CompuServe Thread

#Pushing MicroSoft

4 messages in this thread
#165384From: Russell WilliamsSep 25, 1994 11:38 PM
It's amazing me to me that you can think this of any large company. Sure, our people are trained to go after the competition, but our sales force is no more or less unethical than the next company's sales force. They all use marketing hype and hard sales tactics, that's part of sales, as opposed to tech support. But I've never seen anybody or any course at MS that said "Lie, cheat, steal, do whatever it takes to win." I have seen people say "Work, work harder, and then work harder. Do whatever work you have to do to win." So, while I'm sure we've done things that were misleading or even wrong (people sometimes go to far and have to be reprimanded or let go), I don't see this happening or being encouraged to happen more so than any other company (all 3) that I've worked at. -R Disclaimer: I work at MS, and my opinions do not reflect MS policy or actions.
#165413From: J Saperstein/FontBankSep 26, 1994 1:52 AM
"It's amazing me to me that you can think this of any large company." Not at all. I've dealt with Microsoft as a vendor to them. I have never seen a lower corporate ethic in any company – and I have a very large file to prove it. Were it not for the unwillingness of a co-venturer, the matter would have been litigated in Federal Court and I suspect that as others before us have done, we would have secured a judgement against Microsoft. Jerry
#165547From: Russell WilliamsSep 27, 1994 2:05 AM
I'm sorry that you had a bad experience with MS. Not taking it to court, though, was probably the right decision. Court battles are a nightmare whose outcome often has little relationship to who was right and who was wrong. -R
#165558From: J Saperstein/FontBankSep 27, 1994 3:51 AM
"Not taking it to court, though, was probably the right decision." I disagree. Predatory companies like Microsoft depend on people not exerting their rights. At some point in time, I suspect, we all do. Microsoft, however, has honed this to perfection. Had I been the only entity involved, Microsoft would have been in Federal Court within a matter of days. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to act alone. "Court battles are a nightmare whose outcome often has little relationship to who was right and who was wrong." The litigation process is long. Most cases (about 97%) are settled. But litigation is nothing more than just one more business tool. I suspect that if every company Microsoft burned sued, that their business practices would change dramatically and rapidly. Jerry