>- "Facilities, food, swag, office space"...it's all small potatoes when you compare it against hundreds getting free education to bring back to their job. It all trickles up and down in the long run, and MS knows this.

Actually, facilities and food are expensive. Now, if Microsoft is doing these at their own offices, and just offering pizza and soda, no big deal. But as soon as they're dealing with paying for space and food, the money gets big real fast.

Marshal and I ran a small conference for a charitable organization last year. Your eyes would bug out at what the hotels charge for the foods served even at breaks. Bob Kocher told me that even at ASU, he way paying $2 per soda. And no, you can't just go out and buy a few cases and bring it in. When you use the facility, you have to use their catering service.

Tamar