Microsoft CIO Stuart Scott Gets Axed 533
avjt writes "Microsoft has terminated its CIO Stuart Scott for 'violation of company policies'. They won't elaborate. Now what do you think this guy has done?" Ya know, I'm positive someone reading this story knows the answer to the mystery... and they could post it anonymously and be totally fine because there will be a hundred other totally wrong guesses and it would be completely impossible to distinguish the two ;)
google time (Score:5, Funny)
Re:google time (Score:4, Funny)
Re:google time (Score:5, Interesting)
How does a CIO get fired "after an investigation for violation of company policies"?
He came to Microsoft in 2005 so he's not a long timer in the company. If Microsoft is trying to push him out, then we'll see if he responds with a lawsuit.
Re:google time (Score:5, Funny)
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Re:google time (Score:5, Funny)
4. Tried to hire CowboyNeal as Intern.
This can become a slashdot poll. Once the results are in, we'll know the real reason.
Re:google time (Score:5, Funny)
I resent that.
ubrgeek
MA, BS, PhD - Cambridge, Yale, Harvard
Inventor of automobile, SuperBall(tm) and the Internet.
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We all know that the internet was invented by the same politician who is single-handedly saving us from global warming.
However, I will cede that the inventor of the automobile has not recently been in the news, and so its entirely feasible that you are he.
Re:google time (Score:4, Funny)
So what?
Dude, you're talking to the guy who invented the *superball*.
Try and get some perspective in future
Re:google time (Score:5, Informative)
You are referring to this, presumably?
You can't even convince politicians in Congress today that there is value in having anything to do with the internet besides enacting child protection laws. Gore has understood the value since the 1970s and been acted in his political capacity to develop and support legislation that created it and brought it to the public. Exactly what other kind of creation do you expect from politicians? Can only the guys on the front-lines take credit for creating something? Does it somehow diminish their value by acknowledging Gore's contribution?
See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Gore's_contributions_to_the_Internet_and_technology#Congressional_work_and_Gore_Bill [wikipedia.org]
Re:google time (Score:5, Informative)
So if you know more about the early days of the internet/the late days of ARPANET than Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn, I would consider myself extraordinarily fortunate if a person of such amazing insight could shed some light on their mistake.
Re:google time (Score:5, Insightful)
In the early-to-mid 1980s when the Internet as we know it was evolving out of the ARPANet, Gore was on the floor of Congress yammering on about how this crazy new tech was going to be important, and the U.S. had to be there first. He argued for vastly more funding to the NSF than anyone thought the Internet needed (it's just some computer geeks linking research databases, right?) I remember reading about his efforts on Usenet back in the late 80s and wondering, "I know why this is important, but how they heck does a politician know?!" In the end, of course, it was more important than either the geeks or the politicians could have predicted.
Go read the Congressional Record for his speeches about the Internet. The funding for the development of all of those low-number RFCs like DNS and SMTP came from projects that Gore pushed as if he actually knew why they were important. Did he? I have no clue, but if I don't give props to the one politician to see the value in the Internet from the start, I'll never convince any politician that doing right by technology is going to help their careers. We have enough of the, "the Senator from Disney," types already, and I'd rather not have more.
Re:google time (Score:5, Funny)
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Re:google time (Score:5, Informative)
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Oh, come on. That's a company tradition. Bill Gates didn't just shag someone who reported to him [wikipedia.org], he married her.
Re:google time (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:google time (Score:5, Insightful)
But, yes crumbling, disaster!!
-David
Ballmer (Score:3, Interesting)
However, he's screwed up on two major fronts and kind of failed to repent on at least one of them.
1. He let the vista development get strung out like it did. This probably isn't largely his fault, but as CEO he should have realized something was going very wrong and forced the development
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And from this, it looks like he has been in the job since summer 2005.
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2005/dec05/12-05Scott.mspx [microsoft.com]
So its taken them 2 years to find out he is running linux. I guess two years to finally turn on a PC (to do some work), is about right for at Microsoft CIO.
obvious (Score:5, Funny)
Somehow this is gonna cost me karma...
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Re:obvious (Score:5, Funny)
on a Mac
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More likely backtracking and installing XP. I think MS is more worried about XP as a competator to Vista than Linux right now.
Which is hillarious, but at the same time, the probably think "at least we still make a profit with XP, unlike Vista"
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In Windows, the worst TV tuner (an ATi All in Wonder) took at most 2 hours to set up, and then only because I had to get the video drivers as well. Most TV tuners took less than half an hour from insertion of board to watching TV.
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Mark Twann, I think, once said, "it's best to keep your mouth shut an let the world think your a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt." I'm pretty sure I butchered that quote but you should get the point. I would suggest that you take Mark Twann's advice to heart.
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Clemens.
(wait for it...)
Re:obvious (Score:5, Funny)
No it wouldn't... (Score:5, Funny)
Taco said in one of his write-ups, comments will (very rarely) be removed for legal reasons.
Whichever post dissapears after MS sends an email threatening legal action. That is the reason... Everyone, ready your screenshots!
The reason... (Score:5, Funny)
I know what he did... (Score:5, Funny)
balmer (Score:5, Funny)
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That is probably the funniest comment on this thread.
Belinda (Score:4, Funny)
nudity (Score:3, Funny)
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Watching porno and .... (Score:2, Funny)
political incorrect (Score:5, Funny)
Pretty remarkable (Score:5, Insightful)
Usually, at levels this high, executives who misbehave are quietly asked to resign. The fact that his termination was this public and graceless tells me he did something pretty egregious, because Microsoft apparently wants to not just get rid of him but warn other corporations not to hire him. Misappropriation of corporate funds, in some way, seems the most likely candidate to me.
Please note I'm not informed at all, just speculating.
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Re:Pretty remarkable (Score:5, Insightful)
Two words: sexual harassment.
Re:Pretty remarkable (Score:5, Insightful)
Yup. For one, at that level, or with management in general, it's always sexual harassment. Well, sometimes it's gross incompetence. The harassment I don't get, though. I mean, if they want some free sex, couldn't they just go to a bar and say, "Yeah, I'm a VP of a multi-billion dollar corporation, and I make nine thousand dollars an hour. Let's take my jet and go screw in the hot tub at my 4th summer place."
Nope. It's like it's the opposite of the thrill of the hunt for them, preying on people who (they think) can't really defend themselves.
Plus, you just look at this guy and you know he's a complete pussy hound. The insecure type, that's always chasing it like it's the last piece he'll ever get. Just totally ruled by it, the poor thing.
Then again, I could be completely wrong.
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General principal: when somebody is being really, really tight-lipped, either they're planning on invading a foreign country or they're trying to avoid litigation. And the security measures are less extreme for the invasion! I've been in meetings about such issues where I was t
Re:Pretty remarkable (Score:5, Interesting)
Stupidly quoting myself but...on second thought, the rumour is not "sexual harassment", but at least the first word was involved.
Apparently he was having an affair with a direct subordinate.
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Re:Pretty remarkable (Score:4, Interesting)
Can that really be the case?
More to the point, was Melinda French a direct subordinate of Bill Gates?
FWIW, I honestly don't know and seriously wonder. The Wikipedia article on her just says she was the "unit manager" (huh huh - insert humorous comment here) for several Microsoft products (Publisher, Bob, Encarta, and Expedia).
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All the "seminars" I've been to lead to me to understand that you can't separate the two. I quote "seminars", because they really don't provide information as much as they provide warnings.
-If you doink a subordinate, it can be view as sexual harassment, whether it was consenual or not, or whether quid pro quo was offered or not.
-If another employee knows you're doinking another subordinate, it can be view as sexual harassment, whether it was consenua
Re:Pretty remarkable (Score:5, Interesting)
I somehow find it hard to believe that MS would want to warn other corporations about hiring him.
It could also be a problem that other MS employees are aware of, and the public termination sends a notice to employees who would cross the same lines he did. Plus, it sends the message that the highest-ups face consequences for their actions, and thus can be good for company morale among the drones.
Indirect warning, lawsuit avoidance (Score:3, Insightful)
I somehow find it hard to believe that MS would want to warn other corporations about hiring him.
this day and age a company can get whacked for giving out truthful but otherwise damaging reviews of former employees. There have been numerous occasions where former consulting companies I worked for would ask about someone I may have worked with just to get a picture they cannot get from past employers. By doing it this way Microsoft is able to pass along the big red flag without actually setting themselves up for defamation suits
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This is not about hiding it, it's about how MS chose to terminate him, and how, not whether, they chose to publicize it.
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My guess is that he disclosed, to a third party, some information about Microsoft that, while not on the level of corporate espionage, was something Microsoft wanted kept secret. You know, somet
Random medical screening results (Score:5, Funny)
Violation (Score:2)
He probably installed OpenBSD in an all-RedHat shop? Tool...
He got fired because... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:He got fired because... (Score:5, Insightful)
obligatory (Score:3, Informative)
Typo.... (Score:3, Insightful)
Clippy (Score:5, Funny)
No, no no... (Score:2, Funny)
Helped someone bypass WGA? (Score:2)
Maybe I'm too cynical (Score:3, Interesting)
Either way I'm sure he has some majestic golden parachute that will help ensure that neither he nor his family could potentially go hungry for the next 5 generations if they're marginally competent at managing money, provided he never talks about it...of course.
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Probably not trying to hide something (Score:5, Interesting)
Also, at the executive level, ticky-tack reasons for firing someone aren't really applicable. If the CEO doesn't like the CIO, he just cans him and brings in his own guy. This can be a kind of message too...fire a rival and consolidate power. And if that turns in an employment lawsuit, a little gift violation is not going to stand up in court.
Stop crime now - use unreasonable force (Score:5, Funny)
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Perhaps someone figured out (Score:2, Funny)
Maybe he is really... (Score:5, Funny)
Rumor: love affair (Score:5, Informative)
two wild guesses (Score:4, Interesting)
A couple of problems (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:A couple of problems (Score:4, Informative)
Arrogant? Check.
Condescending? Check.
Thinks "slashdotters" are some kind of homogeneous Microsoft-bashing species? Check.
Thinks Google competes with Microsoft? Check.
Gives out information which is absolutely no use to anyone? Check.
It just has the ring of truth.
He had an affair with a subordinate (Score:5, Informative)
Distributing Microsoft Products? (Score:4, Interesting)
So, was he bootlegging Halo betas?
I cant see them firing him for giving out copies of Vista.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/microsoft-executive-fired-violating-company/story.aspx?guid=%7B3C9D5FC9-8119-4559-93AE-8FA7ED975002%7D&dist=hplatest [marketwatch.com]
Strange no one mentioned this (Score:3, Insightful)
It might be totally unrelated, but I noticed no one had mentioned this yet.
You guys are nuts! (Score:3, Insightful)
Regardless, most of the opinions posted here about why the guy was sacked are just plain silly.
Read the ToS (Score:3, Funny)
one of three things (Score:3, Funny)
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Tabloids for nerds, things that don't matter... (Score:4, Funny)
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The catch-all is probably something more subtle, like requiring employees turn off the lights in the office/cube when they leave, or something like that - easily forgettable and innocuous.
(Note: most companies I've seen have these to give them a right to fire anyone for any reason, so MS really shouldn't be treated differently from anyone else on this matter).
And he wasn't necessarily caught by a c
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
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The catch-all is probably something more subtle, like requiring employees turn off the lights in the office/cube when they leave, or something like that - easily forgettable and innocuous. (Note: most companies I've seen have these to give them a right to fire anyone for any reason, so MS really shouldn't be treated differently from anyone else on this matter).
IANAL, but I strongly suspect that in order of any of these "catch-alls" to be enforceable, they would have to be applied in a demonstratively consistent fashion.
I'm pretty sure most major companies realize that their CIO has enough money and savvy to hire a good lawyer if their grounds for dismissal is questionable. A dismissal like this is going to damage his reputation, and I'm sure if he thinks the reason behind it is BS, he's going to go for damages.
In
And he wasn't necessarily caught by a catch-all. It's also possible he did something legitimately harmful.
I think it's highly likely that he di
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#1, if he can prove in court that Microsoft wasn't actively supporting this policy at all times and simply used it as an excuse to dismiss him, Microsoft would be legally liable. Same with using him as a scapegoat or as an example; disproportionate application of corporate policies is a big no-no. Varies by state-to-state of course.
#2, just because a corporation has an HR policy does not necessarily mean that its legal. This is somewhat less likely si
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Now maybe at his level its different, but they are not cold blooded fascists who instill fear in their employees.
Its hard to keep 75k of them if you do.
Re:Ballmer Attitude? (Score:5, Funny)
A common gambit for agencies wishing to implant a mole into a rival agency is to first of all establish their lack of attachment for the potential mole, common techniques for this are high profile embarrasing sackings or similar. Just as we see here.
Don't be surprised to see this guy revert to the life of an itinerant alcoholic for a while telling the world about how he made it big with one of the top dogs in the software industry and how he could have been great if the bastards hadn't dragged him down like that and how he'd do anything for revenge.
The aim obviously is for him to be hired by Red Hat or someone similar where he can then work from within to destroy them.
It's all obvious for those looking at the right signs.
Re:Ballmer Attitude? (Score:5, Funny)
Well, that's what ValleyWag says he was doing...
rj
Sorry to burst your bubble ... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:He was caught... (Score:5, Funny)
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Seriously though, I think considering his level it's possible that it could be in relation to some kind of trading of MS stock. Either himself or someone he knows.
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Mormons... The correct answer is Mormons.
Re:Some information... (Score:5, Insightful)
The "poor guy" was a top executive for one of the biggest corporations in the world. I can pretty much guarantee you that he and his litter o' puppies aren't going to be out on the street any time soon. They may have to scale down their lifestyle a bit
Re:Some information... (Score:4, Funny)
My mom.
Really, no joke. I'm the 6th of 7. Not saying she isn't insane, just saying some people want lots of kids.
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Re:Some information... (Score:5, Funny)
One went to wrong place and they are five
One learned to fly a plane (almost) and they are four
One was a brave astronaut until shuttle crashed
One slept with wrong wife and they are two
One used wrong crack and there is only one
Last boy is a nerd. End of your genealogy tree.
There's your answer... (Score:5, Funny)
There's your answer - he pushed them to use Vista internally.
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