No autographs
Instead, the shareholder meeting provided its share of offbeat moments, particularly when shareholders had the chance to ask questions of executives. One investor wanted to know if Microsoft would increase its share repurchases.
Ballmer's response: The company spent 175 percent of cash flow on buybacks in the last fiscal year, something he said clearly wasn't "sustainable."
Shareholders offered only modest gripes. Two shareholder proposals, both focused on addressing alleged human rights violations in China, were roundly defeated, winning only 3 percent and 4 percent of shareholder votes, respectively.
The Reverend Ken Hutcherson, who in the past has leaned on Microsoft to oppose gay-rights legislation, threatened to turn up the heat on the company once again. "I am one of the worst nightmares that this company has had," Hutcherson said to more hisses than applause.
A few shareholders queried Microsoft management on competition with Google, both in online search and in the mobile-phone business. Ballmer pointed to the efforts Microsoft is putting into search and noted that Microsoft is a leader in mobile-phone software, a business Google has yet to enter.
Finally Gates, who typically stops at the end of shareholder meetings to autograph annual reports for shareholders, simply walked offstage, his last appearance as a full-time chairman.
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