Comments on: Microsoft gearing up for layoffs? Let's hope not

Company is rumored to be preparing itself for deep layoffs in an attempt to bolster profitability. But even this Microsoft critic can't get excited about Microsofties out of work.

[gnutux]

As much as I dislike Microsoft, no one should ever be laid off. That's the only bad news I don't want to hear from the software giant.

[hallslug]

I couldn't agree with you more.

Like it or not MSFT is done in the near future as a market maker. The smart ones are already leaving.

The days of bloated and overpriced code are over.

Open source rules the web.

Power to the people.

[dotdamri]

The cause of this economic slump in one word - America itself!! Blaming the job loss on bad economy is sidestepping the issue. Simple facts - For 1 $ of revenue US incurs 9$ of debt !! No country can sustain this kind of ridiculous debt spending. When the going's good people start spending big (buy property/ cars/ max credit limits).

Each and every stakeholder right from the common man to the big wigs are concerned to protect his/her own interest. If his/her interests are met it does not matter whether the system is crappy or the risks are high. They conveniently pass the buck hoping the problems go away. Unfortunately they did not and the house that was built on the pack of cards has now collapsed. We can still go on blaming regulatory authorities but if the people who took in the risky mortgages were more cautious in the first place this entire fiasco could have been avoided.

Microsoft is simply a part of this system- no more or no less. Unless there is a fundamental change in the mindset of people with regard to spending this kind of massive system failure will continue to occur.

[cardinal489]

Microsoft laying off workers... The tech industry was more or less stable even in a bad economy, but it seems this one is too big to hold off. The bad decisions that Microsoft made on Vista made it worse off compared to Google and Mac. Mac isn't affected that much because it never did have as large a force as Microsoft's. Google... well, they're still good. For now.

[Aus_Engineer]

Spend $4 or more BILLION Dollars a WEEK year after year after year on a war in Iraq based on a lie, and then you wonder why your economy has collapsed, send thousands of working overseas to fight wars, pay them poorly, and then pay medical for their injuries.

Its not sub-prime that is the cause of the problems, its the stupid and wrong war again "terror", You Americians just have to be at war with someone, But this one was completly not necessary, and those 4000 brave soldiers should not have been there to be hurt or killed, its criminal.

Is there any defense contractors in financial problems now ?? no, what would $4 billion a week pay for, cure for cancer ?? man on mars ? US free medical ? elimination of world hunger ? or a good ol war to kill people !!! ..

MS has no competition and if they lay off people it will be bad for them and everyone, MS generates huge revinue, taxes and jobs for people all over the world.

They do innovate, if they didnt i would like to know why FOSS copy so much of what they have done, but thats another story, but keep in mind it was MS OFFICE long before "OPENOffice.org". And if OPEN Office is not a knockoff of MS OFFICE, just as Linux is a knockoff of Linux, where is the innovation of using a rewritten copy of linux from the 1970's calling it "Linux" and UNIX-Like (but not certified),

thats not innovative, at least MS Windows is MS Windows, not (windows-like) and it is its own entity.

Thats why i support Microsoft, they have made a huge impact on the computer industry, i would easily say more than linux ever will. and they contribute far more to the economy that linux/floss will ever do.

[bwvla]

The question is if they lay off who they will lay off. Will the jobs come from technology, support, sales/marketing, or management.

Microsoft has appeared to have lost their geeky core while a sea of hipsters in management and marketing have been second guessing everything the company does ala vista. Seems the downfall of most technical companies when the sleazy suits in sales, and/or "MBA" managers lock the geeks in the basement and take over the company.

[Mackspower]

Hey, I wanted to throw some petrol on this flame-fest . . .



* You ungrateful ... have all just realised how valueable and important Microsoft is

* Microsoft continues to provide 90% of the desktop infrastructure to the world so you lame-ass, sideline, never-done-anything dipshits can throw stones from your microsoft keyboard attached to your MS powered computer

* Apple is irrelavant - period.

* It's about time MS expanded it's primary workforce outside of the U.S. . . . . I use Malaysian and Indian development teams everyday, let me tell you their quality of work and creativity is waaaaay better the lazy U.S workforce.



That should do it for now - thanks for reading my contribution. Bye.

[Edited to remove profanity.]

[G2Geo]

Yikes. A huge worldwide company like Microsoft laying off

[AnotherDeveloper]

"With Apple doing all of Microsoft's R&D, Microsoft can certainly handle some downsizing... "

Well at least the country still has a strong sense of comedy judging by that statement :)
Apple and R&D in the same statement, that's like 'Made in China', the badge of quality :/

[c0ldfyr3]

Microsoft have already started laying off people, one of my friends was a contractor with their Irish setup and he was laid off in October, they let him work his months notice and just at the end of the month they put him on another project with the same conditions as before. Less than 3 weeks later Microsoft pulled the plug on that too but this time told him no notice was necesary just to get his stuff and leave. This was 3 weeks before xmas. GG Microsoft.

[adam_hartung]

Microsoft's lack of new products is leading to layoffs. Even Domino's is very smart to go after a new market with new products in this tough economy by launching sub sandwiches. Growth requires going after new markets with new growth opportunities. Great companies focus on growth while weaker competitors try saving costs. Even the threat of Microsoft layoffs demonstrates the impact of Linux on the marketplace. Read more at http://www.ThePhoenixPrinciple.com

[technewsjunkie]

Apologist.

"Google forcing Ms to innovate on the desktop (again)"

How so? Google is focused on the web, while Microsoft's desktop apps, and even the desktop OS is dying.

I am not happy to see anyone to get laid-off, but this company's products are crap. Lowest common denominator.