Windows 7: Microsoft and Internet for All

The world is currently in a globalization state of mind so Microsoft thought that it would be good time to go the same way and work with governments around the world to make Internet access available to everyone.

The company has launched the Shape the Future program, a program that works with national or municipal governments in public-private partnerships, to connect the billions of people that currently don't have Internet, the priority being students and their families as well as educators.

Dan MacFetridge, business development director for Microsoft’s Shape the Future program said that “education is always a government priority, but changing the conversation from ‘prove that a PC makes for better grades’ to one where you can demonstrate the political and economic value makes these initiatives rise to the top of a government’s priority list.”

The Shape the Future program has already been launched in several countries, including the Philippines, Georgia, Brazil, Kuwait, the UK and Portugal, and so far it is a win-win-win situation for all parties, as MacFetridge says.

The governments are improving social and economic development as well as the country’s competitiveness, by easing digital teaching and learning skills for teachers and students, and at the same time, students and their families have access to information anytime and anywhere, which makes studying and a career more successful.

Maybe I've become jaded and cynical as I've gotten older but I see this as a way for Microsoft to try to increase net profits. If they can help more people have access to the internet those people will need operating systems and other software. Microsoft is hoping it will be their software that people turn to and not the readily available (and free) Linux, Open Office, etc.

I believe its called capitolism.
Globalization is unchecked capitolism. Only one who benefits is banks and insurance companies. Certainly killed the American middle class.