Another Microsoft Departure (For Google)

Another Microsoft long-timer, this time 15-year veteran Vic Gundotra, is leaving the company for (gasp) Google.

Business 2.0 reports that Gundotra, a platform evangelist will take a year off before his new gig. That would cover his non-compete period.

This just a week after the very sudden, still-mysterious disappearance of Martin Taylor. Insiders won't say specifically what Taylor did to get the boot, but "it's what you would expect and legal got involved," said one.

Most speculation on Mini Microsoft alleges an inappropriate relationship. Yikes.

What's Old Is New AgainMeanwhile press veterans were amused to see last week's "Unified Communications" pitch from Microsoft. (Whose idea was it to have this on the Monday before July 4, just two weeks after Tech Ed and two weeks before the partner conference? Hey even Microsoft reporters are getting pretty weary of this make-news push. But I digress).

One long-time comms reporter said the idea of linking telecom gear to Microsoft's stack is as old as the hills, even digging up and sending this old chestnut outlining a 1999 accord between Nortel and Microsoft.

Also, most onlookers couldn't help but notice that most of Microsoft's telecom buddies are having more than their fare share of woes. Siemens and Nokia are combining their hardware operations; Nortel is cutting 1,100 jobs, etc. etc. etc.

This allegedly huge $40 billion market for computer-telephony linkage ain't doing these incumbents any favors.

This comms reporter wonders aloud (quite skeptically) if Microsoft will have better luck this time around.0