Thursday, April 19th 2007
Microsoft to offer $3 Windows and Office
Microsoft today announced that it plans to expand its global reach (and presumably reduce piracy) by offing stripped down bundles of software including as Windows and Office for a mere $3 to people living in developing countries. Although in essence this is a non/low-profit project, Microsoft may be planning ahead by enabling poorer nations to grow using Windows instead of free alternatives such as Linux, a move which could expand its potential market for the future. The project, named Microsoft Unlimited Potential, would see the $3 software package (including Windows XP Starter Edition and Office 2007) being supplied to governments who could then distribute machines costing no more than $300, with students being Microsoft's main aim. This news comes after figures show that just 244 copies of Windows Vista have been sold in China, and should, alongside the One Laptop Per Child project, help poorer countries developed improved IT infrastructures.
Source:
The New York Times
22 Comments on Microsoft to offer $3 Windows and Office
As for businesses making money - well, let's put it this way:
Capitalism = companies making money so they can spend more on investing in better products and services
Communism = free stuff means very little incentive to improve and become more efficient
Those are very vague descriptions I know, but you get the idea. Which is better?
M$ needs money to improve and develop, just like any other business - I'm pretty sure there is a motive behind this to make money in the future, but IMO there is nothing wrong with that. They aren't exploiting people in poorer countries, in fact they are helping them develop by providing quality software for such a low price. And anyone who comes back and says XP and Office 2007 aren't quality products... well that'll just make me laugh - everything has flaws, and there is no other OS that is as good as XP overall as things stand (I guess you could argue Windows Server 2003 and Vista, but I still prefer XP myself).
SS of the Starter edition