What's next for Microsoft's relationship with Apple?

So now that Bill Gates is no longer running Microsoft what will happen with Microsoft's relationship with Apple? The answer doesn't look too good for Mac faithfuls who actually want to use Microsoft software on Apple's hardware.

Michael Goonan writing in Appletell.com is worried:

Ballmer has never been the most friendly guy in the world to those of us in the Mac community, and I just hope that Mac software development is not pushed to the back burner. If that were to happen, it would be a shame, because I like and appreciate using Microsoft Office and Messenger on my Mac, as I’m sure many others out there do, and it would really be a step backwards for Apple and Microsoft to stop taking the high road and go back to this “we’ve got to kill the other guy” mentality.

Goonan believes that Gates was sympathic to Mac users' faithfulness to the Apple platform and that despite "Bill’s obvious place in the Windows-based world, he still has and has always had a certain affinity for the Mac platform and many of Apple’s products." The same could definitely not be said of Steve Ballmer who's known for his hatred of competitive products.

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