Sun Tzu said:

◆ We may know that there are five essentials for victory:
(1) He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
(2) He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.
(3) He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.
(4) He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.
(5) He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.

◆ If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you know Heaven and know Earth, you may make your victory complete.

◆ The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.

◆ To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

◆ There are five dangerous faults which may affect a general:
(1) Recklessness, which leads to destruction;
(2) cowardice, which leads to capture;
(3) a hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults;
(4) a delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame;
(5) over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble.

◆ At first, then, exhibit the coyness of a maiden, until the enemy gives you an opening; afterwards emulate the rapidity of a running hare, and it will be too late for the enemy to oppose you.
("始如処女、後如脱兎"の事なんですが、これは、わかりにくすぎ．．．日本語を意訳した方が伝わりそう)

英語で説明する時のメモ。

去年も今年も黒字街道を突っ走るであろう MSFTに限って、まさか大規模レイオフはないと高をくくっていましたが、予想は見事に外れました。

◆ Microsoft announces job cuts; stocks fall
The software giant blames the recession; it also misses Wall Street's earnings estimate. Apple beats Wall Street's expectations. Consumers aren't buying goods on eBay. Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis buys a big chunk of company stock.

◆ Microsoft Reports Second-Quarter Results
Modest revenue growth despite difficult economy; announces cost management initiatives.

いろいろニュースに出ても、いつもなら SteveB から全社員に "There will be no FIREING in Microsoft!!" とかいうメールが出そうなもんですが、それがない時点で感じるべきだったかもしれませんね。
それだけ、Economyの現状＆Forecastが悪いということと、Vista や Yhoo 買収の失敗、仮想化や Cloud Computing モデルへの以降の際の売上のロスなどが大きくなると予想されるのでしょうか。 (Windows 7 は、噂通りかなり軽くなってるのですが…)
確かに、Windows も Office もメタボ化してましたからね。こういう時期に一気にスリムな体制を作り精鋭部隊にする良い機会なのかもしれません。1400 jobs today... とありましたが、どの辺なんでしょう？
ここ数日中に、LinkedIn のリクエストが沢山来るのでしょうか？

明日は我が身かもしれないし、うかうかしてられませんね。

• 謹賀新年！(ja)
• selamat satu tahun! (id)
• 新年好！(zh)
• Bonne Annee! (fr)
• Porsit Neujiahr! (de)
• Buon capo d’Anno! (it)
• !Feliz Ano Nuevo! (es)
• A Happy New Year! (en)

今年もよろしくお願いします。

[rice terrace in Bali]

2009年も、積極的に新しい事に挑戦していくぞ、と。