What Sun's Tremblay will do at Microsoft

Marc Tremblay

(Credit: Sun Microsystems)

Well, I have a little more information on what Marc Tremblay will be doing once he starts at Microsoft.

In addition to assuming the title "distinguished engineer," Tremblay will be part of a "Strategic Software/Silicon Architectures group." The unit is headed by KD Hallman and is part of the research and strategy organization headed by Craig Mundie.

"Marc will help oversee cross-company technical task forces and strategic direction for the company's software and semiconductor technologies," Microsoft said in a statement.

From what I could glean, the SiArch group, as it is dubbed internally, is responsible for Microsoft's long-term strategy as it relates to chip technologies and handles Redmond's relationships with chip companies.

Tremblay is leaving Sun after 18 years after helping architect its Sparc line of chips and serving as CTO of its microelectronics unit.

His new boss at Microsoft, Hallman, has been at the company since 1994. Prior to her new role, she headed up the Visual Studio unit and before that was part of the natural language group that produced the grammar and spell checker used in Office and Windows. Before joining Microsoft, Hallman worked for Digital Equipment.

[KonradK]

Incredible waste of talent. From Sparc to Zunes. Yuck!

[monkeyfun14]

What does it matter to you?

[badmojo42]

where does it say anything about working on Zunes??? Stop trolling and go do something useful with your life.

[Mr. Dee]

The last time I checked, Solaris is not over 1 billion PC's? Is SPARC a mass consumer product? Is Open Office the dominant productivity? I JAVA any faster than it was in 1995? Get a life KonradK. Marc probably screamed for joy when he left SUNset boulevard.

[KonradK]

&gt; What does it matter to you?<br />Microsoft's return on their enormous research investment has been abysmal. The world is a poorer place for it (BGs laudable philanthropy not with standing).<br /><br />&gt; where does it say anything about working on Zunes???<br />Agreed it doesn't. The Zune was only a metaphor.<br /><br />&gt; Solaris is not over 1 billion PC's<br />And there are more flies than eagles on this planet.

[RompStar_420]

If I was this guy, I would have started my own consulting firm or some type of business, the education is there, the experience is there, the know-how is there. I mean people in positions like this do save money right ? I am sure Sun paid him well....<br /><br />I guess MS made him a great offer as far as money goes, people will keep to money. Waste of talent is right. Better if he want to work for Google or Apple or even independent.

[rhsc]

Working for Microsoft has a lot of benefits over self-employment

[Sourdust]

As you said in your post, Tremblay had many options. I'm sure others could and would match what MS offered him, so it must have been the work that drew him to MS. Maybe Google and Apple are more hype than you think.

[monkeyfun14]

You do realize when you work for a company you choose to take the offer based on pay not what your building or feelings about the companies back reputation right?

[Sourdust]

@monkeyfun14, considering that Apple, Google and MS aren't known for their great pay, I'd say you're wrong. Most startups pay even less than those three and have little chance of making their employees rich through stock options, but they also do well hiring. And finally, my experience as a developer is that many people will take a pay cut if a new job offers a more interesting project.

[1st]

interesting: Microsoft got a mip guy, now a unix chap... what is next? beyond Xbox 360? What's cooking on the hardware side?

[hutchike]

A while back Microsoft talked about Windows being on every device, not just your PC. Having a chip-god in-house will surely make that a simpler task? The only problem is that all his chip genius is patented and all the patents are owned by Sun Microsystems. Hmmm. I hope the Seattle weather is to his liking - at least Amazon deliveries will be fast. Is Starbucks an upgrade from Pete's? Not sure...

[eudefender]

Hire managers, fire developers. Nice business trend. This will help the transformation of the company in a financial engineering business.