Saving the World, One PC at a Time

Microsoft is attempting to yank the developing world into the age of Personal Computing and to that end they just announced $3 software bundles for developing nations. Windows XP Starter Edition and Office Home for $3, which is about $3 more than what we think developing nations currently pay for their software.

Todd Bishop at the P-I writes:

The company says its goal is to double the number of computer users in the world by 2015, adding another billion people. Of course, it's far from the only one trying to spread the reach of PCs in the developing world. And there's a major business angle in all of this. Among other things, Microsoft wants those new PC users to run Windows, not Linux -- which has been making major strides in developing nations.

So, it's not necessarily only an altruistic, lifting up the people from the non-computerized darkness type of a move. You live by installed base, you die by installed base. Linux is the Other here, but can we take a moment to imagine the preposterousness of the other Other, Apple, making a move similar to this? Straight out of the bush and into these stylish ear buds attached to 40 gigabytes of popular music for only $3! You can watch Lost on there! Microsoft, we appreciate the effort.

(Now excuse us as we get back to wrangling Feisty Fawn onto our MacBook.)