Distributor Claims Microsoft Terminated Partnership After Reps Refused To Take Part In Sex/Drug Party
from the sex,-drugs-and-software-distribution dept
Well, here's a story you don't see every day. Roy alerts us to a report that Israeli software distributor EIM is suing Microsoft over a terminated contract. Microsoft claims the contract was terminated due to filing fraudulent sales reports, but EIM says the real reason was that EIM representatives refused to take part in a sex and drug party aboard a cruise put together by Microsoft for Turkish and Israeli distributors. EIM claims that there were women who would perform sexual services in attendance, as well as some "illegal substances," and EIM representatives were encouraged to partake of both, though they refused. Microsoft has sued back, claiming breach of contract by EIM -- though apparently refuses to comment about the cruise allegations. Of course, you would think that with other distributors on the cruise, some might be able to confirm or deny the allegations -- and if there were any others who chose not to partake, it would be worth knowing if they, too, lost their contracts. The whole thing seems pretty bizarre, frankly. Even if Microsoft apparently did throw such a party, it still seems like EIM would have a tough time proving that its contract was terminated for its representatives' failure to participate.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Filed Under: drugs, legal fight, orgy, software distribution
Companies: eim, microsoft
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Maybe it's against MS policy to NOT have sex on a cruise ship.
Just...wow.
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Question:
Seriously, somewhere Calligula is rolling over in his grave...
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Re: open source?
Sounds like an breeding ground for open sores...
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Re: Re: open source?
++;
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Seems highly unlikely to me
So I think it's highly unlikely that any MS employee actively discriminated against a vendor based on willingness to participate in a wild party. At most, there might be a dynamic similar to the "urinal meetings" that are blamed for sexual discrimination: if deals were cut at the party, and a vendor that would have been part of the deal otherwise was excluded because they didn't attend, then that would explain it. Explain, but not excuse--it's still grounds for termination under MS policy.
My guess is that if there's any truth at all to these allegations, heads will roll. If the people responsible are low-level employees, they will be fired; if they're high level, they'll be relieved of their responsibility and put onto a "special project" until they quit of their own accord.
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Re: Seems highly unlikely to me
That or you are blowing smoke out your ass (pretty sure that was going on too :) )
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Re: Re: Seems highly unlikely to me
This is not the kind of marketplace immorality for which Microsoft is known. I do not have Ian's experience with the company, but given my limited interaction with its US headquarters I would be shocked if the allegation were seriously leveled at Redmond. But who knows what goes on in their overseas sales channels? It is just barely possible that some idiot or idiots at the long end of some branch of the Microsoft tree engaged in unethical behavior. It is a big tree, and hard to account for every leaf. I think Ian's point was that if there was such an idiot (and it is impossible to rule the eventuality out,) the idiot once caught will be dealt with harshly - Microsoft will not countenance this sort of behavior. But the fact that that can't be ruled out is no more a statement that it "may have actually happened" then would be the statement that it cannot be ruled out that senshikaze is a fool. Unlikely, but it cannot be ruled out if prior posts were the result of chimps at keyboards or random chance.
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Re: Re: Re: Seems highly unlikely to me
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Of course, because high-level people don't deserve to get fired, ever!
You, sir, are a perfect example of the immoral Microsoft employee. Congratulations, you elitist swine!
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Higher level employees are usually contracted, and breaching those contracts are usually pretty difficult, almost always ending up with the ex-employee getting a large share of the contractual obligation.
Putting them in room with no windows and a Steve Balmer video would probably be more effective. NO lawyer/court costs, and the employee will probably only suffer through that for a couple of days before he demands an amicable separation for wayyyyyy cheaper than a court ruling.
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Even riskier for Microsoft employees to try to pick up women on their own instead of using hookers.
After all, it's well known that when it comes to women, Microsoft employees don't have any Mac....
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So rry, I had to find the USB keyboard. You see, my Macbook Pro has a keyboard problem and the company I bought it from has a guy who used to work at an Apple Store and he said it would be covered under the warranty.
This problem should be fixed on Monday.
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Oh and btw I think Microsoft is the evil empire but that does not cause me to froth at the mouth.
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Re: High Level People getting fired
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He's stating objective predictions, he makes no statement about his support or disapproval of these actions. In fact, given his statements, one might glean a sense of disillusionment from his conveyance.
Regardless, you trot out childish name calling, committing to the undying memory of the intertubes the fact that you are a person frothing with such self righteous indignation that you can't be bothered to read or discuss rationally.
Hence, you, sir, are the perfect example of an angsty 17 year old (mental age, your actual age notwithstanding). Congratulations, your Che Guevara t shirt must be proud of you.
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New Mac ad
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Re: New Mac ad
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***buffer overrun***
BSOD
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Seems pretty transparent to me
The motivation behind the reason attributed to MS escapes me. MS would not give up a contract for failure to take dope and sex. They aren't that dumb.
Let's be clear, most execs in sales and distribution have their compensation heavily incentivized based on volume. From an organizational standpoint, as well as an individual standpoint, I don't get reducing volume cause someone wasn't "cool".
No org would give up the revenue, and no exec would give up the bonus money the contract would entail.
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Re: Seems pretty transparent to me
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Re: Re: Seems pretty transparent to me
It especially seems weird to me that they would then claim that the distributor filed fraudulent sales reports, as that would require fairly substantive evidence.
In such a situation I would think they'd pick something much more ephemeral, something much easier to "fake", as it were.
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Re: Re: Re: Seems pretty transparent to me
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Well, if they were high on cocaine who knows what they might do, you can't expect people on drugs to act reasonably can you?
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Heh
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they didnt read the small print
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Other conspiracy theroies
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Yeah, you know, I've been REALLY off my game lately too.
Quick, somebody say something stupid!
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Completely true: I was talking to a complete stranger from Edwards, WA yesterday during happy hour and they, out of nowhere, mentioned that the guy who owned Mercer Island in the early 1900s became wealthy by running the northwest's largest cathouse for the loggers.
Thanks, Techdirt for the crazy irony.
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I need to pay closer attention to the next invitation form next time, make sure that I fill in the Hooker quantity preference boxes...
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Uh Huh
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I kinda like Steve Jobs, even if he's completely detached from reality. Maybe he'll have that guy who found the 4G iPhone on stage with him to introduce it.
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