Discover the best of the web!
Learn more about Digg by taking the tour.
Why I left Microsoft
scottberkun.com — Former IE program manager Scott Berkun muses about leaving Microsoft in this short essay.
loudmax- 522 diggs
- digg it
- cquinnd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Be advised, the essay has almost nothing to do with Microsoft.
- polo3, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Yes... I read it through and was pleased he wasn't drawn to the competition (namely the one with the logo of the colors = BRYBGR).
rrBHZnh - iaskedTGT, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0I left too
- Unr3a1, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0He should use firefox.
- digitol, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Sooo what this is really all about is: "i left micro$0ft because working there is immoral, and tears on your soull" Now i'm on my own, buy my book thanks, goodbye. :)
- suMMx, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0just skip the first 2 paragraphs, not worth the read.
- Jadinlee, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Not worth reading.
- suMMx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0ok he was empty inside doing the same thinng over and over again, sounds like a lot of people.
- GreenSlabOfClay, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The Good - A fantastic career history.
The Bad - Reality of knowing something is missing even at the top.
The Ugly - IE... Firefox kicks ass!
Do you *not* have children? - TimCat, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Boring, no digg. Also, if that's the best he can write he should have stayed with Microsoft.
- TimCat, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1And can someone explain to me how a story with only twenty-three diggs gets on the front page?
- Captkidd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Nice story, good how he crams so much information into such a short read. Short and sweet. Digg+
- DrumsNWhistles, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I disagree with most of you. I think it's worth reading because it's the story of someone being honest enough to look at what he was doing and acknowledge that it wasn't what he expected. It's also about taking risks in this life. If you were looking for dishy stories about Microsoft, then yeah, it'll disappoint.
It took me all of a couple of minutes to read. It was worth the time I spent reading it. It's worth the time to respond to all the critics here. And I have literally no clue who this guy is, other than a Microsoftie. - maxnb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1>And can someone explain to me how a story with only twenty-three diggs gets on the front page?
I though about this, it must be that digg has some kind of administrator that can put story he finds interesting to front page, it must be that since it has been happening a lot of times with stories that had to few digs to make it to front page. That's my theory and if it's true then digg is not run by us the users but by some hidden editor/administartors... - mike_p, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Touching... but I guess this kinda thing must be going on at Microsoft and ISN'T going on at Google.
read between the lines =P j/k - raisenero, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Nice book plug.
- amish, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Very Nice Read
Digg++ - iaskedTGT, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0"someone being honest"
We need more of that. - kris2pe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Yeah but the huge question is why leave? I know IE sucked! But I also know that MS pays well! Have you figured it out what you want to do after you leave MS? Or is it just an implusive decision driven from your bitchy co-workers & superiors?
I mean I know there's going to be less fullfillment but 4 practical reason I wouldn't it unless I though up my exit strategy! LIke what's my fall back ?
Coz now a days employment is way too rare! Almost alot of the programming is being outsource to India!
Hope you blog on your new found success or failure! - rob08, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0no digg, too commercially
- portis, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Why is this on digg? If I wanted to read a rant on someones life, i'd visit xanga or something.
- kungfustickman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Because he said Microsoft.
- john72carter, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0altogether now... awe
- sspooner, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I once had the pleasure to work closely with a very smart CEO who once told me that you should have 3 jobs in 5 years. That can be 3 different positions in the same company, but you really need to change. You need to leave after 5 years, if you don't then you're stuck for good, and probably useless.
This guys stayed at Microsoft 10 years and was probably totally bored (useless), I hope he goes onto something much more interesting and fullfilling.
BTW : I've been a software engineer for over 25 years, I now work for myself and no two jobs are the same, it's the way to keep yourself on your toes ! (not to mention 300k a year, a big house, fancy car and two very fat cats) - systemghost, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0that's it?
- JimGardner1973, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0It must be terrible having to live life knowing from such an early age what you're expected to do next in order to fit in and the opportunities you're expected to take advantage of, by pushy parents, presumably.
Add to the that the trauma of being white, middle-class, moderately wealthy and intelligent and this story's a real tear jerker. - kafka47, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Boom. Site down.
Google cache :
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:xpSxqHxY8_0J:www.scottberkun.com/essays/essay41.htm+scottberkun+/essays/essay41.htm&start=2&hl=en&lr=&strip=1 - MartyMcFly, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0o.....k.....?
- sathia, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0...and so, please plaese google, will you take me in?
- neoclerodane, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I wonder if his girlfriend ever came back from Austrailia? Maybe he was lonely because she was with some Aussie and he was there in a massive company with lots of money to spend on no one but himself. Sounds alright, but maybe he was broken hearted?
- chrislambert, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0We recorded a video of Scott Berkun giving a talk on "Why Software Sucks". It's on Google Video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-298237900165924962 - dutter, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"I worked there for ten years and gave my stock options time to vest, so now I have time to write boring posts and strum my guitar without worrying about bills but it was really hard at first."
Sigh. Shame Digg only allows one "Lame" per user. - igzStreet, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0wtfs is this maaan please get is of the FP
- quackdoc, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0If you have dugg this, a BIG mistake.
I mean no rationale to put this story for diggs anyway.
I hate IE, andf now I know who was behind the crappiest browser on this planet. If I could, I could flame down Microsfot's headquarters! - Heatmaster, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0lame...
- akilleen, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I kept waiting for the interesting part, but it never happened.
- megatron, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0whoopey *****
- c0dek, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0my "why I left Office Depot" manifesto that I carved into the stall in a men's room was much more meaningful.
- Boondoggle, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This is a perfect example of "don't quit your day job"
- Kostik, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0It's a story about a single man, not about microsoft. WTF? No digg
- IHaveIssues, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Well that was a letdown. He could have worked at any company and told this story. Just another gen X youth story who can't find his way.
- oreocookie, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0No wonder IE sucks. They hire a kid straight out of school and make him a project team leader.
- ronaldpoi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"I kept waiting for the interesting part, but it never happened."
Me too
Also, for those who thinks "IE sucks", in that time (1995) it wasnt that bad... and, if it was, none of us knew it. - sjvilla79, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Loser.
- a1lostnomad, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This man needs a family, or a hobbie. Work is not supposed to be the part of life where you answer all those pressing life questions. Work is for funding adventures that help you discover the answers.
He wrote his own "About" page in the third person, you would think that a professional writer would know that third person autobiographies are lame.
"Third person autobiography", wow, I wonder if thats a paradox :-) - lo0ol, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Digg for CMU alumni.
- kokobaroko, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0this guy is basically a LOOSER
- wbrendel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This artical is fluff, and it has VERY little to do with Microsoft.
- estvir, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0because this is microsoft, it's somehow digg worthy ? there are millions of people around the world leaving companies because they are unhappy, who freaking cares.
- tont0r, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0he should have gone to a psychologist and not microsoft. the poor guy is lonely. someone hug him.
-
Show 51 - 82 of 82 discussions
Digg is coming to a city (and computer) near you! Check out all the details on our 
© Digg Inc. 2008 —
Content posted by