Microsoft as a working environment has been exceptionally hostile towards women [1, 2, 3, 4] for quite some time. We occasionally point this out and provide examples only because Microsoft boosters like to portray FOSS as hostile towards women (Stallman too was targeted). The misuse of women's right by men who seek to advance political agenda is a large and complicated topic that Techrights won't delve into, but claims that demonising one's opposition by appeal to women's pleas is a popular tactic would not be challenged by many. Even prominent feminists routinely complain about it. Occasionally, even rape allegations are used to discredit people, so we'll reserve judgment of the following until there is a court ruling.

"We occasionally point this out and provide examples only because Microsoft boosters like to portray FOSS as hostile towards women (Stallman too was targeted).""Here's one that's not going to be in the press much," wrote one reader (he is wrong on this one because a simple Google search on his name reveals plenty of articles [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] coming from different countries). "I guess that could be tied to earlier complaints about the work environment especially parties."

The article this reader sent us says that "A Microsoft program manager accused of sexually assaulting another worker on the corporation's Redmond campus has been charged with rape.

"King County prosecutors contend that Vineet Kumar Srivastava raped a cleaning worker after luring her into his office on July 22. Srivastava, 36, is alleged to have told police that the woman forced him to have sex with her.

"Srivastava was employed by Microsoft at the time. A company spokeswoman said he no longer works there."

So he may have been fired over it. Is that enough for Microsoft to distance itself from the case? They seem to think this case has merit if there was a firing. We shall see. ⬆