Credit: kremlin.ru, modified with permission.

Summary: The Russian president makes a mistake by looking for help from Microsoft rather than from companies which distribute Free/libre software

LAST YEAR Putin told Michael Dell that Russia doesn't need help from Dell et al. It's a tad insulting when companies like Dell pretend to be saviours of entire large nations, whose resources they are hoping to use for personal gain. It was somewhat disappointing to find this new article titled "Medvedev Seeks Microsoft, Nokia Expertise in Building Russia," especially now that there are plans to migrate Russian schools to GNU/Linux -- plans that Microsoft is actively derailing, as expected.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev takes his plea for foreign investment and technology directly to Microsoft Corp., Citigroup Inc. and Nokia Oyj as he hosts business leaders this week in his native St. Petersburg.

There is also this item in the news:

Tieto and Microsoft present a joint offering for the Russian market - Sales Management as a Service.

Russia makes a mistake by inviting Microsoft. This is the same company that exploits; it does not contribute (see links at the bottom).

Speaking of which, watch what Microsoft does in Kuwait amid GNU/Linux moves in the government [1, 2]. More dumping in Kuwait:

Microsoft Kuwait yesterday announced that Global Innovation Company which works under National Technology Enterprise Company (NTEC), (a subsidiary of Kuwait Investment Authority) has been selected as the Network Partner for the Microsoft BizSpark Program in the region.

BizSpark is a dumping programme [1, 2] which is intended to increase lock-in, just like EDGI. It's not something worth inviting. ⬆

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