05.21.10
Gemini version available ♊︎Steve Ballmer Tossed J Allard for Failing With Courier — Claim
Summary: Microsoft is said to have punished and sacked the man who created yet another failing project after stunning failures like the Zune
AS we noted earlier this month, Microsoft’s Courier joined the ranks [1, 2] of dead products from Microsoft. It got killed by competition from GNU/Linux and maybe hypePad too. The man who worked on several failed projects at Microsoft (losing a lot of money) may have just joined the list of major employees who fled Microsoft.
Sources close to Microsoft suggest that Allard’s story may be similar to Veghte's (who infiltrated HP).
Word inside was Allard was none too happy about the killing off of Courier and has finally made good on his (what sounds like they may have been regular) threats about leaving the company all together. (Another person with whom I communicated claimed CEO Steve Ballmer showed Allard the door because of disagreements regarding the Courier’s potential.)
If it turned out to be true that Allard left, that would be a major departure. At least no items of furniture are reported to have been thrown. █
“We’re getting the gang back together.”
–J Allard, high Microsoft senior (2007)
Direct link (note: this is a proof)