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It must be getting really bad: Microsoft brings back the towels
Friday, May 19, 2006 - 09:30 PM EST

"Two years after it took the ax to a range of employee benefits, Microsoft is introducing new perks for its staff. The plan, known as MyMicrosoft, was unveiled to the Redmond, Wash., masses this week," Jo Best reports for CNET News. "It also revealed that 'the towels are back,' referring to the popular towel-laundering service for sweaty staff washing at work after exercising or cycling in to campus, a perk that was axed in the benefits cull in 2004. Those cutbacks followed a call by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for the software giant to make $1 billion worth of cuts. At the time, he warned that even Microsoft's free soda policy was under review... Now, after a series of high-profile defections, including that of Kai-Fu Lee, who founded Microsoft's Chinese Labs, to Google, Microsoft is reversing its earlier stance."

Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Sketchtrain" for the heads up.]

MacDailyNews Take: That'll fix everything. We know why they're really sweating in Redmond now, don't we? Seriously, forget the towels, they're all going to need new underpants soon.

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Related articles:
Microsoft suffers from malaise, key defections, Windows Vista struggles, lack of towels - September 16, 2005

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May 19, 06 - 09:42 pm Comment from: Hayden

HAHAHAHHAHAaaa ah sigh

May 19, 06 - 09:44 pm Comment from: Whatever!

FOOLS! All of them.

May 19, 06 - 09:46 pm Comment from: Mr. Reeee

The towels are to mop up the TEARS!

May 19, 06 - 09:50 pm Comment from: Tom Strong

Their benefits are still way better than Apple's, so I would not laugh, monkey boys.

I work at Apple's Austin offices and benefits from Apple include occasional free popcorn and nachos. Whoopie!!!!!!

May 19, 06 - 09:52 pm Comment from: towelie

anybody wanna get high?

May 19, 06 - 09:54 pm Comment from: Ampar

I guess I can cotton to that. MS was taking a bath.
The employees dished the dirt and wanted to terry apart the place before they fold. Nice blanket statement. It's a wash, I guess. Hand it to 'em?

May 19, 06 - 09:55 pm Comment from: typhoon

towelie, hahahah. good one!

May 19, 06 - 09:56 pm Comment from: Judge Bork

Too bad they can't ship in consciouses, integrity, and perfectionism to the Redmond, Wash. masses along with the towels.

May 19, 06 - 10:01 pm Comment from: Ampar

towelie: 'ere. <holding breath>

May 19, 06 - 10:04 pm Comment from: Big Al

Free towel with every copy of Vista.

You're going to need one to dry the tears when you find out the upgrades your computer will need to run the premium version.

They copy Tiger and need more RAM, CPU speed and a more powerful video card than Tiger needs just to run the copy. They copy and they still can't get it right.

May 19, 06 - 10:04 pm Comment from: ron

>Tom Strong--I work at Apple's Austin offices and benefits from Apple include occasional free popcorn and nachos. Whoopie!!!!!!>

If you don't like it, work somewhere else. You're like the schoolkids of today. "Where's my breakfast. Where's my lunch?"

You get paid to work and contribute, not snack.

May 19, 06 - 10:11 pm Comment from: Ampar

Free popcorn is just an opc away from free porn. I have no idea what that means. We still love snacks.

May 19, 06 - 10:13 pm Comment from: Cubert

I think the towels are for Steve Ballmer after one of his tirades or sweaty developers chant.

Also, Towelie,
TOO DAMN FUNNY!!!

May 19, 06 - 10:13 pm Comment from: joey

>Tom Strong--Hopefully you were smart enough to buy Apple stock a year or two ago, now that's a benefit!

May 19, 06 - 10:15 pm Comment from: Evgeny

Judging by the famous videos of Balmer towels are a must in the MS premises.

May 19, 06 - 10:17 pm Comment from: Cubert

Ampar,
Or a "pco". Think about it.

May 19, 06 - 10:21 pm Comment from: digital mercenary

I thought it meant Microsoft Management was throwing in the towel! tongue wink

May 19, 06 - 10:38 pm Comment from: rasterbator

I can think of one group of people who can't stand Microsoft's bad press and are praying Apple gains lots of market share:

developers, developers, developers, developers

May 19, 06 - 10:40 pm Comment from: racing strip balman

You guys wanna get a little high?

May 19, 06 - 10:41 pm Comment from: 3rdKidney

"Seriously, forget the towels, they're all going to need new underpants soon."

Damn you MDN!! LOL, now I need new underpants. Excuse me.

May 19, 06 - 10:50 pm Comment from: Ampar

Too true, Cubert. But what I mourn is the lack of self-referential contradictions. We call it maize.

May 19, 06 - 11:13 pm Comment from: BrianD

Free towels?

Now they have something to throw in. smile

May 19, 06 - 11:33 pm Comment from: Da Vinci

Right on the money Ron.

Today it's all about the individual. These guys get paid wages just like the rest of us. They should buy their own towels and snacks. If they want to exercise on the companys time, go join the Army!

Leo

May 19, 06 - 11:33 pm Comment from: dennis

It's understandable that Ballmer would insist on all those cutbacks of frivolous benefits such as clean towels in 2004. Microsoft only had $2.69 billion in profits that year.

May 19, 06 - 11:40 pm Comment from: maczealot

Towels distributed in Redmond, May 2006. Vista released ahead of schedule, August 2006. Never under estimate the power of a rectangular cotton cloth, people.

May 20, 06 - 12:03 am Comment from: justme2

So where's "Tom Cruise" telling us we don't know the history of towels?

Methinks this is more than just towels -- it's to keep more of the rats from jumping the sinking ship...

May 20, 06 - 12:08 am Comment from: face

adding benefits means a company is doing well... i don't get it. anyway, GO APPLE!! I can't wait to check out the 5th avenue store.

PS I hope MDN doesn't delete this becaue it is off topic.... they said they would earlier today.

May 20, 06 - 12:11 am Comment from: macromancer

I hear the free office chair replacement service is being re-established.

May 20, 06 - 01:04 am Comment from: sentinel

So that's what's been wrong with Redmond... they haven't known where their towels were.

May 20, 06 - 01:26 am Comment from: Static Mesh

Oprah - "Your a towel!"

Towelie - "no your a towel"

- SouthPark, season 10, episode 5

May 20, 06 - 03:08 am Comment from: Confused

How does this have anything to do with Mac. Isn't this Mac Daily News. I don't get it. You guys are idiots all of you

May 20, 06 - 03:43 am Comment from: Connor MacBook

I'm surprised MDN didn't use that pic of a sweat-soaked Uncle Fester.

May 20, 06 - 05:38 am Comment from: Less is More

If it's an order from Microsoft, them towels will come with holes to make 'em quick-drying.

MW: hang the cost.

May 20, 06 - 06:39 am Comment from: Karl

http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/12247.jpg

apple´s don´t crash???

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2946

the review MDN will never link to.

May 20, 06 - 07:39 am Comment from: mike

How does this have anything to do with Mac

---

It's freakin hilarious. Get a sense of humor.

And, oh yeah, Microsoft is actually the company that makes Windows.. which... sort of.. competes with OS X.

May 20, 06 - 07:49 am Comment from: Artisticulated

Towels? please.

What we need here at Microsoft is cowbell, more cowbell, lots and lots of cowbell.

May 20, 06 - 08:04 am Comment from: ron

Tom Cruise. You don't know the history of snacks, I do. Belch.
national

May 20, 06 - 08:05 am Comment from: tank

MyMicrosoft? Can't they come up with ONE original idea? I'm half surprised they didn't call it iMicrosoft.

May 20, 06 - 08:07 am Comment from: Dollars and Sense

Such a chuckle to laugh at a company that, as a competitor continues to completely dominate you in terms of marketshare, profits, and revenues, and uses a 5 year old operating system to do it.

Makes sense that your focus would be on towels.

May 20, 06 - 08:08 am Comment from: ed

Artisticulated...bravo!

May 20, 06 - 08:09 am Comment from: strong sell

Tom Strong,

It takes more than towels, popcorn, and nachos to make good software.

Ballmer HAS to go. Textbook bad management is thinking you can cut billions in overhead by literally saving pennies, and then thinking you can restore employee morale by giving those pennies back. Bill Ford could run MS better.

But then again, let's keep Ballmer at the top of MS, and give him total of everything.
Apple couldn't ask for someone better.

May 20, 06 - 08:12 am Comment from: strong sell

er total of = total control of.

May 20, 06 - 08:12 am Comment from: macromancer

"How does this have anything to do with Mac. Isn't this Mac Daily News. I don't get it. You guys are idiots all of you"

And yet you read the story and took the time to comment on it.

Just move on.

May 20, 06 - 08:19 am Comment from: yuks

Makes sense that your focus would be on towels.

It's called grasping at straws. Ballmer has no clue what he's doing.

I wouldn't be surprised if MyMicrosoft involves new-style stationery and trendy office carpet colors. Thing's that'll really give them an edge over Apple...

May 20, 06 - 08:30 am Comment from: Artisticulated

ed:

"I know size can be daunting, but don't be afraid… I love you!"

http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/happyfeet/trailer1/

May 20, 06 - 08:46 am Comment from: zupchuck

MDN: Microsoft Daily News...

Bring back the Mac!

May 20, 06 - 09:39 am Comment from: Beeblebrox

Static said:

Oprah - "Your a towel!"

Towelie - "no your a towel"

- SouthPark, season 10, episode 5


Don't misquote the show Static. The word is "YOU'RE" not "your".

Also, quote Cartman, not Oprah:

"Cartman:I can preach to you all I want 'cause you're stupid!
Towelie:You're stupid!
Cartman: You're a towel!
Towelie:You're a towel!"

May 20, 06 - 12:01 pm Comment from: deedubya

Thanks MDN,

I love that picture.

May 20, 06 - 12:29 pm Comment from: the other Mark

"Their benefits are still way better than Apple's, so I would not laugh, monkey boys.

I work at Apple's Austin offices and benefits from Apple include occasional free popcorn and nachos. Whoopie!!!!!!"

Apple's stock options are doing better than Microsoft's though.

May 20, 06 - 03:44 pm Comment from: Ray

The cut the towels because they were all flicking each other in the hallways.

May 20, 06 - 08:00 pm Comment from: MacRaven

Boo hoo to Tom and Mark- be it M$ or Apple's freebees. Most workers get absolutely nothing in perks, not even a bonus. Well, we do get free coffee where I am. Whoopie. And it's not good gourmet by any means! UGH!

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