Microsoft criticizes Brazilian government's position about free software

[Michael Lauzon]

Found this on Slashdot, it linked to another article, which then
linked to the source of the English translation of the Brazilian
article:

(Published on Folha de São Paulo, the most important journal of
Brazil; http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/tec/798606-microsoft-critica-posicao-do-governo-brasileiro-sobre-o-software-livre.shtml)

The president of Microsoft Latin America, Hernán Rincón, sent word to
Brazilian government: "innovation software does not happen in the
hands of governments but the private sector."

The statement came after he was questioned about the government's
position of supporting programs with open source like Linux.

In a meeting with journalists from Latin America in Bellevue, Wash.,
he said this morning: "Governments have to ask: what business is to
serve their citizens and develop software? Innovation is at private
sector. "

According to Rincon, free programs require more work and investment
from the government to keep them running and updated - which does not
happen when companies take care of that for the government.

The executive, however, said that the two models - open source and
closed - will continue to coexist.

COMPETITION

Rincon also needled competition betting on open standards and free of
charge, such as Google. "When you do not can compete, you are
declaring open. This masks incompetence. "

The executive added: "When convenient, the companies say they are
open. They use it for your own benefit. "

NUMBERS

The executive also presented with numbers optimism about the region.

He said six of the last seven years, the region grew - the exception
was 2008. And the technology sector had strong participation in it.

In recent years, the technology sector in Latin America was, on
average, two to three percentage points above the region's growth. In
one year, for example, where regional GDP growth was 5%, the
technology of information increased from 7% to 8%.

Brazil, said Rincon, took a leading role in this process. Microsoft
Latin America followed the growth. The executive said his division is
the fastest growing of all regional divisions. The company would be
three times larger in terms of turnover than it was seven years ago.

He said 95% of computers run Windows in Latin America. Apple and Linux
had 1.3% from 2% to 3%.

http://lazarus.freepascal.org/index.php?topic=10523.0


-- 
Sincerely,

Michael Lauzon
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