Microsoft is reaching out to programmers with Macintosh skills in an effort to beef up its Mac Business Unit to meet rising demand for Apple-related products. Parrothead experience preferred but not essential."The Mac BU at Microsoft is growing -- we're launching our biggest hiring initiative since the inception of Mac BU 11 years ago," said Craig Eisler, head of Microsoft's Mac operations, in a blog post currently on one of the company's Web sites.

"We are hard at work planning for products beyond Office 2008, and we are growing our team to help turn our vision into reality," Eisler wrote.

Microsoft offers numerous applications and games for Apple's Mac operating system, which rivals its own Windows OS. The company earlier this year shipped Microsoft Office for Mac 2008.

In his post, Eisler offered several reasons why Mac programmers might be happier in Redmond than Cupertino.

Among them: "We are the brightest, coolest, and most interesting business unit at Microsoft,"; "Microsoft offers industry-leading benefits all around, but our health care benefit is amazing,"; and, "One of the largest dedicated Mac software development organizations outside of Apple."

Eisler also stressed that the Mac Business Unit has a "kick-butt, industrial strength margarita machine." No word on whether they've also got spongecake.

The campaign is evidence that Microsoft is deriving at least some benefits from Apple's iPhone-led revival under Steve Jobs.

While Windows is losing market share -- Microsoft in the third quarter revealed that sales of the OS dropped 24% -- Apple is on a roll. Mac shipments jumped 51% in the quarter ended March 31, according to Apple.