I actually think this is one of the places Microsoft has done very well in over the years. I don't think used to be the case a decade ago though but the IC care

I actually think this is one of the places Microsoft has done very well in over the years. I don't think used to be the case a decade ago though but the IC career path is as lucrative/supported now as the management path. One can choose to be a Anders Hejlsberg/Dave Cutler as much as one chooses to be a Steven Sinofsky.