Well according to Neowin, microsoft had what they call a 'hack day' where the developpers get to develop what they want to for their software
the wlm team had the idea of an away message, hardly original
quote:
Microsoft Hack Day Improves Windows Live Software
Posted by simeandrews on 08 April 2006 - 15:31 | 22 comments
75 Microsoft employees joined a Microsoft "Hack Day" on Thursday, which was focused around Windows Live products and services.
Hack Day is Microsoft's way of getting inspiration, creativity, and ideas out of its employees. "We knew lots of people had cool ideas because they talk about them all the time in the hallways," Jennifer Johnston, a Senior Microsoft product manager commented. She continues to say that the employees at Microsoft needed a chance to get those ideas out.
A grabber for many Microsoft employees (besides the chance to spend a day letting their ideas run loose) were the prizes. A boxed set of Lord of the Rings and an Xbox 360 were just some of the prizes awarded for the best ideas. Some of the programs that came out of Hack Day included a Windows Live Messenger auto-reply message that kicks in when a person is away, and a garage sale listing program that plotted a route using an online map.
News source: The Seattle Times: Business and Technology
Just stealing idea's and claiming them for their own if you ask me
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