"US software giant Microsoft said on Friday it would bring cash and software to a computer training programme it has set up with the United Nations Development Programme, as part of a $1 billion company investment to bring computers to developing countries," Reuters reports from Davos.
"Microsoft would donate cash and the latest versions of its software, but the centres were free to expand with other software, including open source software such as Linux, Gates said. 'They'll be adding software from other providers. There's no exclusivity,' he said. 'Our role is to bring software that is quite popular, and happens to be ours.'"
Comment: Reuters notes that "the announcement follows a pilot project in Afghanistan where the two organisations set up centres at 16 locations, aiming to train 12,000 users this year." Ben Hammersley took part and reported it for Online here.
