I expect to receive a credible offer from Microsoft in the next two weeks. I in no way initiated the conversation, nor am I an any way unhappy with IBM.
Based on discussions so far, it looks like the offer would be to work for Omri Gazitt, or possibly John Shewchuk. We’ve discussed a number of possible roles, most of them focusing on Open Web activities, either advocating their increased and correct use within Microsoft, and/or engaging in Open Web communities on Microsoft’s behalf.
I would expect to continue working with the ASF, the W3C, and ECMA TC39, though my role may end up changing a bit in the latter two. Relocation is not an option at this time.
I don’t know why you would want to work for a company that’s done so much to retard & inhibit the evolution of open web standards.
Confusing as to why you’d announce this on your blog before the offer has been submitted and you’ve accepted/rejected it. Looking for community feedback on what you should do? :)
I’m shocked and surprised, but I suspect that’s mostly because I don’t know a l ot of the details surrounding this particular situation. Like Jeff, I’m confused by the timing.
there is a metric crap-ton of good that you can do at Microsoft. Good luck, and take the time to make the decision that will be best for you and your family.
When I joined IBM in 1981, it was, at the time, considered by many as the evil empire, and was the inspiration for the term FUD. It also was the company that “Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM”, and went through a DOJ antitrust case. Times change. Microsoft may be following the same trajectory, perhaps with some events in a different order, and perhaps at a different pace. So, yes, I would seriously consider a credible offer. I’d be stupid not to.
On the other hand, I am very comfortable in my current job, so the most I am placing in jeopardy by posting this is the opportunity costs of a better job. On the plus side, if I can identify a reason why this choice is not right for me before I commit, posting is a big win. Based on my discussions, I don’t think either will be a problem.
I also think that transparency and disclosing of potential conflicts of interest is important for establishing and retaining trust.
Congrats, Sam. I’ve been rather expecting this for some time now, so no surprise.
I think you’re right, in that either you or Chris will have to resign as HTML WG chair — both from the same company is not going to work. Might as well wait, though, until you’re moved. And since Chris isn’t active, maybe he should be the one to resign.
IBM hasn’t positively or negatively affected my life or my work, and while Microsoft occasionally manages to throw some negative in my direction in the form of IE, for the most part, they’re in the same boat as IBM. I don’t use their stuff, I don’t have to interface with their stuff, and as long as it stays that way, I’m pretty happy. But I recognize that in the long term, I’m much better off when Microsoft or IBM play nicely with the world outside, and if Sam’s presence at either company helps in any way to bring that about, well, the world outside stands to gain quite a bit from that.
I’ll only start getting worried if next week Sam announces he’s rewriting his blog to run on the .NET framework.
I think the worst thing that can be done is to write off a company on grounds of its past behaviour: if nobody who believes that they should change works there, nothing will change, and the status quo will continue… There again, as Sam’s comment shows, he already knows that. :)
Sam, it seems weird that you’d be blogging about this in advance of actually receiving an offer (You must be very confident of getting one), and in advance of accepting one (you must be planning to jump). I personally don’t think you’d find Microsoft a bad place to work - I know a lot of great people there that do interesting and useful work. But, again, am I missing something? It’s just not normal to talk about future jobs while still under contract/employment with one’s current employer.
Yes. I was at Redmond yesterday, and based on what I saw, I am confident that everybody there was intending for Microsoft to be extending an offer. Whether they still are or not is unknown at this point.
you must be planning to jump
I think you have that backwards. I haven’t seen the offer. All I am confident in at the moment is that my job at IBM is secure. And at times like these, that’s incredibly important. I know too many people that joined Microsoft (or other companies) and decided a year or so later that it wasn’t for them. Needless to say, this is not a good time to be in such a position. Factor in the fact that was hired by IBM straight out of college and have never worked anyplace else, not even in the bubble times when jumping was both easy and very tempting, and you will see that my actually jumping is anything but certain.
For me to succeed at the job I am interested in, I would need to be able to retain the majority of the reputation I have built up over the years (despite it being freaking Microsoft we are talking about here!). Based on the feedback I’ve seen so far (both here and elsewhere), I am more confident about that than I was this morning.
I have confidence that you would retain your integrity no matter where you worked, and maybe you could even get more minds at Microsoft thinking about SVG, not just in IE, but also in their authoring tools, office suite, and other products. There’s no reason that Silverlight shouldn’t be able to render SVG natively, for example. As far as the company itself, I’ve known great people that worked at MS, and crappy people who worked at companies with a better reputation. It all boils down to the character of the person, and how motivated they are to help society. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Open-source guru Sam Ruby leaving IBM for Microsoft
It’s increasingly common for prominent open-source developers to leave IBM or other open-source friendly companies to try their luck at Microsoft. It’s not common at all for them to blog about it before actually getting an offer. (Credit: ETech )...
Open-source guru Sam Ruby leaving IBM for Microsoft
It’s increasingly common for prominent open-source developers to leave IBM or other open-source friendly companies to try their luck at Microsoft. It’s not common at all for them to blog about it before actually getting an offer. (Credit: ETech )...
Open-source guru Sam Ruby leaving IBM for Microsoft
It’s increasingly common for prominent open-source developers to leave IBM or other open-source friendly companies to try their luck at Microsoft. It’s not common at all for them to blog about it before actually getting an offer. Yet that is what...
This is excellent news. This shows Microsoft’s commitment to the direction it has taken with open source, at the same time it shows your good judgement and solid vision. Good luck.
What I find most amazing is that making public an announcement of a prospective offer has turned it suddenly into a fait accomplí. The heading “...leaving...” is already there. Talk about jumping to conclusions!
I have the feeling that being completely transparent was exactly what the situation demanded. Enjoy the process and the outcomes, whatever they are! :)
Firefox 3.1 Beta 2 on Linux uses less memory ; Alors qu’Ajaxian écrit Manipulating video in real time with Canvas ( Paul Rouget superstar !), on voit l’ami Patrick Chanezon remixer la démo (nécessite un Firefox 3.1 Beta 2) et se fendre d’un...
I am sorry to see the Sam Ruby is considering a move to Microsoft. Like anybody of my age in this industry the strategic landscape I have lived in has always been substantially shaped by Microsoft. They, and that means primarilly Bill Gates and...
Some years ago, I was offered the opportunity to work with the IE8 team as an architect. After a lot of deliberation about it, I turned the offer down, more because my family was not happy with the prospect of relocation than any other factor. In retrospect, I regret having made the decision, but that’s water under the bridge.
An offer from Microsoft is a double edged sword - on the one hand, you may very well be in a position to influence things positively, and I think that Microsoft now is perhaps at a point in its evolution where such change is seen not only as being desirable but being necessary. I also think that Ray Ozzie being at the helm as Chief Architect is already making a huge impact on the organization, one that for the most part seems quite positive. On the other hand, Microsoft does have a very different perspective on the world, and that perspective occasionally runs counter to what I think is the emerging viewpoint about the role of software in a services oriented world. As long as you go in with no illusions about how difficult it can be sometimes to affect change there, I suspect that you in particular could do a lot of good there.
I started my working life with IBM (in South Africa), hired straight out of university. I lasted two years before I felt I had to move on. Moving on involved a change of country and a change of industry, to Legal & General - perhaps the safest and most conservative of the financial services industry. I spent 7 years there before I felt I had hit a brick wall career wise. So thankfully I was offered a job at Yahoo in central London.
So three big companies. How they look on the inside is different to how its seen from the outside. But big companies are all the same - the politics, the dissolution of responsibility, the lack of meaningful speed (unless it’s crisis mode).
I have to remind myself (snarkily), that with large companies, sometimes the grass looks greener on the otherside because there’s more shit for it to grow in. Every big company has it’s share of problems, and also opportunities.
I guess the questions I’d be asking myself were I in your position: how is this role going to challenge me, and am I going to enjoy (or feel passionate) about tackling that challenge. Perhaps another pertinent question to ask is: Can I make a difference (not just am I capable, but whether the potential employer will allow you to make that difference).
What’s in it for you personally? Do you get to be who you want to be?
Either way, good luck. I hope this doesn’t negatively impact the progress you’ve made with the HTML5 Working Group, or hinder you from contributing to the various standards processes.
Microsoft may hire prominent open-source developer from IBM
Say this for Sam Ruby: He takes this transparency stuff seriously. The well-known open-source developer and longtime IBM employee disclosed on his blog today that he expects to "receive a credible offer from Microsoft in the next two...
Microsoft may hire prominent open-source developer from IBM
Say this for Sam Ruby: He takes this transparency stuff seriously. The well-known open-source developer and longtime IBM employee disclosed on his blog today that he expects to "receive a credible offer from Microsoft in the next two...
" It’s just not normal to talk about future jobs while still under contract/employment with one’s current employer."
Maybe Sam Ruby has thought through the implications of saying yes to a job at Microsoft. Maybe you are not the target of his message. Maybe he was curious about what other members of WHATWG would say. Or maybe the real target of this blog post is Chris. Maybe Sam Ruby wanted someone other than himself to say what Shelley said: “I think you’re right, in that either you or Chris will have to resign as HTML WG chair... And since Chris isn’t active, maybe he should be the one to resign.” Or maybe Sam Ruby wanted to see the reaction of the tech community, because he felt such information would be important to making his decision.
In the years since I worked at Microsoft, I’ve heard that it has become a giant pool of viscosity. Very difficult to get things done. And that negative pressure has caused quite a few people to throw their hands up and bail.
Shewchuk? Awesomeness. You won’t go wrong there. He’s a great guy, if that’s where you land. Lobby for that one.
I think you’d do fine there. I’m guessing that you wouldn’t be on a product team with a deliverable (given the remote nature), so you shouldn’t be subject to all that political viscosity. Will you be able to change the organization? Pfft. Not a chance, so don’t walk in thinking that way. Possibly if you were in Redmond, but definitely not as a remote worker.
Anyway... however it turns out, good luck! It isn’t like you’re disappearing, so nothing big and teary-eyed needed here. Hope it all works out.
Interesting Times Based on discussions so far, it looks like the offer would be to work for Omri Gazitt, or possibly John Shewchuk. We’ve discussed a number of possible roles, most of them focusing on Open Web activities, either advocating...
Interesting Times Based on discussions so far, it looks like the offer would be to work for Omri Gazitt, or possibly John Shewchuk. We’ve discussed a number of possible roles, most of them focusing on Open Web activities, either...
Interesting Times Based on discussions so far, it looks like the offer would be to work for Omri Gazitt, or possibly John Shewchuk. We’ve discussed a number of possible roles, most of them focusing on Open Web activities, either advocating...
Windows Azure and Cloud Computing Posts for 3/1/2009+
Windows Azure, Azure Data Services, SQL Data Services and related cloud computing topics now appear in this weekly series. Note: This post is updated daily or more frequently, depending on the availability of new articles. • Updated 3/4/2009 2:00...
Well Sam, I hope that you do go and do some good there. I bet if you are considering it, that means you have been given assurances to do something meaningful there.
It’s easy to be emotional and be against the move, but the large companies all have many similarities and opportunities for good and bad work. They may have different PR and official goals, but the other differences are smaller than they look.
Prominent Open Source Developer Leaves IBM, Joins Microsoft
According to Matt Asay on his CNETNews blog The Open Road , prominent Apache Software Foundation director and Atom developer Sam Ruby has decided to leave IBM , a company he has been with since 1981, to work his Open Source magic at Microsoft ....
I imagine it might be hard having to defend some MS positions, such as those on office formats, web services, or the state of IE.
If you can influence things positively, great move. If you end up having to find arguments to defend some of the ‘evil’ stuff, your expertise would seem wasted to me.
Open Source: “Open Source Guru” Sam Ruby geht zu Microsoft
Sam Ruby, unter anderem Director der Apache Software Foundation, hat seinen Wechsel von IBM zu Microsoft angekündigt. Seine genaue Position sei noch nicht festgelegt, schreibt er in seinem Blog (momentan nicht erreichbar). Die Gespräche drehten sich...
Microsoft may hire prominent open-source developer from IBM
Say this for Sam Ruby: He takes this transparency stuff seriously. The well-known open-source developer and longtime IBM employee disclosed on his blog today that he expects to “receive a credible offer from Microsoft in the next two weeks.”...
В последнее время всё больше известных программистов из движениях Open Source идут на работу в Microsoft. Непонятно, с чем это связано (кризис сказывается или Microsoft действительно меняется к лучшему ?). Очередным «мигрантом» стал Сэм Руби (Sam...
In the middle of the pouring rain yesterday the sun came out. This was the first time my daughter Lucy had ever experienced a sun shower. It amazed her - almost as much as I’m being amazed by Facebook nowadays. I’m not sure if any if...
I suppose Microsoft is a very attractive employer.
I am also convinced they offer very interesting activities.
But Microsoft is also the company, that participates in open standards and does not implement them correctly (e.g. PNG, HTML), that threatens open source with patent law suits, if they feel like it, though they did not attack a prominent software project - till now -, that did not cooperate, less one would pay for corporation, that attacked the GPL more than once a.s.o. This behavior is perfectly legal, but moraly it is at least disputable.
I doubt any developer, no matter how much he accomplished in the past and how much he will accomplish in the future, will change the official policy of the company.
And therefore I want to express my regrets, that we lose another of the most talented, smart and good participants of the open source scene.
Congratulations Sam. This is great news and I hope you will help Microsoft continue its move in the direction of being more open standard based. I’m looking forward to hearing more about your efforts over there.
Με παρουσία στο Apache Software Foundation, δουλειά για το Atom feed standard και θέση εργασία στην IBM από το 1981 μέχρι σήμερα, ο Sam Ruby έχει χτίσει όνομα στον χώρο των open source projects. Πρόσφατα έγραψε στο προσωπικό του blog οτι είναι...
Well, at least the summers are nicer here in the Seattle area than they are in NC! (At least from what I remember being at Camp Lejeune during the summer)
Why should anyone expect Microsoft to change for he better right now? The OOXML story is by no means old yet and the next hostile act has just taken place: MS is suing TomTom. They say that it’s specifically about TomTom which is nonsense (IOW, a conscious lie) because the FAT code TomTom is using is unmodified. Read this blog entry from Harald Welte of gpl-violations.org for the details.
Still doing everything they can get away with.
Also, how many big companies have you seen radically changing course without clear danger of going bankrupt?
Frankly, I think that the well-intentioned people at Microsoft are misguided and should get another job.
С мест (хабрахабр) сообщают: В последнее время всё больше известных программистов из движениях Open Source идут на работу в Microsoft. Непонятно, с чем это связано (кризис сказывается или Microsoft действительно меняется к лучшему ?). Очередным...
Scoffoni : Microsoft fait la chasse au Guru de l’open source
Sam Ruby fait partie des Guru de l’open source. Il apporté de nombreuses contributions aux projets de la Fondation Apache Software ainsi qu’aux travaux de définition du format Atom utilisé dans les flux RSS mis à disposition par les sites Web. Il...
Stefan, others: I don’t have an offer, and I don’t even have a firm idea of what role I would have. So I am not going to answer these questions at this time. But I do appreciate the questions, and should I end up getting an offer and accepting it, I will come back and answer the questions at that time. And should I forget, simply bring them back up again.
Marc Canter - Broadband Mechanics: Sun Showers in March
In the middle of the pouring rain yesterday the sun came out. This was the first time my daughter Lucy had ever experienced a sun shower. It amazed her - almost as much as I’m being amazed by Facebook nowadays. I’m not sure if any if you out there...
I remember the time Ward Cunningham got an offer from Microsoft.
He also has been confident at the first time but split with MS after not even 2 years. Rumours says that he didn’t got happy with MS because at the end it turned out to be too political.
As he announced, Sam Ruby (my co-chair on the HTML WG) is expecting an offer to work for Microsoft. As a couple of comments have mentioned, this raises the question of both HTML WG co-chairs being Microsoft employees. Contrary to what Lawrence...
V HTML WG celkem neplánovaně nastala nečekaná situace. Jejími stávajícími předsedy jsou Chris Wilson (Microsoft) a Sam Ruby (IBM). Sam v blízké době očekává pracovní nabídku od Microsoftu . Tím by celé vedení HTML WG pocházelo z jedné společnosti. O...
Where does the man end and the legend begin...? Sam Ruby : On Thursday, I signed up for twitter. Today Linux Today has a story on Open source microbloggers you should follow which points to a tuxradar article of the same name. I’m...
Sam Ruby пишет в своем блоге, что серьезно подумывает о переходе в Microsoft. Интересное замечание: "When I joined IBM in 1981, it was, at the time, considered by many as the evil empire, and was the inspiration for the term FUD. It...
Well, it’s nearly Spring, which means, for me, a new job. Right? Seems that way, looking back over the last few years. I’ve had some difficulty carving out some space for myself in the groups I worked with, what with the great talent already...
Jeff Barr: Jeff and my experiences are a lot alike. First, I was in the same geographic area at the same basic time (Greenbelt until summer of 78, Gaithersburg starting summer of 81: in between I completed both my senior year of high school...
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