Summary: Microsoft tries to pull key employees out of its competitor, Apple

IT IS not unusual for Microsoft to spy on employees of competitors and then offer them a lot of money to abandon. It is a destructive strategy which creates turmoil inside direct competitors -- companies like Adobe and notably Borland, even Yahoo!

Last year we found out that Microsoft was willing to pay $15,000 for Apple/Mac bloggers to slam Apple/Mac and watch what Microsoft is doing to Apple right now. From The Inquirer comes a bold headline:

Microsoft bribes Apple staff

From The Register comes a gentler headline:

Microsoft stalks, poaches Apple retail staff

[...]

According to the Loop, Redmond has got in touch with several of Apple’s retail bosses in an effort to woo them over to Microsoft’s forthcoming retail stores, which as we’ve noted previously look an awful lot like Apple’s shops.

Apple appears have handled such situations illegally, so it is not innocent, either. ⬆

"Gathering intelligence on enemy activities is critical to the success of the Slog."

--Microsoft, internal document [PDF]