Please settle in Israel before the end of the decade.This is the best place in the world for high tech with Silicon Valley.

Microsoft Israel has a large R&D center in Haifa and is opening a new one in Tel Aviv , the only R&D

centers in the world for Microsoft outside Richmond ,near Seattle.

- I’d say: too much R&D focused, not marketing-driven like IBM or, even better, Apple might be. Microsoftees’ priorities could be: 1) technology; 2) competition; 3) user experience (ie client); 4) shareholders

MS has been trying to modify the order of priorities in the recent years, and start designing software from the user experience. But it’s still in Beta.

You’ll ask: why shareholders come last? The Microsoft financing structure is expensive since the company has very few debts. I might post something on Microsoft’s financial management later on this very blog.

Thanks for asking anyways. I hope I’m not answering too ‘boldly’, taking advantage that I’m not an insider yet. When that time comes, you have to understand that I won’t allow myself to give my opinion in such a way. For obvious reasons related to values such as respect and humility.

- As every big company, MS (the third largest market cap!), I assume, can’t avoid bureaucracy & internal politicking. But I’m 100% it’s much better there than in most, even smaller, shops.

Andrés> Microsoft Corporation or Latin America will be glad, I’m sure, to hire the best software developer in all Venezuela The last time we saw each other in Barcelona, didn’t you say that open source would kill traditional software business models? I’m glad I made you change your mind. Seriously, Microsoft is one of the most amazing companies for developers – alongside with Google I think, and probably many software start-ups. Just for you to realize: at Microsoft, as Chris (see comment above) mentioned, developers are treated like Kings. So, just come and work for MS.

Michel, Aurélien, John> Thanks for your kind support. But you know, I’ll just be a trainee…

Microsoft has been the very first (at least one of the very first) software company to understand what the Football Industry had realized a long time ago. Do you guess? What would bloody footballers understand better than nerds?

The simple fact that it’s worth paying some virtuous players (resp. coders) dozens of times as much as regular players, that one Ronaldino is worth more than 5 Gimenez… Because anyway, those guys are gonna make you earn a lot more than you spent on them.

Let me illustrate my point briefly:

- In the java test, I noticed there was a dramatic difference between the work achieved by the best and the worst students.

- Furthermore, who never read crappy code source filling 1000 lines for what could have been done smartly in 10?

- More recently, I heard a friend complaining about his employees who had been working for one month on a web site (apparently very hard, they bring homework!)… At present, the result is pretty hilarious.

- I’m sure you have hundreds of other examples…

Vous justifiez merveilleusement votre choix. Restons en contact.

Cordialement,

Michel

B.> Could you please elaborate a little bit on your stance so that I can come up with a proper answer? Why are you disappointed with me because I’ll be joining Microsoft? Where could I have found a better environment to learn and have fun provided that I want to make an international career in software, innovation and technology? I believe it’s a little too easy to attack people verbally without even giving the slightest argument. So please make sure you elaborate on this ‘Dark Side’ thing. Thank you in advance.

Kari> Thank you Kari! How did I land that job? Well…After meeting through our respective blogs, Julien (my soon-to-be direct manager) told me there was a training opportunity in his division, and that I should apply for it. So, that’s what I did, and after going through the whole interview process, I got accepted. Funny thing at Microsoft France: every single employee blogs. I find it amazing.

How did you land that job?

André> Thanks, but I’m not planning not to change. The culture of Microsoft, as pointed out in this very post, is a major reason why I’m joining Microsoft: it’s outward looking, focuses on idea generation and execution, international, and cutting-edge technologically speaking. As a young graduate, I have a lot to learn there, a lot. So I hope I’ll change and become a true Microsoftee too. Sorry about that))

David> Thanks, cool blog you have. Will try to make it more often (I wanted to write a post about the iPhone by CISCO and not Apple, but since you’ve already done it, …I’m getting lazy).

Laetitia> Hey Laetitia. Thanks for reading my blog, I didn’t know about that. No plan to come to Big Apple anytime soon, but I really miss the City. But…Don’t you live in New Jersey???

Antoine> So you should apply! Microsoft needs software developers like you. I can pass on your CV if you like.

Willem> Thanks.

François-Albert> Thanks François, you’re most welcome. Yep for a new drink, after the holidays maybe?

one more “congrats!” and

thanks for describing you decision-making process. very helpful.