In addressing a gathering of Silicon Valley businessmen in Santa Clara, Calif., Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer had some kind words for Apple, according to a CNET article.
He said that Apple is doing “some good, innovative work.” In particular, Ballmer cited the work that Apple and Lucent Technologies did in 1999 to make wireless networking broadly available with Apple’s Airport, according to CNET. “It’s easy to forget how truly groundbreaking this technology was,” Ballmer said.
At the same time, he said that Apple doesn’t appear to be stealing much of the computer market from Windows-based systems, according to CNET. “I don’t see their basic position in the market changing,” Ballmer said.
The Microsoft exec even praised other Silicon Valley tech companies, including Google and Adobe, CNET reports. “[Adobe’s] work on typefaces was one of the most significant advances in printing,” Ballmer said.