MICROSOFT

Brian Valentine

Brian Valentine, a 19-year Microsoft veteran and senior vice president of the Windows Core Operating System Division, is leaving Microsoft for Amazon.com, a company representative said via e-mail this afternoon.

Valentine, known internally for his Gen. Patton-like ability to command large development groups, was a leader in driving Windows Vista toward completition. In August, the company said he would move to another undisclosed role in the company when the operating system was complete. With the shipment of Vista Release Candidate 1 on Friday, Valentine decided to leave Microsoft, the representative said.