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All the entries posted on August 20, 2007.
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Home > Plugged In > Archives > 2007 > August > 20
Monday, August 20, 2007
Microsoft and Cisco make nice. For now.
In the tech industry’s version of a buddy movie, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer
and Cisco CEO John Chambers held their first public meeting before a small group of reporters Monday. Atop the posh Mandarin Oriental hotel in Manhattan, the two men sought to emphasize their corporate cooperation to benefit customers.
“The market has more opportunity than any of us can go after,” Chambers said. “The days of being either friend and foe are over. The industry is moving too fast.”
But some industry watchers were not impressed by the unusual display of playing nice and predicted the event was a prelude to an even fiercer fight.
“Chambers was running scared, talking cooperation more than competition,” analyst Roger Kay says. “For Ballmer it was the opposite, with competition being the emphasis. How else could you make sense of this nonevent?”
Discussion moderator Charlie Rose pushed a bit on whether Microsoft had any interest in merging with Yahoo and if negotiations were ongoing.
Ballmer’s reply: “If we were, I wouldn’t tell you and if we weren’t, I wouldn’t tell you. Which means, I won’t say a darn thing.”
What do you think? Check out the webcast.
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