Microsoft, the behemoth corporation responsible for things like Windows (icky), the modern personal computer, the Zune and the Xbox are feeling the financial crunch associated with the troubling economy. According to a Fudzilla report (via Joystiq) Microsoft are to lay off around 15,000 workers. The number represents about 17 percent of the corporation’s total workforce.
The pink slips are to be handed out January 15th, this year but it appears as though the entirety of the Xbox division will be safe due to good sales. If you were wondering, the department on the chopping block is MSN.
It is always highly unfortunate to hear that someone is losing his or her job. We wish everyone the best of luck.
[Thanks, Brian!]
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Contest:
8:00 PM on 01.01.2009
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How do you figure? As long as companies keep cutting jobs people will keep cutting back on their spending, which will result in companies cutting jobs, which will result in people cutting back on their spending... I'm amazed at how I can figure this out but CEOs can't.
I'm sick of all these archaic non touch screen tables.
Windows is icky?
Yeah, tell that to the 100s of millions of Windows users.
I'll tell the 25 mac users OS X is icky.
I'm stuck with Windows Vista, and I'll concur that it is indeed icky. If I could find a copy or wasn't broke, I'd swap to Windows XP 64 bit in a heart beat :(
My PC can play steam and PC Games and yours can't! Also I have more programs and my OS isn't a firmware upgrade after another!
"This stuff has to end at some point."
How do you figure? As long as companies keep cutting jobs people will keep cutting back on their spending, which will result in companies cutting jobs, which will result in people cutting back on their spending... I'm amazed at how I can figure this out but CEOs can't.
-
*facepalms*
You know, if upon seeing an apparent hole in human knowledge you looked into that field (in this case economics) to see if it has an explanation instead of just conveniently assuming you're smarter than everyone, you'd have a lot less of these "omg" moments.
While this is happening, there are reverse affects. A high supply of labor means it's cheaper for companies to higher people. Fewer people buying things forces companies to lower prices, which increases spending.
Why recessions do happen despite those forces is complicated economics I'm not accredited to explain and involves government involvement, which highly complicates things, but that's a basic reason why this won't "go on forever."
As for people bitching about the whole Mac/PC argument, The only people I have ever seen hate on the Mac OS are people to poor to afford the 20% markup on the products, or to stupid to install OSX86.
I, for one, am to poor to afford genuine Mac hardware, but I am smart enough to install OSX86, the system is better*, fact it and move on.
*Not for gaming, but thats starting to change with all those unofficial cider ports running around, hardware still sucks because it can't be upgraded, but then I guess you have to be smart enough to install OSX86
Oh, it's a FACT? You mean you believe it's TRUE that Mac is better? This whole time I've disagreed with people who say that Macs are better, I thought they thought what they were saying wasn't true! Well this changes everything.
"Too poor."
The majority that doesn't want to pay twice as much for inferior specs isn't secretly himming and hawing for a shiny white socially accelerating clique-inclusive hipster box but just can't afford it. It's a waste of money. Buying a Mac with equal specs to a PC costs signifcantly more, for compatibility with less software, and no improvements.
Every one of my peers in the last few years (I'm 19) who has bought an Apple was doing it with his or her parent's money.
That said, I own a PC at home. I like being able to play games and buy software without engaging in an epic treasure hunt across multiple continents to find the store that stocks what I'm looking for.
Yes it is a fact macs are better, if you don't believe me just listed to someone who has switched or who uses one at work (like faultymoose) never seen anyone complain about a mac unless they are a fanboy or unwilling to learn anything new (PC users who complain that you can't tweak the system or fix problems, you can do both, and the learning curve is a lot lower than on the PC, and I've learned both, along with linus which is above both)
And you not paying twice the price, there a good 20-30% more but not near twice the price so you can shove that figure back up your ass where you got it from. And while some mac users buy the hardware because it's "cool" those are the minority, and frankly if there stupid enough to but a computer because of how it looks rather than how it performs (and that's both software and hardware quality, more than base specs) then they deserve to be in debt because there obviously retarded.
And actually if your going top and mac they can be upgraded, but then again there overpriced, the average mac isn't as overpriced as the Mac Pro, and even that's not twice the price, after all most PC's you buy don't have dual QuadCore processors.
Saying your peers buy apple's with there parents money just proves that there too poor to buy one them self and to stupid to install OSX86 on something far cheaper, thanks for proving me right.
I am disappointed, I was hoping for a good laugh, there's not as much mac hate as there used to be :(
Mostly because that's not how it works. The economy, except in worst case scenarios, operates along a fairly set pattern. They cut jobs now to save money until the economy recovers and they can start making money again. Sure, they could keep all their employees until things looks up, but that's a couple thousand people who will want a pay rise when things are good again. So they figure they might as well cut the costs now.
At least that's the way I figure it's working.
As far as the Mac/PC debate going on around here, I just wanted to point out that any Intel Mac can run Windows alongside Mac OS via Boot Camp. When you want to actually want to be productive on your computer, you can boot into Mac OS. When you want to play a game, you can reboot into Windows. I do it all the time on my Mac Pro.
I'm not going to get into the whole debate about which OS is better, because that purely a subjective argument. But I do find that the overwhelming majority of people who bash Mac OS haven't been within 30 feet of a Mac since 1996. I keep hearing the same old tired arguments like the one button mouse and the Mac has "no software" (when they really just mean games, which is in fact true). But in reality, what these people are really saying is that they aren't familiar with the Mac, so they will just bash it.
Well what else should i do, I am waiting for what may very well me the slowest download ever :(
$aaronf
Your pretty much right, if they had used a mac (I mean used not tried to play games on) they'd know that there is plenty of software and we have 4 mouse buttons now :P And we can play games (Starcraft, Doom... There's some great emulation... umm... oh yeah EA is using cider so we get a lot of that stuff now... and... we just got COD4... good thing I own a console :P )
Now why this has started to be a mac vs. PC. i dont have anything against mac´s, they are overpriced but thats ok if you want, I would use the money to enjoy some gaming on a PC.
Also at a corporate point of view, they are a nightmare for IT and security.
Calling Macs "overpriced" depends entirely on how much your time is worth. When considering how much time you have to waste dicking around with drivers, managing your registry, reinstalling Windows every 6 months or so after it starts slowing to a crawl, installing and configuring software that offers functionality Windows should have in the first place, etc, all that time really adds up.
As a professional, I can't afford to spend a whole day fighting with Windows to get it to work properly. That's just throwing money away. I'd much rather operate a computer that requires as little attention as possible so I can actually be productive. And when I want to unwind and play a game, I just reboot into Windows and I can play any games I want.
Lastly, your final statement lacks any kind of corroborating facts to back it up. Clearly, shown by the increase in corporate adoption of Macs (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10124029-16.html), not everyone agrees with you. And, if your definition of "nightmare for IT and security" is essentially "I'm too used to Windows and don't really want to make the effort to learn how to administer Macs", than that's clearly the wrong argument to make.
Also, the layoffs are still in the rumor stage and have not been formally announced or confirmed by M$, so the total number of layoffs, as well as the timing are up for potential revision.
Good call on the windows vs. mac debate. I for one enjoy what they both offer, Mac has an interesting visual flair and ease of use, while Windows has a great software support and, of course, lots of gaming.
See, why can't we enjoy them both?
"great support" and "Microsoft" in the same sentence makes me laugh.