For a start here is a quick list of things to do before leaving:

• Sign up with exmsft - They will provide you with an email account with your microsoft username@exmsft.com which is a handy thing to have since that is where the cognoscenti will try to reach you in the future. It is a major pain to convince the exmsft folk that you were once with Microsoft after you have left. Before you leave you just send them email from your Microsoft account; much easier!
• Get an ISP - You won't be RASing into Microsoft anymore. Time you get an internet service provider at home. In addition you will want another email address for private correspondence and the exmsft account will need somewhere to forward your email to... I get my DSL serviced with static IP from nwlink.com.
• Buy computers/gear - Very soon you will need to replace all of that gear at home you are going to have to haul back into work. The sooner you get started on it the sooner you will be back up and running. The PC recycle folk in Bellevue will sell you used Microsoft gear at a decent enough price. I was able to buy from them the same old Dell I was using for my Linux server (which is serving this page) so I didn't have to worry about reconfiguring the kernel while I was worrying about leaving Microsoft. They also have the hubs switchboxes and other items you have become so accustomed to!
• Forward your mail - Be sure to change the addresses of all correspondence, especially bills, professional societies and periodicals you receive at work. Microsoft's mail room won't automatically forward your mail and who knows what your former colleagues will do with your mail once you have gone (remember what they did to your office while you were only on vacation).
• Remember your friends - Literally write down their email and phone numbers: You won't have access to the corporate database anymore! If you are taking time off you will want to pester those folk to go to long lunches with you where you can tell them about your latest trip or bicycle ride! Don't recruit them to your new startup idea. We want to keep the stock price up and not contribute (further) to the brain-drain!
• Find another place to stash that extra car - You shouldn't leave that Oldsmobile collecting dust under building 30 after you leave.

[editor - We are missing many details regarding contracting please email us more info]

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