Microsoft resorts to first layoffs, cutting 5,000 (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

By JESSICA MINTZ Microsoft Corp. said Thursday it is cutting 5,000 jobs over the next 18 months - more than 5 percent of its work force - a sign of how badly even the biggest and richest companies are being stung by the recession. The layoffs appear to be a first for Microsoft, which was founded in 1975, aside from relatively limited staff cuts the software company made after acquiring …