AND you could get rich

-- (lars@indy.net), December 15, 2001

Answers

From: Gordon Letwin (gordonl@microsoft.UUCP) Subject: Microsoft needs Wizards Newsgroups: net.jobs Date: 1984-02-21 11:27:14 PST

This is a "solicitation" letter from the Microsoft Corp. It's written by a software engineer, rather than the personnel dept:

I consider Microsoft an excellent home for the software wizard because:

1) its a great place to work. The company is owned (a key issue) and operated by software wizards: Bill Gates and Paul Allen. This means : - private offices (as many with windows as topology permits) - informal lounges for design/discussion/rap sessions - whatever hardware facilities are needed for the job - Microwave ovens, refrigerators, free soda, etc. throughout the buildings

But, most importantly, you're working for and with other systems programmers that understand both the job and the people. The technical hierarchy is kept very simple and "shallow" so that there is minimal bullshit and over- organization.

Since the development people report strictly to software engineers, who report directly to chairman/CEO Gates, we never do anything stupid because some manager/MBA/suit-type has power without knowledge. (When we do something stupid, its our own fault!) Likewise, there are no "politics", just engineering.

2) The work that you do here at Microsoft MATTERS. Your work won't be canceled due to some political/financial upheaval, nor just used in-house; your work will be used by millions of people. Most sharp software people have seen endless amounts of software that "missed the boat". If you've felt this way, here's your chance to show the world (and yourself) just how good you are.

I've been here over 5 years; thats the most sincere recommendation I can give. This is a place where I can literally explore the limits of my capabilities as a software engineer. The company that did the first microcomputer system software (BASIC), the first plug-in processor (the Softcard), the first lap-held computer (we conceived and designed the Tandy Model 100) and many other "firsts" lacks no boldness of vision. Since we're "owned and operated" by these same bold people, having no venture capital owners or cash crunches to limit us, the company's limits are set only by the ability of our engineers to envision great things and then to (the tough part) make them fly.

Like the variety of small startups, Microsoft offers its key technical people stock options. We can offer technical challenges as good as or better than startups, financial packages ditto, and, since we're > 90% owned by ourselves, we have no outside investors to restrict or direct our development efforts.

If you're interested in the possibilities, please send your resume or request additional information from:

decvax!Microsoft!joannr or Joann Rahal Microsoft Corp. 10700 Northup Way Bellevue, WA 98004

-- (lars@indy.net), December 15, 2001.

-- Debbie (dbspence@pobox.com), December 15, 2001.

LMAO!

-- (cin@cin.cin), December 15, 2001.

Bill Gates and Paul Allen are on the bottom row; Bill is to the far left and Paul is to the far right.

I believe some of the others are still with Microsoft. Paul Allen left several years ago because of an illness.

-- Stephen M. Poole (smpoole7@bellsouth.net), December 17, 2001.

There are some interesting posts showing up in Google groups these days. Google has expanded their searchable USENET archive to cover Arpanet, Fidonet, UUCP, etc going back to 1981.

-- Debbie (dbspence@pobox.com), December 18, 2001.

I don't think that appearance is the factor that it once was. #3 recently landed a job at a print store and his father had said that no one would hire him because he wears his hair long and in a pony- tail. Heh. The guy who hired him had blue hair with the one tassle hanging down in his face.

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), December 18, 2001.