Q: Scott, were you prompted by Jack Welch over another golf game, or was it all your own initiative?
McNealy: Actually, my wife invited his wife over to my house, which kind of started the conversation.
Ballmer: We have some mutual friends.
McNealy: We had a joint board member.
Ballmer: It was actually Scott's wife.
McNealy: OK, we'll blame it on her.
Q: Are we going to see an end to the shtick, to the unflattering caricatures?
Ballmer: I don't think that we are going to see the end of Scott's shtick. I don't think there's enough money in the world to do that.
McNealy: Yeah, the deal was only $100m. The rest of it was hush money. (laughter)
Ballmer: (laughter) We'll also be talking about the positive stuff we're doing together. That doesn't mean that I don't expect to hear cracks about why their stuff is better than our stuff or to have us come out and say why our stuff is better. But we'll always have this element of cooperation, which I think is important. It changes the relationship, but I don't think it gets rid of the shtick.
McNealy: The whole idea is to make them more successful and us more successful so that we can go beat each other's brains in a little more.
Ballmer: I expect we will all sit down on a regular basis. Actually, one of the things I want to talk to [Scott] about, before we break, is exactly how often and when the two of us get together -- probably periodically. We want to get together and talk together about what we are doing for customers.
Q: From a Microsoft perspective, now that you have a maximum fine from the European Union -- the dollars and cents on this -- are you ready to deal with the cash question? Boosting dividend or returning cash to shareholders?
Ballmer: This is another important step forward. Of course, we'll take that up with our board and see where we go next. I don't think there is anything to announce today.
