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Microsoft to introduce Pak-specific Windows
LAHORE, Dec 08 : Microsoft Corporation intends to introduce Pakistan-specific Windows Operating System based on Windows XP Professional for the beginners soon.
Jawwad Rehman, Country Manager Microsoft for Pakistan, disclosed this in an interview.
Speaking about the issue of piracy, he said Microsoft was combating piracy by educating the people and making them know the benefits of using technology. He said the Microsoft Corporation was also working through relationship with the government, with corporations and with small and medium businesses by explaining to them what was the value of buying legal software.
Talking about any subsidy to the non-commercial users like students or home users, the Microsoft country manager said that the Corporation was already offering almost 93 per cent discount to the two above mentioned categories. He also announced the launching of the Windows Starter edition especially designed for Pakistan at a very low cost.
He said that though exact price was still not determined, the Windows would be sold to home users only. He elaborated that the operating system had been designed to conform to the beginners needs. He said that new system would be bundled with the new PCs soon.
Elaborating the core of piracy issue in Pakistan, he said that the home users were not the stakeholders, rather it were the business groups and the organisations like banks which were not using licensed software despite being able to afford them.
Responding to a question about Microsoft initiatives in Pakistan, Rehman said that Microsoft had so far established 25 IT labs in Pakistan and was coaching IT teachers free of charge.
Microsoft was also working with the National Commission for Human Development to teach young children.
He also told about the National PC initiative, which was designed to make PC procurement a cost-effective option. He also announced about the plans to develop Windows and Office Programmes for Urdu users in Pakistan, which was being developed in close coordination with National Language Authority.
When queried about any threat the corporation perceived with respect to the software options offered by RedHat and Linux, he said that Microsoft was investing a lot on R&D activity to ensure that the next product was better than the previous one.
He said that given the fact that Microsoft had the best minds under its umbrella, open source solutions were a threat but not a credible one.