Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer (R) walks with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg after their talks in Oslo on September 30, 2008. Ballmer said on September 26, 2008 he was confident the technology industry was buffered from the US economic crisis, adding that the global nature of the technology market seems to be insulating it from the devastation in the US economy.
Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer (R) stands with Israel's President Shimon Peres during the launch ceremony of Microsoft's new research and development centre in Herzliya near Tel Aviv May 21, 2008. Microsoft Corp is not looking to bid to buy all of Yahoo Inc but is in talks about other types of deals with the U.S. No. 2 search engine, Ballmer said on Wednesday.
CEO of Microsoft Corporation Steve Ballmer, right, and Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany, react, before their meeting in the Parliament building in Budapest, Hungary, Monday, May 19, 2008. Ballmer arrived to Budapest Monday leading a high-ranking Microsoft delegation to meet IT decision makers of the Hungarian government.
US businessman and chief executive officer of Microsoft Corporation Steve Ballmer (L) shakes hands with Chief Internet Strategist of Orascom Telecom Khaled Bichara as they attend a press conference in Skhirat, near Rabat on April 22, 2008 prior the official launching of new MSN Maghreb network. Steve Ballmer pays a visit to Morocco aimed at developing investment in education.
US businessman and chief executive officer of Microsoft Corporation Steve Ballmer (L) and Chief Internet Strategist of Orascom Telecom Khaled Bichara attend a press conference in Skhirat, near Rabat on April 22, 2008 prior the official launching of new MSN Maghreb network. Steve Ballmer pays a visit to Morocco aimed at developing investment in education.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy (C), German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) and CEO of US computer giant Microsoft Steve Ballmer (R) stand onstage before officially opening the CeBIT 2008 trade fair at Hanover's Congress Centre on March 3, 2008. The fair officially runs from 04 to 09 March and features some 5,000 exhibitors.
HANOVER, GERMANY - MARCH 03: (FILE PHOTO) Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer speaks at a press conference at the CeBIT technology fair a day before the fair's official opening on March 3, 2008 in Hanover, Germany. Microsoft dropped its $42.3 billion buyout offer to Yahoo, Inc. after failing to agree on a price May 3, 2008 in San Francisco, California.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer (L) with Ray Ozzie, chief software architect at his side, speaks to reporters at a news conference at the company headquarters in Redmond, Washington, February 21, 2008. Ballmer announced that Microsoft was changing its technology and business practices to increase openness of its products and bring greater interoperability and choice for developers, partners, customers and competitors.
Microsoft's chief executive officer Steve Ballmer, left, and general counsel Brad Smith listen to chief software architect Ray Ozzie, right, as he answers questions from the media regarding the company's announcement of new interoperability principles and increased openness in Redmond, Wash., Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008.