Microsoft workers again upset about US military work

[Calista241]

Source: Axios

A group of Microsoft workers is once again calling on the company to pull out of a U.S. military contract, saying they never signed up to build tools for war-making.

The letter is signed simply "Microsoft workers." A representative of the group behind it says more than 50 employees are behind the effort, but all are choosing to remain anonymous at this point.

Letter writers: "We are a global coalition of Microsoft workers, and we refuse to create technology for warfare and oppression. We are alarmed that Microsoft is working to provide weapons technology to the U.S. Military, helping one country's government "increase lethality" using tools we built. We did not sign up to develop weapons, and we demand a say in how our work is used."

Microsoft: "We’re committed to providing our technology to the U.S. Department of Defense, which includes the U.S. Army under this contract," a representative said in a statement. "As we’ve also said, we’ll remain engaged as an active corporate citizen in addressing the important ethical and public policy issues relating to AI and the military.”

Read more: https://www.axios.com/microsoft-workers-again-upset-about-us-military-work-1550872713-f7332f7d-e59d-42bb-b18e-21e277e78494.html

[bitterross]

1. Whaaa! Poor Babies. Did you think you signed up to work for a benevolent non-profit?

Last edited Sat Feb 23, 2019, 01:12 PM - Edit history (1)

Here's what they really should be saying:

"I, a Microsoft Employee, work for one of the largest multi-national corporations in the world. It has grown to its current size by either squashing the competition through unfair pricing or market force. Or by buying it out when those tactics didn't work. By doing so it regularly suppressed newer and better ideas in favor of its established products.

But hey, I'm shocked, shocked and so disappointed that MY corporation would sell its resources to the government for oppressive purposes.

Now, tell me how my stock options and 401k are doing."

What a bunch of hypocritical asses.

[oldsoftie]

12. I like the way you get right to the point!

You dont like it? Fine, QUIT. Lots of jobs out there right now, go find another one.

[hughee99]

2. Microsoft is making "weapons technology"?

Are they building the "Blue screen of death from above"

[EX500rider]

3. Paperclip is here to help!

[flying rabbit]

6. LOL nt

[Calista241]

8. That is great!

[SKKY]

4. What they're really pissed off about is that they have to continue...

...supporting Windows XP because the DoD CAN'T UPDATE THEIR FREAKING SYSTEMS!!!!!

[Haggis for Breakfast]

5. FIRE THESE SMUG, PRETENTIOUS LITTLE PRICKS. NOW.

WHO IN THE BLUE FUCK DO THEY THINK THEY ARE ??

HOW DARE THEY SIT IN THEIR COMFORT, WITH THEIR ABOVE AVERAGE WAGES, THEIR CUSHY JOBS, STOCK OPTIONS, 401Ks, PAID FOR BY THE BLOOD OF MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND BITCH THAT THEY "DID NOT SIGN UP TO CREATE TECHNOLOGY FOR WARFARE . . . "

You signed up to work for MicroSoft. Sit at your fucking keyboard and do the job for which you get a handsome paycheck. Be happy that you have that job. So, STFD and STFU.

I am sick to the point where I could vomit blood, listening to these pathetic, sniveling little shits. I come from a military family that has fought in every war for America since the Great War. I am one of five children of a father who served in the USMC in Chosin, Korea. All of us, save for youngest, have served. All so that ungrateful, whiny little wankers like this can sit in their protected posh perches and bitch about the very freedom that people like my family provided them.

FUCK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE SELF-RIGHTEOUS BASTARDS.

(Sorry for the rant, but I have had it with these younger people, most of who have never sacrificed a thing in their privileged, pampered lives to defend, protect and serve something much larger than themselves.)

[Sinistrous]

7. Agree.

A very encouraging and uplifting post.

[Honeycombe8]

10. The language is perhaps a bit strong...

but I hear what you are saying, and I agree.

Technology is used in warfare extensively. It was entirely foreseeable that their work would be used for that, and other, purposes. If they don't want that, they are free to work for some other company.

Not all wars are bad. The millennials seem to be unaware of history.

[oldsoftie]

13. You always have such a calm way of stating truth. I like that!

Whether anyone else likes it or not!!!

[Honeycombe8]

14. LOL.

Thanks. But maybe I do that a bit too often. To me, things are rarely black and white. They're shades of gray.

Trump, however, is a definite black! No shades of gray there!

[TexasBushwhacker]

17. We will always have a Department of Defense

and modern defense uses technology. It seems a bit naive to suddenly realize, "OMG! They use Microsoft technology in the military!"

Did they really think the DOD was running on Apple? Gimme a break.

[Honeycombe8]

23. I know. Technology is used everywhere. nt

[Haggis for Breakfast]

19. I apologize if I offended you with my language.

I've lost family to war.

It infuriates me that people, who have no sense of their own history, fail to appreciate the sacrifice others have made to provide them with the freedom they so carelessly take for granted.

[Honeycombe8]

22. Oh, not at all.

That's on me. I'm older, so my language tends to be not as strong as some other posters, particularly millennials. I think it's an age thing. Not that you could say I'm polite. Not at all. Just not as aggressive as some others. Not my style.

But I agree with your post. I get it.

[Sapient Donkey]

21. While I don't agree with their stance, I think they should be free to state their desires

to their company leadership. Not sure why they did a public petition like that, but I don't know the internal functioning of MS. That being said, if MS says they will continue with the contract after hearing out the employees, then the employees have the option of staying on or leaving or maybe even going to a different division/project/whatever if that makes sense. If they refuse to work at all, then by all means MS should let them go. I just totally disagree with the notion that employees shouldn't be allowed to speak their mind to their management, and that doing so should be an instafire.

I wouldn't mind hearing these people explain their world view some more and having someone delve in deep to explore their thought processes and how it fits into the world as a whole. That's just my curiosity and desire to understand other people, though.

[Honeycombe8]

9. Well, when you sign on to do a particular kind of work...

with a particular skill, it's up to the company to apply it to real life situations. If the worker doesn't approve of the application of the worker's results, then he/she is free to go to another company.

It's a bit ridiculous to try to restrict a company from selling its technology for a variety of purposes, because you did such-and-such and you're disturbed by who and how your work will be used.

If you won't do it, they'll get someone who will.

Technology is used in warfare. This was entirely foreseeable. And not all wars are bad.

[samnsara]

11. good for them.....

[EX500rider]

15. Right? ....

.....because it'd be so much better for the world if just China & Russia & N Korea & Iran developed new military technology....I mean we can trust them, right?

[hunter]

16. I'd be upset too.

A similar experience (not with Microsoft) made me a radical advocate for Open Source Software.

Secrecy is toxic, sometimes literally so. (Not my shit, but the time frame is similar.)

If I'd sucked it up and embraced life as a military contractor, it's possible I'd now be "successful" by the norms of this society but I'd hate myself.

I'm not knocking anyone whose work gets sucked into the black hole of military secrecy, but I have a lot of empathy for the workers at Microsoft who didn't sign up for that.

[Cal Carpenter]

18. Wow, glad to see so much of DU has completely given up the pretense of supporting workers

/s

[EX500rider]

20. The tech can't really kill anybody...it's HoloLens they are talking about..

....HoloLens allows the user to see digital images over real-world backgrounds.