Open letter to academics on Microsoft's 2020 Science Group

The Age newspaper's IT section had a front-page article discussing a letter sent by a group of women researchers to Bill Gates about Microsoft's 2020 Science Group programme. In essence, the women were raising the issue that no women researchers were included in that group. I decided to write my own letter in response to some of these women researchers, pointing out that there may be better ways to harness womens' research energies towards a better world in 2020, than by aligning themselves to Microsoft.

As a long-time observer (since 1979) of both the ICT industry and of Microsoft, I would posit that Microsoft has not earned the level of respect that's necessary to have senior Australian academics, such as yourselves, seemingly keen to join what may turn out to be yet another marketing chiaroscuro from the firm. Even a mild genuflection by respected academics towards Microsoft may be perceived by the industry as lending undeserved credence to that firm.

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