●● IRC: #techbytes @ Techrights IRC Network: Thursday, July 31, 2025 ●● ● Jul 31 [04:00] schestowitz[TR3] https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1k18jtqs3 [04:00] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes- ( status 403 @ https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1k18jtqs3 ) [04:00] schestowitz[TR3] " [04:00] schestowitz[TR3] " [04:00] schestowitz[TR3] He is clearly using present and future tense, meaning the firings and layoffs are still to come. [04:00] schestowitz[TR3] AI and reducing management layers are just excuses. It's not H1B (per Microsoft). Whites were the majority of MSFT and since Satya's leadership is now the minority, dropping 10% just in the last year. Satya has been "boiling the frog" and nobody did anything about it until it is too late. [04:00] schestowitz[TR3] If you are old, white, male, or (non-indian) asian or recently received an SDP explaining severance, you are on the chopping block. [04:00] schestowitz[TR3] It's part of the unlearning process. [04:00] schestowitz[TR3] " [04:48] *Now talking on #techbytes [04:48] *Topic for #techbytes is: Welcome to the official channel of the TechBytes Audiocast [04:48] *Topic for #techbytes set by schestowitz!~roy@haii6za73zabc.irc at Tue Jun 1 20:21:34 2021 [04:55] *Now talking on #techbytes ● Jul 31 [07:41] *psydruid (~psydruid@jevhxkzmtrbww.irc) has left #techbytes [07:50] *psydruid (~psydruid@jevhxkzmtrbww.irc) has joined #techbytes ● Jul 31 [09:10] schestowitz[TR2] "Microsoft set to hit $4 trillion market cap after earnings beat" [09:10] schestowitz[TR2] x https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/microsoft-set-to-hit-4-trillion-market-cap-after-earnings-beat/articleshow/123010315.cms [09:10] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-economictimes.indiatimes.com | Microsoft set to hit $4 trillion market cap after earnings beat - The Economic Times ● Jul 31 [13:18] schestowitz[TR2]
  • I wonder if this will address what I see as a lac...
    I wonder if this will address what I see as a lacuna in the EPC in that "claims not supported by the description" is not a ground for opposition, so if the examiner doesn't notice it during examination, nothin [13:18] schestowitz[TR2] g can be done.

    Around 30 years ago the company I worked for was threatened with infringement of three of their main competitor's patents which, if upheld,
    • [13:18] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-ipkitten.blogspot.com | BREAKING: Referral on description amendments finally confirmed! (G1/25 - Hydroponics") - The IPKat [13:34] schestowitz[TR2]
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    Output nothing with out-null
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    In many cases we can accomplish the same thing with a shell redirect which also redirects multiple URLs at once: [...]

    [13:34] schestowitz[TR2]
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    • [13:34] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-Output nothing with out-null | daniel.haxx.se [13:37] schestowitz[TR2]
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    Ma-ma-ma-ma my Fedora - Good and bad lessons from '42
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    [13:37] schestowitz[TR2]

    Howdie. Many a Linux nerd is under a wrongful impression that I have some rancorous emotional investment toward different components of the operating system called Linux, Gnome in particular. Nope. My dislike of certain technologies is purely technological, ergo if a supposed solution doesn't do what it should, does it badly, or compromises heavily on important ergonomic aspects of DESKTOP [13:37] schestowitz[TR2] usage, then, yes. In my case, it comes purely down to functionality, not ideological affiliations.

    [13:37] schestowitz[TR2]
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    • [13:37] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-www.dedoimedo.com | Ma-ma-ma-ma my Fedora - Good and bad lessons from '42 ● Jul 31 [14:50] schestowitz[TR2]
  • I wonder if this will address what I see as a lac...
    I wonder if this will address what I see as a lacuna in the EPC in that "claims not supported by the description" is not a ground for opposition, so if the examiner doesn't notice it during examination, nothin [14:50] schestowitz[TR2] g can be done.

    Around 30 years ago the company I worked for was threatened with infringement of three of their main competitor's patents which, if upheld,
    • [14:50] schestowitz[TR2] ● Jul 31 [15:36] *psydruid (~psydruid@jevhxkzmtrbww.irc) has left #techbytes ● Jul 31 [16:15] *psydruid (~psydruid@jevhxkzmtrbww.irc) has joined #techbytes [16:38] *psydruid (~psydruid@jevhxkzmtrbww.irc) has left #techbytes [16:57] *psydruid (~psydruid@jevhxkzmtrbww.irc) has joined #techbytes ● Jul 31 [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1k1ezd0ay [17:42] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes- ( status 403 @ https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1k1ezd0ay ) [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] " [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] This is the last day to protect your job, act now! [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] The next round of firings (no severance package) starts Friday. Please read the following released today from the US Justice Department for context https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1409486/dl "Justice Department Declares DEI Unlawful". [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] It applies to public and private entities (like Microsoft) that provide services to the Federal government (Windows, Office/Sharepoint/Exchange/M365, Azure, etc.). The document gives several examples that directly apply to Microsoft (as well as higher education, etc.) [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] This applies to you if you: have ever had to interview or interview with a diverse slate of candidates or interviewers, you've had to interview or discuss/debrief diversity in hiring, you have had to write a D&I statement (do your annual performance) and/or a manager forced to evaluate an employee's D&I statements on msconnects, you have had to take D&I training, or have had to ask your teams to take D&I training (including D&I tra [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] ining embedded in other trainers, like the "trust" series), you've had to create training (education or AI) taking into account diversity, you've had to create pay/benefits/offers on equality, building/investing/recruiting in "diverse" geos, etc. (read the link above for more examples). [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] YOU MUST SHOW THAT YOUR OPPOSE THOSE PRACTICES. [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] Now is the time to take action and ReportItNow. This is important to protect you in the event that you are fired or layed off, Microsoft cannot retaliate for reporting concerns or the truth. I know this is scary to do but it is the best way to protect yourself to leave a paper trail and it's important for you to report illegal activity. You are also not the only one, Redmond is in a panic right now. Fundamentally it is the right th [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] ing to do. It is also important to give names and dates, not to incriminate but to demonstrate that others were put in the same position as you. If you don't it is possible that YOU will be found liable for your participation and not opposing them. [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] Make sure to take a picture of the report before submitting, for your own records. Time is of the essance, please prioritize this before COB Thursday. [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] Second, after you have done ReportItNow you should share with your collegues that they may have also been asked to participate in illegal practices so they can ReportItNow as well. This is to protect them and there is power in numbers. [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] Third, report it to WIT (workplace investigation team) AND AskHR, you can find this on MSW. [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] The first three are necessary to protect you, but not sufficient, you also need to make the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and DOJ aware. Microsoft is very good at tryig to hide their illegal activities (did you notice that a couple of extreme D&I things dropped of signals this year?) and quiet those that have tried to speak up. SLT is not on your side here. [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] Forth, report it to the EEOC: https://publicportal.eeoc.gov/Portal/Login.aspx [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] Fifth, report it to the DOJ: https://oig.justice.gov/hotline/employee_complaint [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] I can't stress the importance of doing all of the above BEFORE you are affected and given a BS reason like "performance". I personally would not be concerned about using your work PC to do all of the above. This will give you the documentation you need if you are terminated (starting this Friday August 1st, but rolling out through August) and need to lawyer up. There is also another planned mass layoff in Q4 which this can also pro [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] tect you if you have taken the above actions. [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] Good luck, please help each other with support and other suggestions, this will be a painful one. [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] " [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] " [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] It's not just white males there are several of us women that have also been passed up for diversity reasons. I know several diverse (both race and identity) that are sick of being leveraged for their diversity and creating doubt about their skills and ability. [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] Even if you aren't white male you should report given the company has put you in this position. [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] " [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1k18jtqs3 [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] " [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] Whites were the majority of MSFT and since Satya's leadership is now the minority, dropping 10% just in the last year. [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] It is, after all, an Indian company with offices here in the U.S., so why do you think this is so strange? [17:42] schestowitz[TR2] " [17:43] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-Failed to connect to publicportal.eeoc.gov port 443 after 10001 ms: Timeout was reached ( status 0 @ https://publicportal.eeoc.gov/Portal/Login.aspx ) [17:43] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-oig.justice.gov | Employee or Program Complaint [17:43] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes- ( status 403 @ https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1k18jtqs3 ) ● Jul 31 [18:01] *psydroid3 (~psydroid@yu29f4abyrsnc.irc) has joined #techbytes [18:47] schestowitz[TR2] "time to mention crazy matt and his toothpick arms there with his role [18:47] schestowitz[TR2] in deploying Microsoft shim in place of a platform independent solution which [18:47] schestowitz[TR2] could have avoided vendor lock-in" [18:54] *psydroid3 has quit (Ping timeout: 2m30s) ● Jul 31 [19:02] schestowitz[TR2] >> Yes, you are good at it. I follow your personal blog and even [19:02] schestowitz[TR2] >> cited/quoted it in a lawsuit I filed this month in the UK High Court. [19:02] schestowitz[TR2] >> Info here: [19:02] schestowitz[TR2] >> http://techrights.org/n/2025/07/16/Why_I_am_Suing_the_Serial_Strangler_From_Microsoft_Alex_Balabha.shtml [19:02] schestowitz[TR2] > I don't see any link. However, I am aware of your [xxx]] of [19:02] schestowitz[TR2] > Matthew Garrett. I know him very slightly -- we met once, at a [19:02] schestowitz[TR2] > LinuxCon in Berlin -- but I really admire his work and his writing. [19:02] schestowitz[TR2] > I don't always agree with him or him with me, but I respect him. I do [19:02] schestowitz[TR2] > not understand your beef. [19:02] -TechBytesBot/#techbytes-techrights.org | Techrights Why I am Suing the Serial Strangler From Microsoft, Alex Balabhadra Graveley, in the UK High Court This Week [19:11] *psydroid3 (~psydroid@yu29f4abyrsnc.irc) has joined #techbytes [19:27] *psydroid3 has quit (Ping timeout: 2m30s) ● Jul 31 [20:16] *psydroid3 (~psydroid@yu29f4abyrsnc.irc) has joined #techbytes ● Jul 31 [22:16] *psydroid3 has quit (Quit: KVIrc 5.2.6 Quasar http://www.kvirc.net/)