Pros: I worked with creative, intelligent, passionate people. The environment was supportive, giving me all the resources I needed. Everyone was generous with their time and knowledge.

Cons: The company's products are driven by the marketing department. If marketing thinks the customers want something, then resources are dedicated to it. If marketing doesn't think customers are clamoring for something, it is actively resisted, because you get no rewards for creating features that marketing doesn't want. This means that innovation and creativity are inherently locked out of product development, because by their nature new ideas aren't yet being asked for by customers. It's foolish and short-sighted by utterly entrenched, and every kind of compensation reinforces this policy.

Pros: Solid compensation and benefits, many career paths, and opportunities to learn, improve your skills, and grow. Microsoft's products have a massive impact on the computing world and are used by millions every day.

Cons: The only thing that I can think of is the flat stock.

Pros: If you are seeking good work-life balance, Microsoft is good. There is not too much pressure on the tasks.

Cons: You cannot get a chance to touch core technologies, especially in very large teams. You only get very sliced chunks of work to do. This is not good for your career development if you are ambitious.