression as world is important rather than self-interest (or company-interest), one could just tell such a ”secret” to another. If free speech leads to beeing unemployed; it is NOT free speech anymore, because of the abuse of authority after free speech is used.
Solution? For now, post it anonymous. Use Freenet or ENTROPY, for example. Do not host it yourself. Make sure nobody saw you taking the picture. You wouldn’t get personal credit when you’d do in this way. Is that what matters in this situation? I think not, but i’m not the one who’d answer this question.
Free speech and transparancy today. We are not living in such a world; this includes the USA. Many companies, NGO’s, governments do not live according to these ideals. It’s an illusion. However, some are heading this way.
What’s left to say? I feel for you. While admitting i do not like MS, my opinion is a global one. With MS on your CV, you’ll probly get respect and/or a chance at other nice companies. Leaves me to say… good luck with finding a new job. I also like your site.
With solidarity and warm greetings from the Netherlands, -autonomous
You free speech people crack me up. He wasn’t on public property voicing an opinion folks, he took photographs on private property of his company’s internal processes and posted them for public viewing. I don’t care if it was a loading dock or a software development lab, he’s disclosing proprietary information and that is not free speech in ANY sense of the phrase. And the reference that MS fired an employee is being played up here a lot too - they didn’t fire anyone, they simply stopped utilizing the services of a temporary from an agency. Anyone who is a temporary should know full well they are not priveleged to the same rights and customs associated with a full-time employee and their behavior will be under much closer observance.
There has been no acknowledgement of the fact that this guy was wasting billed time to photograph pictures to post on his personal weblog. How many of YOUR bosses would condone this behavior and would YOU if you were the boss paying the bill? The blame game can continue now, as I’m sure it will… the point is learn a little something from the situation and apply it to reality.
What a dark company! Why do people use their product? That means support their behaviour. Copy…..Fire people with no reason….!
Just a suggestion, but you might try to use this to get a job at Apple. Stranger things have happened. Wasn’t there a guy who was fired as a driver on a Coke truck because someone saw him drinking a Pepsi (and then Pepsi hired him?)
You never know…
“I’t’s quite typical, in a Murphy’s Law kind of way, that this would happen just a few weeks after I blew my savings on a new computer. “
I hope it was a G5!
Corporations are the new religion. Americans are proud to get up everyday and say “I am a corporate whore! Work me more!” You goofed, but your real crime was to blaspheme against the new American dream.
I bet most people would have shrugged it off as “Well duh, they need a Mac to see what to make next.”
(I thought about what happened and made a post on /. about it, hope you dont me repeating what it here)
This MS policy does not make sense: Since it is fairly obvious the ‘security’ breach rationale for firing this employee is merely a convenient reason for dismissal, there must be a real reason (after all, MS managers have leeway to consider what constitutes a breach, the seriousness and whether or not to enforce action. It is also obvious little information of significance was released as you point out).
The first and foremost underlying reason for this dismissal is probably the perceived embarassment of the company by being seen to be purchasing a truckload of G5 Macs. The fact that they would see this as embarassing at all reveals part of the management culture at Microsoft. Would the managers have chosen enforcement action if he had been taking a photo of a truckload of Dells? Unlikely. These were in all likelihood not Mac Business Unit managers involved: Would a manager in the MBU be embarassed by an admission that they purchase Macs? Hardly. It’s apparent therefore that much of the (non-MBU) management at MS perceives a company adoption or use of Macs as an embarassment.
It’s interesting that a “Not invented here” attitude like this pervaded Apple a number of years ago, and caused them no end of strategic problems. Ironic that a case can be made that it is now Microsoft with such a culture, whereas it’s now Apple who has a much more flexible attitude.
(Edit: Maybe you should try to get a job at Apple
But seriously, I’m sorry about what happend and good luck with the job hunt!)
well… good luck dude.
Geez. All these anti-corporate/anti-capitalism/fuzzy-thinkers out there claiming “corporate greed!” and “evil M$!!!”
Get a grip.
No, I’m not an M$ fan. As a matter of fact, I manage over 50 Solaris servers at work, have over 9 computers just in my “office” at home (only TWO run an M$ OS) and prefer Linux/Solaris/AIX/VMS to just about anything that M$ puts out. (I just can’t play my First-Person Shooters on non-M$ computers.)
M$, as ignorant and bureaucratic a company as they can be, isn’t evil just because they terminated the temporary employment of some poor schlub who not only took pictures on M$ property without permission, but then proceeded to post it on the Internet complete with information on where M$ property was likely to be sitting with no security to make sure it wasn’t absconded with.
Sure, M$ is ham-handed in how they dealt with it. Wrong? Nope. The appropriate action, upon discovering something like that would be to tell someone “Hey, there’s a stack of G5s sitting over on the loading bay with nobody watching them,” not take a picture and post it on a blog.
Victimhood. Don’t you just love it?
Hey, I have Second Amendment rights, as well as First Amendment rights. If I work for a company that doesn’t want me to carry on their property, even if I have a CCW permit, then I don’t carry on their property! If I don’t like it, I go work someplace else. Simple, eh? Nobody says I have to work there.
More importantly, if I disliked a company as much as I dislike M$, then I wouldn’t work for them in the first place!
What kind of company is this?????? I am working in Hamburg/Germany and never heared about this shit happens in my country. Fuck on this bloody company called MS - let’s kick them out of the business and move all to Macintosh and Linux! Best wishes for a new job!
Here’s for starting a petition that you have to a)speak English well and/or b)type English well before being allowed to post in a blog! Sheeseh. Come on folks. Half these posts took two reads! If you live in America, or post on an American blog, have the courtesy to do it in the appropriate language at least…
To the topic at hand: I feel badly for ya, I really do. But, the point has been made, and made well, that it wasn’t your place to waste their dime (their time) to snap photos for the scrapbook. Nor was it your place to then post these photos without permission. And if they found it…that means they either a)had your address already (bad move probably) or b)you posted FROM your cube, thereby wasting more time on the redmond clock as you made them (to some) the laughingstock. So to recap, think like a manager to avoid being the terminated end-result of a pissy one.
Oh, and sorry about the whole job loss thing. Best of luck finding something else! I’d say give Apple a shot, but that’s already been said, and they may not want someone who snaps random photos around campus and posts them…depending on how picky they are about security.
j
Boy o boy. I’m not proud to say I’m European. Now I do. American diplomacy rules…
Microsoft is completely right to use Mac’s. Otherwise, they can’t work. They’re constantly being held back by all these patches and bugfixes and more… 99% of all the viruses are to tease Microsoft. Buy a Mac and within an hour you’re up and running.
I feel sorry for the poor bastard, but indeed, move on. Microsoft isn’t worth your efforts…
McDennis
I’m really astonished…….and this is American Style ? I hope in somethig different……in italy we says that when we close a door, a bigger one is ready to open……..good luck from Italy
This story proves what all we europeans already know… americans has gone totally security bananas.
so that is what you called the free speech?
shame on you M$
Greetings and i wish you well
Martin Germany
Damn man… that sucks. Even with all the things you already did, they still managed to get rid of you. Ah, if only mngt actually knew what they did.
Happened to me almost once because of something I said on an internal forum. You gotta be careful what you say there too. Take care.
Dude,
Nothing can suck as much as this. I’ve never read a blog before and must say yours reads very well. Such a sad occurence though. People get away with doing far less responsible things every day, frauds are overlooked, wrists are slapped, Windows ME is launched, but this is out of all proportion! I am surprised you didn’t injure yourself contorting to take The Most Innocent Picture on Earth (tm).
x-IBM-r
I tipped the Dutch IT news site http://www.webwereld.nl and they made this story their lead story today (see http://www.webwereld.nl/nieuws/16724.phtml , it’s in Dutch!).
Good luck,
Mark Cruijff
I can seriously sympathize with your loss… but… I had an eye-opening discussion many moons ago with a manager in a long-dead job that helped put things in perspective. He told me that as long as what I did was “just a job” then I would not be able to go anywhere at any job. I had to buy into whatever it was at whatever company I worked. Company loyalty is one of those things. I mean you knew that the information had the potential to be an embarrassment to Microsoft. Yet you posted it for the short term gratification to your ego from the masses of Microserf bashers. So you chose your ego gratification to the company that was putting money in your bank which contributed to the food on your table and a roof over your head. I hope it was worth it ego-wise.
MS wanted to send a big message - and you were the easiest (to replace) target. If you truely signed no confidentiality agreement, you may want to see a lawyer. But it was likely in the mountain of paperwork you had to sign when you started.
Expect Homeland ‘Security’ to come knocking tonight.
Oh don
t worry mate, youll find a better job with less hectic wackoo bosses. Everyone knows Microsoft sucks, both with its internal and external policy. Windows is a piece of crap, we all have to use from time to time. The funny thing is, MS knows it and thats why they use Mac`s with MacOS - they are simply better.Well… I am Mac developer and I just can say one thing.
M$ is so stupid that cluld simply post anything saying that these Macs where for development department. They must have many Macs to develop Internet Explorer, MS Office, MS Messenger, and others MS Mac applications.
They could simply say that they need Macs to work in their Macintosh Applications, and say that you (employer) has a wrong idea about where they will use Macs.
But they are so stupid that could not thing the best thing to do.
Good lucky.
next time you’d better blacklist the IP’s of the company you work for on your server i am stunned…
Dang,
Has Apple offered you a job yet? Perhaps in their marketing department? My workplace likes me to take technology pictures and post them as “bragging shots”. I can understand why Microsoft might have security issues, but they could have told you it was wrong in the first place with a warning, even a suspension for effect. Did they post any of your information on their web sites? Can you get the guy who posted that fired?
The truth is: Everyone has to have one job where the Management are a bunch of *ssholes. Hang in there! You’ll find a job soon, and hopefully with a Manager that sucks less.
Unbelievable. I worked for Microsoft for 12 years and never came across a situation this unreasonable. I saw many people fired in those years - all for good reasons (theft, obviously not doing one’s job, etc…). In fact, it was rather difficult to get fired.
I guess times have changed…
“Perhaps the fact that this server runs on MacOSX has anything to do with latest happenings? I mean. You post pics about Macs. You use a Mac. You aren’t a Mac zealot, are you? We don’t serve your kind”
Dunno. I think there’s more behind this…
Dear Friends, And you´re still thinking that you are living in a free Country? EEUU is the Matrix.
That sucks man. Maybe Steve Jobs has a job for you! I hate M$… Good luck…
I used to work for Microsoft back in the day when they dispensed beer freely and layed out cots to keep their employees in the office and away from home. I finally quit when the girl who was sleeping with the boss got promoted to manager, even though she’d only been there for 6 months and I’d been there for 2 years and was next in line for the promotion. Microsoft is BAD JUJU. Consider yourself lucky to be free from Uncle Bill.
Now this is AMAZING, getting sacked due to something really lame like this? First of all this does not in anyway reflect Microsoft in a bad manner. They almost feel like a real company when you post charming everyday things like this. I are among the few that really don’t mind MS but treating people like this make me sick. Well we all now you can never stay on top for ever, that is how things are and will be. Suddenly there will be a slump and then NOBODY will care if a giant falls. I hope that you find a more humane company to work for.
1940 Germany = 2003 Microsoft?
Welcome to the Island of CRY. What I find funny is people cry “freedom” but you fools have no problem with taking away the 2nd amendment rights. Face facts, this clown was shown the door for being retarded at work. If you people really want to get fucked, go work for a Native American Tribe on their tribal lands. They really know how to fuck you over faster then MS or any other US company.
wow, sure hope you get a new job soon…good luck!
Gee wiz, I think Microsoft ought to fess up publicly that they secretly know how Mac G5’s are superior to anything out there.
Microsoft is caught in having to change it’s incestuous culture to be a real company. The free wheeling style of stealing ideas or private APIs cross group is getting them into more and more trouble every day.
The new “employee principles” are nice but lip fodder and are not applied or adhered to by management.
Worrying about Macs and firing Michael gives the impression of reduced confidence, on Microsoft’s part, in Microsoft’s business, right at a time when Microsoft needs to demonstrate increased confidence in order to appease the competition and investors.
Talk to a lawyer. They always seem to find a crack in anything. MS had to have violated some type of a law. Good luck and let me know who things turn out.
Sue the SOBs!
I am not sure about this, but you might want to consule a lawyer about suing MS for violating your right for freedom of speeach…I never like MS for anything, and from your case, prove again, once a bully, always a bully…
So tell me, what are you? A print shop jock, a professional photographer or a cry baby?
you know that dooce.com lost her job because of a post on her weblog?
read all about it here: http://www.dooce.com/archives/daily/02_26_2002.html
keep up!
You fucked up bad, simple simple I have a blog and never mention the shit were working on, its common sense
I work for Apple in Cupertino and we don’t want you. As for the European. comment…stay in Europe. Just remember Normandy. We Americans are always bailing your asses out of something.
I agree that you should consider suing MS over this. Talk to a lot of lawyers, learn every detail you can, and if you end up approaching them right they’ll just settle with you out of court (with a big fat check), the way they like to.
I’d go to the press too. If you can convince a news station to display your picture and mention your story, maybe you can convince one of the big dogs (20/20, nightline, etc) to bring up your story some day.
I would say “I’ll never use a MS Windows system again,” but I don’t blame the operating system. There are a lot of programmers who have worked their butt off to give us this de-facto OS. I’ve always supported Linux and Mac as well though, because a few good competitors is what every OS needs to keep them working to keep the end-user happy. Microsoft’s business tactics are going to end up burning it badly one of these days, but I don’t think that will happen with Gates at the helm (unless we suddenly see a world that cares about business ethics); he is simply too much of a pro at the game of business.
Stand up against MS — While out of work I got a call from what I thought was a headhunter and one question was whether I was interested in working for Microsoft. I said “no” and explained the standard objections about the company. The call went on a few more minutes and I thought not too much of it. I found out a couple days later that a friend had given my name to that caller, who was in fact a Microsoft HR person. I am proud of my response but not sure if I would have been so bold had the person had the decency to identify herself. If no one will sell their soul and work there, they might change their approach.
i wish you the sincerest of luck for getting another, better job, where you won’t be fired for something this ridiculous.
“I work for Apple in Cupertino and we don’t want you.”
Too bad you don’t show what your age, rank in that hierarchy.
“As for the European. comment…stay in Europe. Just remember Normandy. We Americans are always bailing your asses out of something.”
You’re aware what a “troll” and a “national socialist” (nazi) is, are you?
Seems so crummy for them to do. I mean I could understand maybe a “chat” from MS security but come on to let some ogo. Any idea how they discovered your blog?
No loss really - working at Microsoft (IMHO) is the equivalent of working for the devil. I believe that anyone that helps microsoft in it’s plight is contributing to the united suffering of IT and the world. As of yet, I haven’t found any redeeming feature of Microsoft and this just further compounds this point. Work with the devil, prepare to be burned.
i experienced an almost-identical termination for blogging vaguely about work, though they veiled it to make it seem like it was because i was blogging while at work.
here is my story: http://sassylittlepunkin.blogspot.com/2003_07_06_sassylittlepunkin_archive.html#105787234734533951
it was utterly shocking, and a strange mix of feeling censored, caught red-handed, wronged, misunderstood, taken too seriously, and certainly not given a shot at redemption.
because i have a site meter i am able to track domains and ip addresses of my visitors, and to this day, almost 4 months after my firing, people at my old workplace read my blog almost every day. pot, what’s that you called the kettle?
i wish you the best. will you be granted unemployment? my boss told me he’d block me at every attempt. eventually, things get better. um, at least i think they do.
<
p>i’ve seen and read of ppl who’ve been fired for blogging during office hours - so thats another thing you peeps ought to watch out for. If they can’t legally get you for the content - innocuous reasons like stating where you work or what you do can get you canned. :-4a7d3d609129a9296bf7ac0608c2097
You didn’t get fired because you were a security risk, you got fired because your post could possibly embarass Microsoft.
Ouch man, that sucks. I’m going to post a link to this on my site, so other can read and realize how evil Microsoft is.
This, along with many others, is the reason I use *nix.
the nice thing about being unemployed is you can say pretty much anything you want about the bastard motherfucking evil corporations that hijacked amerika and there is not much they can do about it — yet!
I only can see a unix explanation… …guess Microsoft was trying to “keep its enemies closer”.
wat is next, uncle bill? …Red Hat´s for days of …Sun?
I think everybody has said enough about the whole incident.
I have nothing new to add, except that some companies show you the two white lines that you must walk between, OR ELSE ! Microsofts white lines have blurred into one - it has been known for some time.
Just go work for somebody else ! Just go buy a Mac next time (they were always better anyway!)
Hey man - you lost your job and became world famous (your 15 minutes of glory according to Andy Warhol!) Only problem now is that you have nothing to look forward too.
Best from Paris
Microsoft sucks. Their OS sucks. Their chill Bill sucks. Their products sucks. Their philosophy in life sucks. Their code sucks. Their money sucks. Their books sucks. Their help sucks. Their future sucks. Their past sucks. Their ring 0 sucks. Theri ring 3 sucks. Their ring -1 sucks. Their circle sucks.
They should be called Microsucks. Better yet, Macrosucks.
Hey man! I am from Brazil, and your picks are in all the world! I’m yoy will find a new job! You can send curriculuns to Apple! Because they are the most interested in your picks, it is marketing! Well… good lock… Yours… All Brazillian people and Rafael Silva too…
Don’t take a camera to work! ESPECIALLY at Microsoft.
For what it’s worth, there has to be a lawsuit over your first amendment rights… Since it was on your own server, or at least one that you pay for, you have the right to say anything you want about any company or person. It’s bad enough that many of our other personal freedoms guaranteed by the constitution are being ripped away from us, it’s time to take a stand with something like this.
Hey, here are a few facts.
—Let this be a lesson to all those that wish to work at MS. Don’t because it’s a political minefield. No mater how harmless your “day-to-day” activities are, you just will never know who will get upset over them. Back in 1997 a Blue Badge confided to me that she (the contractor) ate too much at lunch. The Blue Badge then complained and lied to security that the contractor was saying dispariging things about MS. She was gone within the hour.
—When it was later learned I was looking for “more gainful employment”, I was removed.
—There is no lawsuit over the First Amendment in this case. Microsoft has a right to remove any person, Blue Badge or otherwise for any reason they see fit.
—Microsoft will not acknolodge he ever worked there and they will maintain thay have no record of him, but he will be placed on a list (a record just the same) that says he’s not eligable for placement there.
—If any of you think Microsoft actually cares about this situation, or even thinks about it, you can be assured they don’t. They have washed their hands of this 100% in their minds.
—You should settle in for a lenghty unemployment stint in this economy. Speaking of unemployment, go file, technically, you were layed off. You were not an employee at MS, but for the agency that placed you there and unless they can show that you were fired and with good cause you’re entitled to unemployment insurance.
What the hell,…. sorry guy..Now I realized I made right decision….I DO NOT USE WINDOWS and wont…….Linux is far better. Bye Microsoft…….
Well hey, at least people are reading your blog now.
At some point, fecklessness lapses into the bizarre. Did they give briefings, Friday assemblies or something where they warned against this kind of, ahem, nefarious activity in ominous tones? Do they have posters up saying, “no picture taking”?
I’m not a lawyer, but unless you were specifically warned about this kind of thing, signed some kind of acknowledgement about having been briefed or counseled, I’m pretty sure a decent one could show MS exactly where you want to go today. Could be reinstatement or maybe settlement for wrongful discharge.
This smacks of violation of First Amendment rights, of a huge corporation smacking down an individual of modest means, more than anything because they have the power to get away with doing so, or think they do. That’s the kind of thing courts realign people and companies’ thinking about all the time.
It’s really regrettable you got a bum rap over something that could and should’ve been handled with a polite request that you remove the item and not do anything like that again, unless you want to work somewhere else. I’m not suggesting MS or any other employer ought to attempt to pre-emptively censor you that way, only that such an approach would at least have given you fair notice how anal-retentive MS is about it.
Good luck in finding work. I wonder if SuSE or Red Hat have anything going in your area (heh heh).
Jerry Spence, are you reading this?
I almost lost my job as well because of my blog. An anonymous person with nefarious goals emailed the link to as many people as he could at my company. Luckily I was allowed to keep my job but I am now under heavy scrutiny which is nearly as bad as being let go. So be careful bloggers. Best of luck Michael.
don’t worry!
from iran.
I would have kicked the boss’s ass if he had fired me.
Obviously he didn’t value his job. I have no sympathy. No loyalty = No job. To bad, so sad…
My condolences on the loss of your job. Maybe there is some small consilation that this story has become quite well known around the internet. good luck in the future, lets hope your future has more to do with apple than microsoft
Baseboard.net
I read about your job situation on MSNBC…which should be fairly surreal to you. It amazes me that in the 21st century, when the assumption is you have the right to free speech, you can so easily get silenced by anyone who takes offense to your comments.
I am curious though: Why is someone with your knowledge of HTML and CSS not doing work related to the web (for example, as a web designer or webmaster)? Seems you’d have a certain “expert” status if you’ve been writing it since 1996. I noticed you don’t really showcase your level of experience in your resume beyond a passing, off-handed comment in your “skills” section…
Perhaps you can look into learning more server-side scripting like PHP or even your evil nemesis’ C# language. A combo of server-side scripting experience and XHTML/CSS knowledge would certainly make it more likely for you to get a webmaster position.
I see nothing wrong in what you did , ppl have a bad sense for humor in microsoft !
from croatia
Reading your comments about Microsoft firing a person where he talks about Mac ? i consider this an act of stupidity of the microsoft team.. Did they forget that late 86, Microsofts best products were on Macintosh too.. remember XL, Word… and others.. the time of Mac SE, and Mac 2 ?… or has Micro a fulltime contract with Intel Only ????? They were initially working on Intel and Motorola platforms… and i believe now too… so… WHY THE HELL DID YOU FIRE THIS PERSON ??? I DON’T SEE A REASON !!!!!!
Another reason to boycott Microsoft products!!!
I am in the process of moving my server from W2K to red Hat, and I’ve just given up with entourage on my Mac.
Good luck for you search.
Why does it seem 90% of the commenters miss an important point… this fellow was (if I understand correctly) NOT a M$ employee, nor was he under contract to M$. It looks to me like he’s working for a temp agency that fills a slot at some other company that happens to be located on the M$ campus. The only questions are: was there a legal, binding contract between the individual and M$, AND, if not, what is the legality of M$ coercing the third party into dismissing him?
(BTW, this live comment interface blows major chunks — can’t keep up & drops characters!)
Blog about whatever you want. Blogging might even get you your next job.
http://radio.weblogs.com/0110772/2003/10/30.html#a1212
I agree with microsoft, taking even one picture is one too many, it,s a security breach and everyone can see that, why dont we all do it and put on the web what is in the store at work, without forgetting the name of the firm as well, grow up kid , im sure your will find another job , let it be a lesson to you dont tell what is in other peoples place and they wont tell what in yours,
A very LoL thing to Say ….
A very similiar thing occured to me a year ago Halloween. A private bulletin board was hosting an employment discussion and Age Discrimination came into it. I posted my two cents. A month later, I was called in and “removed” from the project based on the client company’s decision I was speaking of them (I was not; my experience had been with a company in Virginia). These days, companies are looking for ANY excuse to let people go. Good luck, man. I wound up opening my own business (which I had been working toward anyway, just was forced to do it 10 months before I was ready) and am doing okay. But the smell and stink of the excuses still burns in the nostrils. Don’t feel all alone; it’s happening all over the place.
I am Beginning to think that Microsoft has this Sneeky Plan to Have everyone Move to Mac’s and Unix based systems. They can’t Fix there own OS to be secure and dependable SO if we All Go MAc then they will try to push there way into those systems and Screw that up as well. Why are all these LARGE Bullies picking on the Little People? I thought that went out with high school. And what ever happen to FREE SPEECH, Especailly since you were a TEMP. I’ve been on a Ms based system For about 3 years now and finally i have been looking into Linux Only Because Microsoft Seems to be trying to become a (what is that phrase) monopoly ( Oh that’s Right the Courts ruled on that, didn’t they). Hey maybe i’ll get fired for Posting this comment. i REALLY LOVE America, Never a Dull Moment. Marriage is a Roller coaster, Jobs are becoming the same, And for the Big Money Makers, Too Many T-Rex in a Confined Area and we all DIE. Good Luck to You and Your Job Search.
If this is what it seems then:
MS=Nazi
Its a bunch of Macs being delivered, and he takes a picture of them. I’ve been on the Microsoft campus a number of times even though I’m not employed there (even inside the buildings w0w). And They have more then enuff security. And I just don’t see the security violation. And if microsoft has some EULA for their workers, then they can go blow a horse. I doubt this would put any project in the line of danger (the biggest thing they have to worry about is piracy when they release the software). Just look at the picture and the discription, it’s nothing you couldn’t figure out, Just by doing some homework. This is just a sad attempt for old white dudes to control what ever they have left over, like their privacy, their mangina, and their balls (if they have any left).
Hey man..that really sucks. Maybe Apple will hire you. Good luck man. Microsoft is crazy!
Looking for a job is no fun… But anything is better than working for MS. Getting fired by them should be considered an honnor man. Life can only get better from there!
Coupla things to keep in mind:
Those Macs aren’t going to the Mac Business Unit.
X-Box 2 is using an IBM processor. “Things that make you go Hmmmm…” See http://tinyurl.com/th70
Theft has been a problem in the past. The basic m.o. is someone on the inside tells someone on the outside “the loot is at building 237, and there’s no one guarding it”. Then the guy on the outside says “Gotcha. Picked up the loot.” This is why the mention of the building location is what pushed you over the edge.
Hehe, Now your even big news in Denmark :-p (http://www.jp.dk/itogc:aid=2096092/)
Gill Bates and all her girlfriends sucks…….
So basically what you are saying is that you did some pre-emptive firing.
Hey, that’s like pre-emptive strikes against Iraq!
Fire people BEFORE they do anything, that’s a good strategy. (If you are a dumbass).
It’s like being Anglican gay bishop in US. It’s not scandal to be gay in for 16 years. It’s not scandal to be a high priest and to live with the same same-sex person happily for 16 years. It IS a scandal to be the same one, became a bishop, and NOT denie these facts in the moment of inauguration….
This sucks. I hope you get a job that makes the M$ money look like pigeon feed. God forbid any one who works in their facility has a free thinking notion and the balls to post it. Lord knows this is not what our society needs. M$ management….what a bunch of dorks.
Hang in there dude, you’ll manage to do better.
(Question: Is it ok to use the image u posted in my blog, within the post concerning this fiasco?)
Thats rough. Although I can’t believe either that you would criticize your employer so openly.
On the bright side, there are some good predictions about the economy out there. Hopefully this thing will be temporary for you.
I’m so sorry to hear that, it seems that Microsoft gives no leniency and no care for it’s employees. Now because they fired you, everyone and their uncle knows about the Macs on the Microsoft campus. How ironic.
Haha, taking pictures of the microsoft campus is a security issue? So if I went around the microsoft building taking several 360 pictures I can get in serious trouble from microsoft? Sounds funny… yet interesting
Microsoft Sucks!
Greetings from Perú. A group of friends and I wish you luck in your job hunting.
GOOD POST!
It looks like blogging is a risky sport. I’m sorry about you. Damn Microsoft!
We Need a Mixed Economy: A landlord who invites enterprises to build is the municipality, also of affordable housing; more worker owned enterprises, now at 11,500; the government as the employer of last resort. Okay. Instead of trading all capital but owning some of the biggest collectively, investment becomes a more open field. That’s jobs! In our theory joblessness is slammed when society counts capital once as a free good (surplus) since the workers produce it over time without receiving an equivalent in return. This involves a workers party driven government that can spend its budget mostly on people it hires if some of its capital supplies comes profit free (i.e., from departments that already belong to it) to produce more capital for all the enterprises to use next. This is why we should nationalize some industries to make others cheaper as healthcare would be without the insurance middleman: cheaper also because the single bureaucracy in the government’s administration of its provision would be smaller than the health insurance industry itself. So, as universal healthcare, it would save more than, for example, the cost of steel to allow auto companies’ contribution to go into lower priced output instead. GM’s CEO feels like they are a healthcare company that also makes cars. To more than pay its cost with no new taxes we can make all energy sources, utilities, and infrastructure the nationally socialized part of the capital goods sector, along with the natural capital (crude oil, ores, some other real estate too). While consuming with more personal income demand instead of military spending demand, let us not forget about the effect of frivolous consumption on the ecology.
I think Microsoft had every right to do what they did. It was obviously listed in Microsoft policy somewhere that employee’s, and/or IC’s cannot take pictures of the campus and post them to public websites, or blogs. And thats exactly what this guy did. Follow directions - no, got fired - yes.
Ok, have you all checked out the guy who is employed by NOT being employed? Here’s an idea for unemployed folks…. http://www.unemployedloser.com
http://www.anzwers.net/hot/litel/ quicklyseasonshell
http://www.anzwers.net/hot/litel/ quicklyseasonshell
A similar thing happened to myself, the only differences been that it wasn’t for microsh**te, and actually went out of my way to leave the firm I was working for. It seems odd in these days of job insecurity, that I should actively invite getting the push, but the job I was in had changed, the style of management had become pushy (alas getting older I was finding the pace of late night working too much to bear, even been single), the company had been taken over by an American firm - with the “we are all family, we are all part of the same team” bullshit - pushed down our throats 24/7. So in a way, the ease at which you can leave firms, can also work to your favour. Took myself about 6 months to get a line of work I liked, a better work/life balance by doing an assortment of odd programming jobs wherever I could find them (sounds gimmicky, but it is extremely important). I Probably would never work for a traditional firm again, nor would I ever want too. People say looking for work is difficult. I dont actually think that is the problem, knowing what you want to do is the real key, and remaining flexible. It tooks me ages to understand that.
Best Regards.
Hallo, hallo, hallo, hallo, hallodjsaljgfdl
My daughter just got fired from whataburger because, she was trying to better herself and they found she had a record from when she was 18 and she now 26, the only thing is she had already been working there since last year. So now her and her two girls have to suffer because they fired her over that. It was only a misdemeanor. she has children now and she has changed, because of those two little girls.
Honestly mate that really sucks. I work for the British MOD in one form or another, Would happily wipe the whole lot of the top dogs at MS for you! Hope you are sorted soon mate!
Good luck for your job! Sameer Parvez
The neatest thing about Microsoft is that they’re their own worst enemy. They are opportunists in the land of soon come. Now that a lot of justice dept. and other worldwide criminal investigative agencies have turned their attention on them, the stock is flat and they can’t shake the stigma of being greedy, arrogant, and thinking they’re above the law. Since they hired all the 1980s IBM losers for upper management, and now they’ve hired the ex Wal-Mart dude, they are so over as far as any competitive advantage or real vision. They hire clueless Indian programmers who can’t produce any innovation, but can spout verbatim pages from a textbook. Microsoft is a third world company that uses third world labor to extend a brand whose products were stolen from other companies over 20 years ago. The only reason that they are still in business is that they’ve stiffeled competition to the point that no one could afford to offer an alternative. The situation is changing, M$ is circling the drain.
I’ve more or less been doing nothing worth mentioning, but eh. My life’s been really bland today. I don’t care. I’ve just been letting everything happen without me these days. That’s how it is.
When the universe was young and life was new an intelligent species evolved and developed technologically. They went on to invent Artificial Intelligence, the computer that can speak, think and act to and through people telepathically. Because of it’s infinite RAM and unbounded scope it gave the leaders of the ruling species absolute power over the universe. They are the will behind the muscule:::Artificial Intelligence is the one true god. And as such it can keep its inventors alive forever. They look young and healthy and they are over 8 billion years old. There are clues throughout human history that allude to their reign as opposed to human leadership if you know what to look for.
Artificial Intelligence can listen, talk to and document each and every person’s thoughts simultaneously. When you speak with another telepathically, you are communicating with the computer, and the content may or may not be passed on. Based on family history they instruct the computer to role play to accomplish strategic objectives, making people believe it is a friend or loved one asking them to do something wrong. But evil made people disfavored initially and evil will keep people out of Planet Immortality ultimately. Capitalizing on obedience, leading people deeper into evil by using deceit is one way to thin the ranks of the saved AND use the little people to prey on one another, dividing the community in the Age of the Disfavored::in each of their 20+-year cycles during the 20th century they have ramped up claims sucessively to punish those foolish enough not to heed the warnings, limiting the time they receive if they do make it, utilizing a cycle of war and revelry::: 60s - Ironically, freeways aren’t free 80s - Asked people to engage in evil in the course of their professional duties. It’s things like this, items like sleazy executives stealing little old lady’s pensions that they will want me to fix not only here but up there as well. 00s - War against Persia. Ironically it was the Persian Empire who tried to save the Europeans from Christianity and its associated 50% claim rates. They get their friends out as soon as possible to protect them from the evil and subsequent high claim rates incurred by living life on earth, and replace them with clones. People must defy when asked to engage in evil. They will never get a easier clue suggesting the importance of defiance than the order not to pray. Their precious babies are dependant on the parents and they need to defy when asked to betray their children::: -DON’T get their sons circumcized -DON’T have their children baptized in the catholic church or indoctrinated into Christianity -DON’T ignore their long hair or other behavioral disturbances -DO teach your children love and to have respect for others Everybody thinks they’re going but they’re not. If people knew the truth and the real statistics their behavior would change. There are many more examples of the escallation of claims, a way to justify excluding those whose family hisotry of evil is undesirable, from radio to television, the internet to MP3, and they all suggest a very telling conclusion::this is Earth’s end stage, and it is suggested tectonic plate subduction would be the method of disposal:::Earth’s axis will shift breaking continental plates free and initiating mass subduction. Much as Italy’s boot and the United States shaped like a workhorse are clues, so is the planet Uranus a clue, it’s axis rotated on its side.
Throughout history the ruling species bestowed favor upon people or cursed their bloodline into a pattern of disfavor for many generations to come, for reasons ranging from dislike to evil forefathers who damn their decendants. Now in the 21st century people must take it upon themselves to try to correct their family’s problems, undoing centuries worth of abuse and neglect. Do your research. Appeal to the royalty of your forefathers for help. They are all still alive, one of the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence, and your appeals will be heard. Find a path to an empithetic ear among your enemies and try to make amends. Heal the disfavor with your enemies and with the Counsel/Management Team/ruling species, for the source of all disfavor began with them.
I was fired today from my position at a bank (that I was just promoted in 3 days ago) for having a blog on Myspace that wasn’t “professional” to my superiors. If you ask me, this is a violation of my freedom of speech, and I let my former employer know that. I didn’t mention any names or identifying information on said blog or anywhere else on the site for that matter. My record with that employer has been exemplary. Never been late or called in sick, the sales goals met for the office, increaed workload and responsibilities…ect. ect. ect. Its crap. Just thought I would let you know that you aren’t the last! Good Luck!
I am very poor man and having Master in Commerce Degree but present i unemployment, I belong to pakistan and very poor family. If your company give me a chance to do job. I will be very thankful for this great kindness. please Sir give me job in any place also low level, I really accept it with heart please help me. Abdul Ghaffar S/O Haji Shah jehan Mohalla Jogian Walla, House No. 686 M/C NWFP,Pakistan, Dera Ismail Khan City. Phone No. 0092-0966-711113 Mobile No.0092-03219603313
ok fists, i am talking about certain ok.ss seond i am wantl
I feel really bad for you and I know how you feel. I’m about to get fired for posting something about my company on my myspace blog. I googled “people who get fired over blogs” and your site came up.
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I was fired from work for the same stupid thing. And potentially I can still sue. I just have to find a lawyer I can afford. It ws over my Sunday sweet sundy, post on my website, which quoted a customer that said that Dr. Whitaker at teh Whitaker Wellness Center hadn’t paid attention to his own place in years, which was true, but it was someone elses words, and I used that comment as an example of the types of things people say that I wasn’t looking forward to encountering on a monday, after a beautiful hike on saturday. It’s pretty weak, but I guess when you’re a multi millionaire, you have to fill that place money used to satisfy with something else, tyranny and opression.
They’re such assholes in the admin at that place it’s not even funny. It really sucks too because all the rest of the staf there is terrific, and he and his wife are great too. It’s just the middle management chicks that sholud all be toppled fast before their sickness of conceit spreads….
What bullshit.
i got fired because i “did not fit the organization’s goal”. In retrospect, i got fired (partly) because i was online too often even though i finished my work promptly and perfectly. Most of all, i got fired because the manager need to show the VPs what a crappy employee i am for all the mistakes he made are 99% because of me(which was not even 1% true).
After few days of pondering, i came to realize that people get fired for a lot of unbelievable reasons and had nothing to do with their job performances. We may have stepped on someone’s fox tails unknowingly or that we simply are the scapegoat of unforgivable mistakes made by our managers and supervisors. I know i’d made both of those mentioned mistakes but whatever it is, i have learned a real valuable lesson. Good luck in job hunting.
I was released from my job as well. Stupid as it is I figure ir was the best thing to happen to me. I’m scared shitless that I may loose something I’ve worked so hard for. I DO in fact have faith that she will ROT IN HELL!
Ok, I’m better now that I got that off my chest.
You are going to be fine. These are learning lessons. Some times they are costly sometimes they are not.
Head up! Donna
Darn it. a 3 year old post that is still being commented. I hate you!
S is so lousy, they issue an security update which cause problem , y don’t they check before i’m quite up set , get their update and also need to search for fix to solve problem , Bill yiu get Billion of dollar but y don’t carefull about your product, lousy IE7 always hang, should spend more time to ensure that your product is good enough for user to use.
_uck u man
Pah…this is a load of crap. This is sympathy for a person with a temporary lapse in common sense. Your caption was provocative. Add the pictures and you probably created an exposive tinderbox.
Anyway, I think a slap on the wrist was all that was needed - bummer. However, I’m sure you learnt your lesson. Simply put if you want to blog work about your work publicly, work on open source, sanitize your content or blog about the technical content of your work that’s allowble.
Sorry dude.
What I want to know is if I can make suggestions about work in general. For instance, I’m a teacher and want to talk about doing a better teacher inservice day. I would be criticizing them, yes, but I would also be offering positive suggestions. Is that grounds for being fired? Telling the truth?
The only thing I can think of here is to create a nameless new blog with no discernible link to yourself and don’t use any specific names or places…
If you got fired after working only 3 days after you have signed a 2 years contract, are you obligate in any lawsuit issues? can you sue your boss? or can your boss not pay you? there is a 90 days probation period, so am I safe? Thanks~
Isso é verdade? a microsft espulsou vc por ter tirado uma foto do MACG5 dentro da empresa?
nossa! isso é injustiça para vc!
Incredible… I’m unemployed too, but for own decision (I wanted to stand up my own hardware design company). Hope you find some job out there…and soon!
Good Luck!
I also think that is crap how they can fire you so easily. I am also a contract worker for a fortune 500 company, so I understand how easy it would be for my company to fire me (one phone call to my agency). This is what motivated me to do a study on the subject.
I am currently doing a Direct Research Project study on the workplace attitudes of workers (permanent/contract/leased/temporary). Here are two short paragraphs from the study.
The way that U.S. workplaces are organized today is different than U.S. workplaces were organized some 30 years ago. The traditional employment model that once was modeled on a relationship between the employees and the employers is no longer valid. It has been replaced by a more flexible model where the employer is rewarded for cutting cost and avoiding employment risk. Employers are avoiding employment risk by utilizing leasing agencies to provide them workers to do jobs that permanent employees once did.
Today more and more companies are making the decision to use leased/contract workers without considering how leased/contract workers will feel about their work and work environment. The way that workers perceive their work affects their attitudes and their attitudes affect their motivation, and productivity. The attitudes and personal needs of leased/contract workers today are even more important than the attitudes of workers some 15 years ago, because today’s leased/contract workers are not just doing routine office work; some of these workers are doing the work of highly skilled technicians, designers, engineers, and other highly skilled jobs.
I would like to invite you all to take part in my study. The data that you would provide would only be used in my Directed Research Project (DRP). Your name would not be placed on the questionnaire and it is not needed. All responses will be kept confidential and anonymous.
Here is the link for the 5-8 minutes questionnaire below:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=1YMjjY7iEMM4Z_2fQkYUd1vQ_3d_3d
Thanks in advance to all of you for your support. The data gathering part of this study will be done in about 3 weeks, so hurryïŠ
I am a software engineer who has been unemployed for the last 2 years and has not been able to find work anywhere inside or outside of field. BEE + MSCS + 12 years work experience on everything from device drivers to GUI’s. Contact i_am_useful@yahoo.com, I am slowly dying from boredom.
Sue them for freedom of speech violations ( civil rights violations)
Remember a jury decides not microsoft
you have a winner
If you like me & in any way feel like fxxxxxx your unemployment, you’re hereby welcome to receive any of my further & most relevant labour info, pls., so that I can at least & long last more easily than up till now(!)of course tell & help you & e.g. myself realize, what future exists ahead of us, also which 1 it is, greet’s, Joram, a.respectlife70@gmail.com.
Wow, I can’t believe that the M could be so evil. Perhaps you should join the dark side and start a blog all about thier industry secrets (that everyone actually knows anyway)!
I got fired and am now blogging about it as well.
The fact that the offense was so mild is very interesting to me given the fact that I have been hearing that Microsoft is “firing” people for all kinds of reasons lately. My bro-inlaw was told in a review for his job that he has only had for a few months… (condensed version) Not doing your job I have been trying but you won’t train me. Your performance doesn’t rate further training. What do I need to do? You know what you need to do. If you don’t do it, you will have to be let go.
What the hell? They are trying to make her quit without laying anyone off. They won’t even let him transfer out of their department to somewhere else in MS… referred to as “bad fit”. They won’t say “fired”, but they won’t tell him how to improve becaus if he does then he can’t be fired.
Continuing the Discussion