Its just business. Nothing personal.
Obviously since he had an affair inside the company, it became personal... He knew the risks anyway.

I knew someone who got a laid off on his birthday....
In a company of less than 8 people...

This is WHY companies and soon-to-be x-employees work out severance agreements so everyone is spared this nonsense.

Which tells me this isn't about a simple affair - those just don't get handled this way.

There are lawyers on this one and that means a) another employee is legally accusing him (and the company) of wrong doing or b) he really screwed the pouch and it has nothing to do with a woman.

One thing that stands out is the CIO of Microsoft is the most sought after property for vendors to attempt to bribe, coerce, beg, etc… to get their products adopted by Microsoft corporate. You cannot BUY that advertising - it is a ticket to having your company worth billions in valuation just by having Microsoft use your product - just ask Tablus.

As for timing and the death of his sister, nobody is that evil, that is sheer stupidity and/or bad luck. Looks like this ball was rolling for a while.

P.S. I'm a fan of Tablus, so I didn't mean to paint them in the same brush, just to highlight that it is very important to get your product to be used by the giant.

Facts will eventually come out, but MSFT - whether you like their products or not - are no dummies. Whatever Scott did was very serious indeed. Having worked there for a few years at the GM level - I know the routine. Terminations of this nature and speed show the severity of concern. If his 'eyes strayed' only or even spent a few MSFT expense account $$$ for personal use - the exit would have been slower and with the usual 'left to pursue other interest. He screwed up big time and the press he has gotten - regardless of the root cause(s) - dooms him from ever achieving at this success level again. I feel bad for his wife and seven kids - certainly not him.

give me a break... over 7 tenured women in his organization have either filed complaints, left the or or left the company -- he systematically went after every woman that he could not sexually seduce -- he should have been fired a year ago -- shame on MSFT for waiting so damn long...and losing prized talent in the process. Someone should look into this. The only women that made it either slept with him, was hired and rapidly promoted by him or was untouchable due to sr. HR relationships...or got seriously ill due to the stress... this stinks to the high heavens -- why did it take 2 years

Tenured, what does that mean - old, fat and lazy? Give me a break, over 7,000 employees in the IT org and Scott takes the fall. He may have actually increased diversity by the hiring of Sr female talent as VP's and GM's. As for the 4 level increase, she moved on to a new role a couple of months ago.

At least he enjoyed the rugby world cup with his wife and family in France during his enforced admininstrative leave. It took 6 weeks to carry out the investigation with some expectation that he would be cleared. Some serious shit I'm sure!

keep living in denial my friend.. I hear the water is warm. For any one to get canned in such a public manner at MSFT more than deserved it... the tenured women were not fat -- just MSFT smart and wouldn't buy his crap nor yours. Justice albeit late is served. Hope you get yours too.