MS Employees: Got Free Time? Develop a Windows Phone 7 App!

This seems to be a good move on Microsoft's part on multiple levels. Microsoft has always been a highly competitive and focused work environment within which you will find some of the most talented and passionate technologists that exist anywhere in the word. So, who better to develop apps for Microsoft's new mobility platform but Microsoft's own employees? Hopefully, this program will enable Microsoft to continue to attract and retain some the best and brightest folks in the industry.

Microsoft employees who develop an application in their free time are eligible to keep the intellectual property and receive the financial benefits of developing the application. According to Brandon Watson, Director of Windows Phone 7 Developer Experience more than 3000 employees had registered to develop applications for the platform and about 840 applications have been published to date. According to Mr. Watson, "We tend to have strict moonlighting rules, but we've changed those rules so developers can do this in their spare time, and have the financial benefit and outcome of the work." 

I don't recall my friends and colleagues who work or have worked at Microsoft indicating that they've had a ton of free time, but still, it will be great to see what this exceptional group of technologist will continue to add to the ever growing community of apps in the marketplace.