• CNBC.com, Friday, November 13, 2009 4:01 PM

Despite the (passive) aggressive "Mac and PC" TV ads that sharply, if humorously, criticize the new Windows 7 operating system, Microsoft's Bill Gates has nothing but good things to say about Apple's Steve Jobs. "He's done a fantastic job," Gates said regarding Jobs during the taping of "Warren Buffett and Bill Gates: Keeping America Great," a 90-minute CNBC Town Hall Event hosted by Becky Quick.

"Apple is in a bit of a different business where they make hardware and software together ... But when Steve was coming back to Apple, which was actually through an acquisition of NeXT that he ran, Apple was in very tough shape ... In fact, most likely it wasn't going to survive." Added Gates, "He brought in inspiration about great products and design that's made Apple back into being an incredible force in doing good things ... And it's great to have competitors like that."

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