Microsoft wants employees to code Windows Phone 7 apps 'in their spare time'

You had to know those freebie WP7 devices for Microsoft employees would come with a few strings attached. We imagined the Redmond brain trust was aiming for some word-of-mouth popularization along with a boost in team morale and proactivity, but as it turns out, things are a little more codified than that. TechFlash has what it claims to be the internal memo announcing the free Windows Phone 7 handsets -- from mobile chief Andy Lees, who hasn't been having the best of times lately -- which sets out Redmond's expectation that employees should "evangelize" the product at every opportunity, while also setting aside some spare time before launch to develop apps (but, you know, only if they really want to). The idea, clearly, is to harness Microsoft's massive talent pool to try and get a headstart on populating the Marketplace with compelling content; we're just not too sure the "spare time" bit is going to go over quite as well as the "free smartphone" part. Either way, you'll find the full email from Andy at the source.

[Thanks, Mint]

[Revolutionary Posted Jul 23rd 2010 3:41AM]

I like his attitude.

[Mike10010100 Posted Jul 23rd 2010 3:42AM]

@Revolutionary

If they mean during non-work hours, that's extremely demanding. However, if they have the ability to work on that in-between projects, then that's understandable.

Either way, makes sense for creating a large early pool of applications.

[Howl Posted Jul 23rd 2010 3:52AM]

@Mike10010100

Haha he's not making them make apps, he's just saying make 'em if you can. Honestly, I live near Redmond and MS employees love MS so much they'd sacrifice their sleep to work for MS.

[MrJimlad Posted Jul 23rd 2010 3:53AM]

@Revolutionary i'll do some in my spare time if they give me a phone :D

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 23rd 2010 3:57AM]

@Revolutionary 期待~

[InTheRye Posted Jul 23rd 2010 4:01AM]

@Revolutionary developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers!...... developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers! developers!

[MicrosoftOwns Posted Jul 23rd 2010 4:02AM]

@Revolutionary

i never understood how people thought it would be word-of-mouth when most people who work for ms are located in the redmond area.

this makes more sense.

[MicrosoftOwns Posted Jul 23rd 2010 4:03AM]

@Revolutionary

as long as it doesnt have iphone apps, which are basically either fart apps or crappier versions of websites

[P2 Posted Jul 23rd 2010 4:14AM]

@angelusp

It's not about the quality of the mobile OS, it's about marketing so MS can say they have parity with Android, RIM and Apple for their app store. By the way, I'm sure MS also wants a ton of apps in their app store because you know they're going to take a piece of sales for themselves = additional revenue stream.

[alexz Posted Jul 23rd 2010 4:17AM]

@Revolutionary

I see it as Dance Codemonkey! DANCE! Write some CODE!

[iHack13 Posted Jul 23rd 2010 4:20AM]

@Revolutionary
Microsoft employees and spare time ? LOL
Let me remind you. They've got a baby out there called windows...
needs lots of attention...

spare time ... lol

[BergerFan Posted Jul 23rd 2010 4:24AM]

@MicrosoftOwns Fart apps? Really? You're still on that? The fart app meme went out with 2009.

[lyrik08 Posted Jul 23rd 2010 4:34AM]

They better do something to get me back to Wm cause I won't go back to a OS with 5 apps again did that for 9 years with Wm never again Android FTW untill then @MicrosoftOwns

[lyrik08 Posted Jul 23rd 2010 4:40AM]

@MicrosoftOwns I just know they better have more then 5 apps this time to get me back to Wm I did the no app thing for 9years with Wm never again after using android I love what MS went for with the pocket computer vibe but we need more.Android takes over where Wm left off so wp7 better get devs on board fast to march up to androids app market.

[AzlanIsmail Posted Jul 23rd 2010 4:46AM]

@Revolutionary

To all Micosoft Employees,

If you don't create a new app every month, your phone will shut down upon non-delivery of an app. Upon second infraction, your pre-installed "Pay Cut" app will notify HQ of your lack of enthusiasm in our device and your pay will be cut by 10%. Upon the third infraction, your life is forfeit.

Thank you,

Steve Ballmer

[notsodumb Posted Jul 23rd 2010 4:57AM]

@angelusp

88,000 apps out of the gate. Cool.

[petebob796 Posted Jul 23rd 2010 4:59AM]

@Mike10010100 Lots of programmers especially the good ones enjoy coding so much that they have personal projects or contribute to open source in their own time. They also love learning new things such as WP7 development.

Microsoft are just trying to harness that free development time by giving them the phone, then they have the excuse to work on it as it will benefit them personally as well as the community. Smart move in my opinion.

[LeJay Posted Jul 23rd 2010 5:32AM]

@InTheRye
Imagine how annoying it would be to write that on a wp7...

[DougieBear Posted Jul 23rd 2010 5:41AM]

@BergerFan

Just got an android fart app for my xperia 10 mini and love it. Mind you outside of the snes emulator and google goggles I'm having trouble finding decent apps.

[Beastage Posted Jul 23rd 2010 5:57AM]

@lyrik08

5 Apps?! are you using windows mobile 5?

I got an HTC HD2 with WinMo 6.5.5 and quite frankly, any app that I or you need I have it.

Numbers like 100,000 apps mean nothing when 99% of them are total crap.

[kostiak Posted Jul 23rd 2010 6:48AM]

@Beastage "Numbers like 100,000 apps mean nothing when 99% of them are total crap."

actually that does mean something, it means there are 1000 good apps out there, and considering you are not likely to install more than 100-200 of them, it means you have a lot to choose from :)

[joshl Posted Jul 23rd 2010 7:25AM]

@Mike10010100

Microsoft should be like Google.. spend 20% of their work time on their own projects.

[TareG Posted Jul 23rd 2010 7:26AM]

@Mike10010100

He means off working hours. Like, "over the weekend".

Seriously, my advice: just move to Google...

[Professor Hubert J Farnsworth Posted Jul 23rd 2010 7:47AM]

@InTheRye
I can't quite understand what you're talking about; could you repeat that please?

[suicidebob Posted Jul 23rd 2010 8:54AM]

@Beastage

Numbers like 99% mean nothing when you just pull them out your fat ass

[Blaque14K Posted Jul 23rd 2010 9:03AM]

@DougieBear Sounds like you're looking for the apps to.tell you that you have a problem rather than having a problem and looking for an app. How so you like Google Goggles but don't have Shop Savvy anyway? Google voice.....? Nice try troll.

[petebob796 Posted Jul 23rd 2010 9:06AM]

@kostiak Yeah but what he is saying is if you had 10,000 apps it would be more like 90% crap rather than 99% so still 1000 good apps.

The number of apps available past a couple of thousand is un-important because the core ones which we all use and where companies can make money get developed first.

[badfenderaxe Posted Jul 23rd 2010 9:23AM]

@Revolutionary

Does this mean I can buy the phone with my "spare" money :-).

[CrymeLord Posted Jul 23rd 2010 9:52AM]

@Revolutionary

Sounds to me like a lot of people might be missing the point. The reason to have employees develop apps in their spare time might be so that the employee would own the app and make money off of it. If they code it during work hours or on work property it becomes property of Microsoft.

So it sounds like they might be doing a good thing by encouraging people to create apps (both for themselves and the employees).

[Stratus41298 Posted Jul 23rd 2010 10:17AM]

@iHack13

You say that now until some MS employee is making an extra thousand a month off of his apps. It gets real easy to find time then.

[ElCabri Posted Jul 23rd 2010 10:32AM]

@joshl The difference is that 20% projects belong to Google. Here we're talking about Microsoft actively promoting MOONLIGHTING (read the memo). You do it on your spare time, and, contrary to general moonlighting policies, you're clear to use that asset provided by Microsoft, your free phone. Then if your app sells, that's yours.

[wbeardell Posted Jul 23rd 2010 10:57AM]

@Revolutionary This just in!
microsoft announces that they are heavily influenced by apple, and especially like the way Steve Jobs is running his company.

[Astrak Posted Jul 23rd 2010 11:29AM]

@lyrik08 Are you trying to say the current iteration of WinMo has no apps? I don't believe you have ever owned a WinMo phone.

[Fox Con Posted Jul 23rd 2010 11:31AM]

@Revolutionary

To bad Microsoft employees are too bussy making iPhone apps, let's face it there's a bigger change they get rich selling iPhone apps than windows 7 series phone series 7 phone apps

[Mike10010100 Posted Jul 23rd 2010 11:33AM]

@petebob796

I'm a programmer, and I approve/agree with this message. Just pointing out the fact that if it was strictly "required" then it might be a tad bit draconian.

I certainly would jump right on development for a brand new phone I got for free. I've done it with Android, and I'm considering doing it for WP7 (Little known fact: Microsoft Dreamspark gives students free access to professional development software, including robotics and phone development)

[joshky Posted Jul 23rd 2010 1:25PM]

@MicrosoftOwns

I wonder if other MS employees get it too? i mean Microsoft has bases all over the globe so perhaps that's how they're "evangelizing"?

[UnixSystemsEngineer Posted Jul 23rd 2010 2:13PM]

@Revolutionary
Sounds like what Google does. Maybe let them set aside a little time each week to work on their own projects.

[remmus2k Posted Jul 23rd 2010 3:44AM]

Working and not being paid for it. This is the company I want to work for...

[suprizechainsaw Posted Jul 23rd 2010 3:48AM]

@remmus2k They did get a "free" phone.

[mahmut Posted Jul 23rd 2010 3:51AM]

@remmus2k with that attitude you won't make it that far in corporate life

[James Posted Jul 23rd 2010 4:12AM]

@remmus2k

All he said was that he encourages employees who want to code for winpho7 to do so before launch date. You dont have to and you still get a free phone so why wouldnt you want to work for a company like that. If my boss came up to me and gave me a free phone and then said if you want to you can write some programs for it if not its cool I wouldnt hate my job so much.

[arash Posted Jul 23rd 2010 5:17AM]

@remmus2k Actually he is doing a favor for them,because there is legal conflicts for a company employee to make an app and make money out of it, he is giving the ok, go make it we wont say its for us

[anunay Posted Jul 23rd 2010 6:10AM]

@remmus2k
Employees have an option of either releasing their apps for free or selling them in the market place. Apart from the standard 30%, Microsoft *does not* get to keep any part of the revenue they earn from selling their apps.

[whiskers Posted Jul 23rd 2010 8:19AM]

@suprizechainsaw

Let's see, $300 phone, or working for on your own time (when you would otherwise cost $100+ an hour to the company). Tough choice for Microsoft.

[xbit Posted Jul 23rd 2010 8:21AM]

@remmus2k
They do get paid, if they choose to charge a price for their app.

[incendy Posted Jul 23rd 2010 8:42AM]

@remmus2k

He didn't say they had to make apps first of all and second of all they can charge for said apps so if they make a good one they could get paid really well!

[hfm Posted Jul 23rd 2010 10:17AM]

@remmus2k
Hopefully there is some kind of reward for the great apps that get written.

[jackjumper85 Posted Jul 23rd 2010 3:44AM]

How 'bout you guys integrate the Zune HD app marketplace with Windows Phone 7 Marketplace. I have this nice Zune here and all I can do is play music..... and Hexic :(

[suprizechainsaw Posted Jul 23rd 2010 3:45AM]

@jackjumper85
I can play gameboy on mine :P

[jackjumper85 Posted Jul 23rd 2010 3:47AM]

@suprizechainsaw Where do you go to get the software that allows you to get all those third party apps