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Bill Gates on Technology in Africa... (fwd)
Gates predicts a wired Africa
(Reuter)
March 6, 1997, 6:30 a.m. PT
Bill Gates, computer guru and chief executive of
U.S. software giant Microsoft (MSFT), said today
the Internet was poised to open up Africa to the
world.
The continent's image as technologically backward
was unfounded, and the Internet was enormously
important for economic development, Gates told a
news conference at the start of a business visit to
South Africa.
"The Internet is the single most important tool that
will open Africa up to the rest of the world. It is
the future of communication worldwide and Africa
is not as far behind as some people believe," Gates
said.
Microsoft is expanding in Africa using South
Africa as a base. Last month the software giant
opened offices in Kenya and Ivory Coast and it
plans to open ten more in the next three years.
believe," Gates said.
"Africa is changing rapidly and for the better...the
infrastructures are being improved to sustain these
developments and Microsoft is in a position to
drive this forward from South Africa," said Rob
Katz, Microsoft South Africa general manager.
However, Africa does lag behind the developed
world in its use of computers and the Internet. In
the United States there are 300 personal
computers for every 1,000 people. In South
Africa--by far Africa's most online country--the
figure is just 34 per 1,000.
Undaunted, Gates said the use of computers and
the Internet would trickle down inevitably
throughout Africa's emerging markets as first
government departments and then larger
businesses started to use the technology.
"Technology is not a choice...the individual level
will take a long, long time, but because we are
patient and take a long-term view, we were willing
to come in now and build up that infrastructure,"
he said.
Software piracy was a problem in emerging
markets and in some African countries up to 95
percent of programs were being used in pirate
form, compared to a U.S. figure of 35 percent.
But as African markets developed the figures
would drop, Katz said.
Microsoft re-entered South Africa in 1992 when
the country's piracy level stood at 85 percent.
Now it is about 50 percent.
Microsoft is gearing up for a battle with new rival
network computers (NCs), which will operate
corporate networks and access to the Internet
without needing Microsoft's Windows operating
system.
Gates has said the array of companies supporting
NCs is the toughest challenge Microsoft has faced
in years, but today he was philosophical about the
threat, saying he doubted NCs would deliver on
promises of low cost and ease of use.
"The promises they have made are unachievable,"
he said.
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