#246 Don't Ask Fired Workers To Return Part of the Severance

Oops: Microsoft Asks Some Laid Off Workers To Send Back Part Of Their Severance because they claim a clerical error overpaid them.

To which I'd say, if I were one of the fired, go suck a big fat egg, Microsoft. You screwed up and you get nothing back.

The gall of Microsoft to do this is astonishing and really stupid of them. They will get nothing but terribly PR out of it and it will end up costing them far more than the clerical error. They could have capitalized on it and played it off better. By saying, "Hey we screwed up but our screw up is your gain. Please keep the extra money in your severance package as an unintended gift."

That would have bought them loads of goodwill rather than the shitstorm of amazed anger. Nice work, Microsoft.

Rule #246 is Don't Ask Fired Workers To Return Part of the Severance

#236 Don't Be Surprised When Your MS Branded Product Fails

Microsoft's Zune players freeze on New Year's Eve and won't work again until you perform some arcane rights, there might even be a chicken sacrifice involved.

The Zune, because of Microsoft's tendency to release half-baked code, shut down the other day. It turned into a brown colored brick of uselessness. All of the 30 gig versions, all at once. Which would be impressive if it weren't so annoying.

If you buy Microsoft stuff then you've got to come to expect this kind of poor quality control.

Rule #236 is Don't Be Surprised When Your MS Branded Product Fails

#199 Don't Tattoo Yourself for a Product

Zune Tattoo Guy Signs Off... Buh Bye because he no longer believes in the Zune made my Microsoft. Also because he realizes that the iPhone kicks its butt all over town.

Anyone who was betting on the Zune to beat Apple's iPods and, now, iPhones bet wrong and will soon be proud owners of obsolete tech. I'm sure Microsoft won't shut off the DRM music on the machines anytime real soon but I'm also sure they will eventually.

Not one, not two but three Zune tattoos slated for removal off of Steven Smith's hide.

I love my Apples and my Macs but I'm not going to go and get them tattooed on me. That just seems a little fanatic and attention-seeking.

Rule #199 is Don't Tattoo Yourself for a Product (unless you are being properly compensated for the endorsement)

Rule #32 Don't Make Your Future Customers Into Criminals Now

Russian Schools Figure Linux Is Less Likely To Send Them To Siberia; Look To Ditch Windows.

This is yet another example in a never-ending series of bad ideas by Microsoft. Sure, they have to protect their brand for as long as they can. But they could have stepped up and given copies to the schools and scored not only a major PR win but they'd also win those kids for life. They would grow up using Windows and would want to use it in the future.

As it is, MS lost mindshare, lost even more credibility and just ends up looking like a big, stupid bully.

Rule #32 is Don't Make Your Future Customers Into Criminals.