Ballmer mixed on Windows 7's success

[Hottwire]

Steve Ballmer's been giving out mixed messages on the likely impact of Windows 7 on Microsoft and PC sales.

With just over two weeks to go before Windows 7 is officially released, Microsoft's chief executive has reportedly played down the operating system's expected fillip on PC sales.

"There will be a surge of PCs but it will probably not be huge," Reuters reported Ballmer saying in answer to a question about the likely effect on the market of the new system.

Flipping back into super-sales-man mode, though, Ballmer apparently told SkyNews Windows 7 would pull Microsoft out of "the worst period of its history". He also told The Times: "With Windows 7 we're doing a great job! I think the product is pretty fine!"

Microsoft reported its first ever losses during its last fiscal year, thanks to the drop in PC sales. The company has been forced to make its first layoffs to control costs, as a result.

As such, Ballmer blamed the recession rather than Microsoft's business model for plunging the company into the worst period he'd known while being with Microsoft. Ballmer joined in 1980.

Microsoft has been careful about saying when it expects the recession to end, but has broadly hinted at a return to spending during 2010.

Ballmer was giving out contradictory signals during his annual grand tour of the UK and European national and broadcast media outlets, organized by Microsoft's corporate PR team on the mothership in Redmond, Washington.

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