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Author Topic: Microsoft pledges $235M for IT in developing world  (Read 2339 times)

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Offline CactusCarlos

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Microsoft pledges $235M for IT in developing world
« on: January 22, 2008, 06:43:02 PM »
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3151664

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Microsoft pledges $235M for IT in developing world
Posted by OhioChick on Tue Jan-22-08 07:33 PM

Source: ComputerWorld

January 22, 2008 (IDG News Service) -- Microsoft Corp. will spend $235.5 million in schools worldwide over the next five years, part of a plan to triple the number of students and teachers trained in its software programs to as many as 270 million by 2013.

The money, part of the Partners in Learning program, will go toward training and skills programs in areas with limited IT training and equipment, said Orlando Ayala, vice president of the Unlimited Potential Group, part of Microsoft's education division.

The announcement is one of several expected to come from the Government Leaders Forum (GLF) in Berlin, an annual conference where Microsoft courts educators and government officials. Microsoft CEO Bill Gates will be the keynote speaker at the conference tomorrow.

Microsoft's investment shows how important it views developing markets to its future business. Last year, Microsoft introduced the Student Innovation Suite, which includes the XP Starter Edition plus educational applications, for $3 per unit for qualifying countries.




Read more: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9058278&intsrc=hm_list


~snip~ "Microsoft's educational donations look less generous when the company spends "it in order to create a market that's forced into buying its products," he said. But Ghosh added it's hard to argue that struggling schools "should refuse the computers altogether if there's no money."

"Microsoft has recently made significant deals in developing areas. A nongovernmental organization in Russia is buying 1 million units of the Student Innovation Suite over the next five years, Ayala said. The company is also supplying 50,000 units of the same software to Mexico and 150,000 to Libya, he said."

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Self-serving corporate crap, as usual.
Posted by Kutjara on Tue Jan-22-08 07:39 PM

The developing world does not need overpriced, bloated, glacier-slow software, wrapped up in restrictive licensing and DRM. It needs lean, fast, adaptable software that it is free to use, customize, and redistribute. It needs Linux, not Windows. 

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Offline Lauri

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Re: Microsoft pledges $235M for IT in developing world
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2008, 06:54:38 PM »
yes, the developing world does need slower software.. remember they are taking baby steps, albeit quickly, but still.. a lot of these people still live in villages where the houses are made out of mud.

you dont give people just learning to walk the fastest car in the lot. they can work up to it..

in the meantime, they get to know what the rest of the world is like.. and that only helps all of us.
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Offline Rebel

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Re: Microsoft pledges $235M for IT in developing world
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2008, 07:00:43 PM »
Linux is FAR from slow. It's a helluva lot faster than Windows or any Apple product, and it can run on legacy systems with ease.
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Offline Lauri

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Re: Microsoft pledges $235M for IT in developing world
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2008, 09:49:26 PM »
Quote from: Rebel on January 22, 2008, 07:00:43 PM
Linux is FAR from slow. It's a helluva lot faster than Windows or any Apple product, and it can run on legacy systems with ease.


let them learn to take care of the computers first.... they'll be like teenagers at first, but they will learn.
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Offline MASHLover

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Re: Microsoft pledges $235M for IT in developing world
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2008, 06:59:18 AM »
Just one question for the Linux folks here...

can i run CoD on it or do I need to run windows in VM to play?








nuff said
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Offline miskie

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Re: Microsoft pledges $235M for IT in developing world
« Reply #5 on: January 23, 2008, 07:05:19 AM »
Quote from: MASHLover on January 23, 2008, 06:59:18 AM
Just one question for the Linux folks here...

can i run CoD on it or do I need to run windows in VM to play?








nuff said

IF i remember correctly, the Call of Duty series works under WINE, but I dont have any of the games to confirm that.
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