Microsoft’s Bonanza to Education Sector

Microsoft’s Bonanza to Education Sector

Announces Student Innovation Suite

Beijing: Vista, the new Windows ‘avatar’ was a pricey upgrade for most lay users; the cost of various versions ranged from Rs.5,000 to Rs.16,000. But grumbling about the upgrade cost – and the need to beef up the PC hardware to make it work –seem to have moved maker Microsoft to come up with a canny plan to maintain is hold on the world’s desktops.

At a Government Leaders’ Forum here last week, Chairman Bill Gates announced a new scheme, which involves virtually giving away a starter’s version of Windows, albeit the earlier Windows XP, together with an office productivity suite, in developing nations.

Package Price:

There is one provision the package price or $3 (Rs.135) will only be applicable if the “Student Innovation Suit” comes pre-loaded on PCs that form part of a package in which 50 per cent of the total cost is subsidized by the government for primary and secondary school students. If the core Windows XP alone is required the pricing is lower at $1 (Rs.45)

In other words, Microsoft is challenging governments categorized as low or middle income nations by the World Bank: you do your part by subsidizing the cost of the PC for your students, and we will provide all the necessary software at the throwaway price. The $3 package will include Windows XP Stater Editor-97 incorporating the basis feature a beginner needs; Microsoft Office Suit Home / Student Edition –97 for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations; Microsoft Maths 3.0, a collection of math tools, tutorials, and instructions designed to help students learn pre-algebra, algebra, trigonometry, physics, chemistry and calculus; and Windows Live Mail Desktop, an email tool.

This pre-user pricing will be applicable on bulk PC quantities of 1,000 crore or more. The Beijing meeting also unveiled a scratch card the students in India can use to activate this package on their PCs. The educational initiative come at an interesting time – when user disaffection and difficulty with the new Vista Windows version has led at least one major PC vendor, Dell, to announce that it will not force customers to take Vista but will still offer Windows XP on some of its cheaper desktop and lap-top offerings

The main problem seem to be the lack of preparedness of third party peripheral makers with updated drivers for Vista and the consequent hassles users are facing in making their printers, scanner and optical (CD / DVD) drives work with Vista.

Microsoft’s Bonanza to Education Sector

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