Microsoft: Africa doesn't need free software

It shows an appalling lack of awareness of what is reality in a lot of Africa.

Of course cost isn't an issue - to Microsoft. Not so sure about the end users though.

I'd heard that Microsoft aggressively pursue software piracy in "the third world" leading to fines and even imprisonment for some. If I'm wrong please correct me on that one.

It's comes over as a bit like the tobacco companies who exploit poor countries where there isn't a health lobby or legislation to protect minors.

Ugh!

The people of Africa understand that this is real money they are being asked to spend. They are not stupid and realize what is at stake. For instance, a school district may have to choose between spending money on software license fees or paying teachers.

The people of Africa know where their interests lie.

Quoting: You can give people free software or computers, but they won't have the expertise to use it," he said.

Very ignorant.

If people don't have the expertise to use free software like OpenOffice and Linux (for example Linspire), they also don't have the expertise to use Windows. This is one of the rare occasions where the playing field is equally leveled for both Linux and Windows, and they might only stand a chance if they give away Windows for free, because people living in Africa may be poor, but not stupid. Especially not when someone asks them to pay six month-salaries for an inferior product.

Microsoft is making a fool of themselves, this is one of the most stupid remarks in a long time.

Microsoft and FOSS just sees the world differently. It is tops down view versus bottom up.

When MS talks about expertise the are thinking about government offices and administrative functions in general and it is probably correct that most African countries needs help in that area.

What the FOSS movement is aiming at it the young people that will figure out by themselves how this computer thingy works and quickly enter a steep learning curve.

wow, this is...breathtaking.

"ost is not important, even though he admitted that the average annual salary in the West African country is only $160 (£91)."

Soooo....who are their customers? $160 doesn't buy anything.

Quoting: $160 doesn't buy anything.

On the other hand, it IS enough for the MIT $100 Laptop, pre-installed with... Uhm well, no MS of course. Wonder if the Nigerian government can also buy these?

On one hand, Microsoft give little-f free copies of MS-Windows to random Africans, on the other, they apparently don't need little-f free software?

That's just dumb. In the words of Forrest Gump, "I don't get it."

Africans are not dumb. If anything, they're far less complacent than a typical Westerner. I think Microsoft are very fortunate that so few of them have computers yet, else they'd be facing a tidal wave of what amounted to raucous laughter, even if much of it was posted in, for example, dialects from Northern Zambia.

Quoting:Africans are not dumb. If anything, they're far less complacent than a typical Westerner.

And here is a link and another quote to prove your assertion: http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/ptech/10/17/africa.goes.cellula...

Quoting: ... Air minutes have even become a form of currency, transactable from phone to phone by text message, he says.

This is particularly useful in Africa, where transferring small amounts of money through banks is costly.

Could one say: Q.E.D.?