I've seen a handful of companies with employees who couldn't get the idea that practices that are appropriate for Microsoft aren't appropriate for small startups.

That said, I would take an ex-Microsoft over ex-Boeing or ex-Washington Mutual anyday.

I'm not entirely sold that the practices that are appropriate for microsoft are even appropriate for microsoft.

Some orgs are pretty solid patterns and practices wise and some divisons are like stepping back into the early 90s.

You can't generalise how Microsoft does anything, because each division -- each team, even -- has enormous latitude in how they do their work.

SEI boosters and agile fans can both say "Microsoft uses CMMI/Scrum" with a straight face and be correct.

The same is true of any location, not just Seattle.