[seul-edu] Microsoft Plans to Contribute to Mexico's Internet Initiative

[Nicolas Marchildon <nicolas@marchildon.net>]

This is (again) very shocking. Dean Calbreath says:

"Fox's e-Mexico program got a major boost last week, when Microsoft said that 
over the next four years it will help run 2,445 computer centers throughout 
the country, train 20,000 Mexican technicians and 3,000 computer teachers, 
and provide free or discounted software and services to low-income 
neighborhoods."

http://www.newsalert.com/bin/story?StoryId=CpmD_qaicu0qTrs1nrvHjq08&Print=1

Who, other than Microsoft, can train 23,000 Mexicans? The governement? Even 
RedHat would probably not be able to compete. It's a monopolistic behavior 
put to the extreme, aimed at gaining market by "lowering" prices.

What can we do against that?

It says:

"But some Mexican government officials are attacking Microsoft's involvement, 
arguing that it will only give the company greater control of a market that 
it already dominates. They say Microsoft's donation may be an attempt to 
block an "open-source" movement spreading throughout Latin America, which 
gives computer users free access to software."

I hope this reaction will be enough to stop Microsoft, but I doubt so.

Nicolas