Global crisis affecting IT spending: Microsoft CEO

Companies worldwide are slashing spending on information technology because of the global downturn and will have to learn to do more with less, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said.
Ballmer, on a visit to south korea last month to promote the newly-released Windows 7 system, said IT spending represents about half of all capital expenditure in developed countries such as the United States and South Korea.
"With capital more scarce, we know IT budgets are more scarce," Ballmer told chief information officers (CIOs) from local businesses.
Ballmer said there would be pressure worldwide to cut IT spending but to increase its impact.
"We need strategy to help you, we say, 'do mmore with less'," he said, touting Windows 7 as part of the solution. The software giant last month said net profit fell 18% in the first quarter of its 4.37 billion dollars a year earlier. But its revenue of 12.92 billion dollars exceeded analysts' forecasts.