While the world's dominant software company has worked hard to maintain ties with Asian authorities for some time, "we are just stepping up our efforts and we expect to retain this focus for the foreseeable future," said Peter Moore, Microsoft Asia Pacific and Greater China's chief technology officer. The technology officers will promote Microsoft's position on IT issues, which is currently a key part of Moore's job.
"When I focus on listening to the governments' needs and articulating the value proposition that Microsoft has to deliver, through products, services support and community; the reception is very positive," he said.
His remarks come amidst growing official support for open source software in Asia, especially in North Asia and Malaysia, who view open-source platforms such as Linux as being cheaper and more secure than Microsoft's products. And in countries like China, being dependent on Western software carries unwelcome political overtones.
He declined to give details about specific issues broached with officials, but said that they were keen to ask about e-government IT systems, and to ask Microsoft about providing access to IT for students and teachers, community programs to help bridge the digital divide.
"It's a combination of addressing issues like security, reliability, value and innovation with existing infrastructure and the future value of the US$6.8 billion we are spending on research and development this fiscal year," he said.
A key part of Moore's job is to highlight the merits of commercial software over free, open-source products.
"Creating a preference for free software won't build a local software ecosystem. Who will do anything for free? They should be building a commercial software model. That's tried and tested," he said in an earlier interview.
Consumers should determine software selection and development free of official intervention, he said.
"Microsoft, like the rest of the technology industry, strongly believes that governments and users of technology should be free to use the software and other technologies that best meet their needs," he said.
He believed that commercial software, such as that used in Tablet PCs, have "incredible potential" to provide a new learning experience for students when combined with localized curriculum, teacher training, and educational software titles.
Across Asia, open source software such as the Linux operating system are gaining a higher profile.
In China and Malaysia, programs encouraging the use of Linux and open-source software in the civil service have been launched. Recently, an alliance of Japan, Korea and China has been formed to create a workable alternative to Microsoft's Windows operating system.
Autor: John Lui
Quelle: Cnet Asia, 24.09.2003
