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Working at Microsoft (2004)

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Re: Working at Microsoft (2004)

#11

Post by vidoc »

jjcm wrote: post #9

Since this blog is a bit dated, here are some things that have changed in the last 10 years from the perspective of someone who works here now. First some background to fill in the time between when he wrote this and now: When Vista dropped, public opinion of Microsoft started to go out the door. That was right around the same time that Apple released its first iphone (2007), and with a failed OS and a hugely success…

Was stack ranking already common practice when this article was written (2004) and is it actually over now (2015) ?

Re: Working at Microsoft (2004)

#12

Post by tdicola »

jjcm wrote: post #9

Since this blog is a bit dated, here are some things that have changed in the last 10 years from the perspective of someone who works here now. First some background to fill in the time between when he wrote this and now: When Vista dropped, public opinion of Microsoft started to go out the door. That was right around the same time that Apple released its first iphone (2007), and with a failed OS and a hugely success…

Err, that's kinda greatly simplifying things. I'd say the last 10 years can be described as:

- ~2005 to ~2009 was the Ray Ozzie era. Ozzie took over the role of Chief Software Architect from Bill Gates in 2006 and the company, internally and externally, was focused on very ambitious projects. Software 'architects' were common on every team and usually doing something the 'right' way trumped shipping quickly and iterating. There were lots of interesting ideas and cool tech, but turning that stuff into viable products and businesses proved to be difficult.

- ~2009 to 2013 was the Steven Sinofsky era. Sinofsky took over as the head of the Windows division after Vista and helped recover with the Windows 7 release. His influence quickly spread and most of the company adopted his management structure (very strict separation of concerns between development, test, and product management). The role of software architect quickly disappeared (and Ray Ozzie left the company, leaving the CSA position to disappear entirely) and although research was still important it was definitely not the top priority. There was much less focus on building platforms, ideas, or other intangible things vs. shipping to customers in controlled and predictable ways.

Post 2013 and Steve Ballmer stepping down I don't really know much since I left around that time.

Re: Working at Microsoft (2004)

#13

Post by ddeklotz »

jjcm wrote: post #9

Since this blog is a bit dated, here are some things that have changed in the last 10 years from the perspective of someone who works here now. First some background to fill in the time between when he wrote this and now: When Vista dropped, public opinion of Microsoft started to go out the door. That was right around the same time that Apple released its first iphone (2007), and with a failed OS and a hugely success…

I just recently left my job at Microsoft, about 7 months ago. That said, I have nothing but mostly great things to say about my time there (2010-2014). By the time I got there, there was already the sense that even though we had huge market share on traditional desktop operating systems, that we were still far and away the underdog in many other respects that probably mattered more. Working on the dethroned Windows OS was an exciting and compelling thing. How do you stay relevant in a market that is rapidly changing without just outright copying the competition and while still giving it its own unique perspective? That's a really hard problem, and a really fun one to work on. Even though I know we didn't get it all right in 8/8.1, the excitement was all there and it was a really great ride.

Ask yourself if you would rather work for a big software leader that is resting on its laurels or for a company that knows it has some ground to cover if it wants to stay relevant, and then you'll know if you prefer the old Microsoft or the new one.

Re: Working at Microsoft (2004)

#14

Post by RyJones »

vidoc wrote: post #11
jjcm wrote: post #9

Since this blog is a bit dated, here are some things that have changed in the last 10 years from the perspective of someone who works here now. First some background to fill in the time between when he wrote this and now: When Vista dropped, public opinion of Microsoft started to go out the door. That was right around the same time that Apple released its first iphone (2007), and with a failed OS and a hugely success…

Was stack ranking already common practice when this article was written (2004) and is it actually over now (2015) ?

stack ranking had been going on for many review cycles at this point and I heard last night that it's gone for good (wink wink, nudge nudge) because they still have to allocate bonuses and stock.

Re: Working at Microsoft (2004)

#15

Post by VOYD »

It really depends on what product you land on, and what your career goals are. And you'd better have career goals, because if you don't you are looked down upon. Doesn't everyone want the CEO's jobs? It's still as hyper-competitive as ever, and to a certain degree, even more so since M$FT has invested in creating job centers around the world. Microsoft still employees more "temps" than FTEs, just saying.

Re: Working at Microsoft (2004)

#17

Post by InclinedPlane »

jjcm wrote: post #9

Since this blog is a bit dated, here are some things that have changed in the last 10 years from the perspective of someone who works here now. First some background to fill in the time between when he wrote this and now: When Vista dropped, public opinion of Microsoft started to go out the door. That was right around the same time that Apple released its first iphone (2007), and with a failed OS and a hugely success…

I love the way MS has smartened up in regards to open source and embracing developers in the modern era. However, I think they still have some very fundamental problems in terms of corporate culture. For a very, very long time the reviews system incentivized short-term, easily measurable work over more substantive work, with a fairly obvious impact on the products delivered by MS.

Re: Working at Microsoft (2004)

#18

Post by smacktoward »

tdicola wrote: post #12
jjcm wrote: post #9

Since this blog is a bit dated, here are some things that have changed in the last 10 years from the perspective of someone who works here now. First some background to fill in the time between when he wrote this and now: When Vista dropped, public opinion of Microsoft started to go out the door. That was right around the same time that Apple released its first iphone (2007), and with a failed OS and a hugely success…

Err, that's kinda greatly simplifying things. I'd say the last 10 years can be described as: - ~2005 to ~2009 was the Ray Ozzie era. Ozzie took over the role of Chief Software Architect from Bill Gates in 2006 and the company, internally and externally, was focused on very ambitious projects. Software 'architects' were common on every team and usually doing something the 'right' way trumped shipping quickly and itera…

> 2009 to 2013 was the Steven Sinofsky era... There was much less focus on building platforms, ideas, or other intangible things vs. shipping to customers in controlled and predictable ways.

For certain definitions of "controlled and predictable," yes. For others not so much. Sinofsky's tenure was also the era of the great push to turn Windows 8 into the one Windows to rule all devices, which resulted in it being the controversial, poorly-received product it has been. "Controlled and predictable" would have involved rolling out changes like moving to Modern/Metro/Windows-Style/etc. UI, removing the Start button, booting to the Start screen instead of the desktop, etc. slowly and incrementally, but Sinofsky bet instead on rolling them all out at once in a single "big bang" release. That was a big, risky bet that completely failed to pay off, and that MS has been retreating from step by step ever since his departure.

Re: Working at Microsoft (2004)

#19

Post by yulaow »

Any comments related to the situation in the branches of Microsoft around the world? (like Microsoft Uk, Ge, Fr, Br, It, etc... you understood)

I have some friends in Microsoft Uk and they all talk really bad about the company, both in how it is managed and in the support they get from other members of the team. Just to say one of my friends got his access card only after two weeks and a usable laptop after 7 and only after receiving two or three that got infinite BSODs.

Re: Working at Microsoft (2004)

#20

Post by superiortoyou »

jjcm wrote: post #9

Since this blog is a bit dated, here are some things that have changed in the last 10 years from the perspective of someone who works here now. First some background to fill in the time between when he wrote this and now: When Vista dropped, public opinion of Microsoft started to go out the door. That was right around the same time that Apple released its first iphone (2007), and with a failed OS and a hugely success…

>Four or Five years ago, if you'd asked me what tech company I worked for, my answer would have probably been, "Microsoft, I know, it's a bummer. I'm trying to move to google". Now though people actually think MS is cool again. The stuff we're working on is exciting and the corporate culture is starting to get healthy.

It's embarrassing how fickle the technology industry is... so much reliance on hype and trend-hopping.

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