Five best quotes from Steve Ballmer's guest appearance at Harvard

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Steve Ballmer gives Harvard students Xboxes for solving computer science puzzles around campus at a press conference Thursday.

Sara Castellanos

Technology Reporter- Boston Business Journal

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Steve Ballmer took the stage at a press conference Thursday to talk about why he donated an undisclosed sum of money to help expand the university's computer science program.

Ballmer, formerly CEO of Microsoft and the newly minted Los Angeles Clippers owner, spoke energetically and at length about computer science, Harvard, and technology in an off-the-cuff speech.

He announced this week he was providing a donation to his alma mater to expand its computer science faculty by 50 percent, or 12 new positions. The school will employ 36 computer science faculty members after the expansion.

Here were his best quotes at the press conference:

• "From early on in my life, the specialness of this institution has been on my mind," Ballmer said, referring to the fact that his father encouraged him to attend Harvard as early as the age of 5.
• "Harvard is the top name in education globally."
• "It's not just about computer science... it really is about ensuring that this institution stays vibrant. In this transformative technology set of computer science, if Harvard doesn't lead, it'll affect all parts of the institution."
• "Computer science is the operating system for all innovation."
• "It's the dawning of a new wave in our industry, and in the computer science field. Computer science is amazing ... in the next 30 or 40 years, innovation will be as strong or stronger than any time in the past."

Read more: Ballmer donation to expand Harvard's computer-science faculty by 50 percent