While I no longer work for Microsoft, after 20 years there I have a ton of friends who are still there. Microsoft is a company that cares a lot about it’s employees. The fact that they have just announced layoffs (Mary Jo Foley Todd Bishop Kara Swisher)is a huge step. I know that the leadership of Microsoft would have rathered done anything else before having to take this step — they know that it will change the company forever. It really hits home just how serious this recession is.