微软掌门的三位潜在接班人

   微软（Microsoft）共同创始人比尔•盖茨从公司创立到1999年期间一直是公司的领导者。此后，史蒂夫•鲍尔默这位微软的第30名员工接管了被这家现在拥有9.4万多名员工的公司，成为它的CEO。这家世界上最重要的公司之一在它富有传奇色彩的历史上只接受过两个人的领导（期间得到过共同创始人保罗•艾伦的协助）。这是一笔厚重的历史遗产。

    今年对微软来说或许是最为重要的一年，该公司发布了新版的主流操作系统和新的平板电脑。56岁的史蒂夫•鲍尔默似乎不会马上离职。不过，谁最终将接替他呢？下面是三个可能的人选：

    Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates led the company from its inception through 1999. After that, Steve Ballmer, the 30th employee hired by a company that now has over 94,000, took over as CEO. Over the course of its storied history, one of the most important companies in the world has -- with help from co-founder Paul Allen -- been led by just two men. That's a lot of legacy.

    This year may be one of the company's most significant ever. It is releasing a new version of its mainline operating system alongside new tablets. Steve Ballmer, 56, doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Still, who might replace him eventually? Here are three possibilities: