Microsoft spends big in Russia
Microsoft has announced plans to invest $300 million in the Russian economy. But the firm is giving a cautious impression on other spending plans.
Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer (perhaps wisely given the location) said, “We applaud the vision that Russia’s leaders have shown during the current economic downturn as they have made historic structural reforms that will speed the transition to a national economy based on innovation.”
The investment will include:
- building an extra 40 Microsoft training centers in the country (taking the total to 100);
- giving more than 1,000 start-up firms free Microsoft software;
- expanding a program that provides software to university students to cover school pupils;
- starting a program with the Space Research Institute to study climate change; and
- building a Microsoft Technology Center in Moscow.
The firm will also be supporting the 2014 Winter Olympics. The details weren’t made clear, but it’s likely this will be through sponsorship.
The real explanation for the investment depends on your level of cynicism. If you are simply a little snarky, it could be that Microsoft wants to groom future customers for when the Russian economy recovers.
If you are feeling super scornful, you might link it to the fact that the Russian government is currently considering whether to scrutinize Microsoft’s activities in the country to make sure it complies with antitrust laws. There are no allegations of any Microsoft wrongdoings, but its market share is reportedly at the level which normally triggers automatic monitoring under Russian business laws.
Elsewhere on his global trip, Ballmer appeared to have his hands firmly grasped on the Microsoft pursestrings. Speaking in Cairo, he referred to Oracle’s acquisition of Sun and noted, “’I have no idea why a software company would buy a hardware company. We don’t want to buy any hardware companies.” He also once again denied any interest in buying search rival Yahoo.
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April 24th, 2009
MSFT seems to forget that Russia recently adopted open source mandates….
http://www.computerworlduk.com/toolbox/open-source/blogs/index.cfm?entryid=1423&blogid=14
“By the end of 2009, all school computers will be installed package of free software (PSPO). This is how transfers «Prime-TASS», today announced Minister of Communications and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation Igor Shchyogolev at the plenary session «Information Society and the modern technologies of information» in the international exhibition «InfoCom-2008».]
This isn’t just an option for those brave souls who might want to try something different: this is now the official approach. If schools want to use proprietary software, they have to pay for it themselves”