September 2004: 93 positions in the Windows Server group eliminated as the company automated more testing. 44 new positions were created at the same time.

August 2004: 76 positions were cut in the Xbox group as Microsoft closed its sports video game studio. It was part of a broader reduction of the company's game creation efforts as third-party studios began developing more titles for the original Xbox.

June 2004: 20 recruiting positions were eliminated as part of human-resources department restructuring.

January 2002: 168 positions were lost when Microsoft pulled the plug on its UltimateTV effort. It was described at the time as one of the largest layoffs in Microsoft's 27-year history.

January 1998: 30 to 40 full-time workers at 10 Sidewalk city guides offices were cut as the company learned to operate the effort more efficiently, a spokesman said. The company planned to expand the online guides to more cities in subsequent years.

January 1996: 120 employees at a Bothell floppy-disk manufacturing plant were given layoff notices as more software was being produced on CD-ROM.

Seattle Times researcher David Turim contributed to this report.