Bonum Certa Men Certa

Cablegate: Microsoft and Government of Oman Inseparable

Cablegate



Summary: Cable from Oman shows how Microsoft is steering the government and making the population Microsoft dependent

We recently looked at Oman and onwards, reaching Ukraine in the north and Vietnam in the south. All across the world we find evidence of government-assisted Microsoft deals which at times reveal misconduct. Many of the same tricks are used everywhere, so it is worth learning these. The following Cablegate cable is also one from Oman.







VZCZCXYZ0004
RR RUEHWEB



DE RUEHMS #0580/01 1601237 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 091237Z JUN 07 FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8362 INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000580

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, EEB/CBA COMMERCE FOR COBERG

E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON, BEXP, ELAB, ENRG, KSEP, AMGT, MU SUBJECT: NOMINATION FOR CORPORATE EXCELLENCE AWARD: MICROSOFT OMAN

REF: STATE 47222

------- Summary -------

1. Embassy Muscat is pleased to nominate Microsoft Oman for the Secretary's 2007 Award for Corporate Excellence. Microsoft Oman's strong commitment to actively supporting government efforts to promote greater computer literacy in the Sultanate makes this company the right choice for the 2007 Corporate Excellence Award. End Summary.

---------------- Nascent Industry ----------------

2. Oman's information communications technology (ICT) sector currently is not well-developed. According to a Booz Allen Hamilton study commissioned by the Department under the Middle East Partnership Initiative, the industry overall employs only 1300 people, with most positions concentrated in a few large corporations. Compared to the population as a whole, the figure represents 0.4 IT employees per 1,000, which lags behind the EU-25 average of 5.5 IT employees per 1,000. Booz Allen Hamilton further estimated that the number of university students graduating from computer science disciplines reached only 386 in 2004.

------------------------------------------ Background: Government Focus on Raising IT ------------------------------------------

3. In an effort to boost public awareness of Oman's need to move increasingly toward a knowledge-based economy, the government launched its "E-Oman" campaign in 2006. Under the slogan "Transforming Oman, Empowering You," Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, Minister of Commerce and Industry, officially unveiled the government's plans regarding Oman's e-government programs, as well as other initiatives designed to promote Oman's transformation to a knowledge-based economy.

4. Under the direction of the recently created Information Technology Authority (ITA), the Omani government embarked on a pilot project electronically linking four ministries through one computer network, a plan that will eventually be expanded to include all ministries. In addition, the government is working on developing an electronic national registry system, smart ID cards for citizens and residents, and a one-stop-shop for business registration.

------------------------- The Microsoft Partnership -------------------------

5. In 2006, Microsoft concluded a three-year, five million USD per year agreement with the Omani government for the use of the company's licensed products on over 22,000 terminals. The contract, which includes a commitment by Microsoft to invest two million USD per year in training programs for government employees and the general public, represents the beginning of a valued relationship between the two entities as they both strive to improve computer literacy in the Sultanate.

6. As part of its plan to foster this relationship, Microsoft has committed to investing in Oman's IT capabilities. According to Microsoft country manager Abdullah al-Lootah, this commitment is essential to efforts to raise technology usage in government operations, which currently is very low. In terms of promoting knowledge transfer opportunities, Microsoft will sponsor six-month visits by government officials to the company's Dubai office to educate them on "best financial practices." Coupling with the government's E-Oman initiative, Microsoft is reaching out to the Omani people by installing computer laboratories in 10 schools for public use during the evening hours.

----------------------- Training for the Future -----------------------

7. Microsoft demonstrated its strong, continued commitment to building Oman's technical capabilities in March 2007, when the company concluded an agreement with the ITA to launch an innovation and support center to be housed at Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM), the government-run technology incubator. The agreement calls for a joint investment of six million USD in establishing the center, one million USD of which is to come from Microsoft under its investment partnership accord with the Omani government. The center will host resident Microsoft engineers, who will train between 20 to 40 Omanis on technology solutions to deliver services to government entities under the "E-Oman" initiative. Graduates would then form IT steering committees within their respective ministries.

8. This initiative is one of several Microsoft is pursuing to "bridge the technology skills gap" in Oman. In addition to the innovation center, Microsoft will partner with Knowledge Oasis Muscat and other selected entities in training 300 Omani government professionals per year. The trainees will work with Microsoft engineers to develop and implement solutions to promote efficiency in delivering government services electronically. Salim al-Ruzaiqi, Chief Executive Officer of the ITA, praised Microsoft's efforts in the media, noting, "This new center will create more quality job opportunities for local Omani graduates in the ICT sector."

--------------- Assisting Women ---------------

9. Microsoft also has been active in supporting efforts to raise computer literacy among women through a partnership with MEPI's "Women in Technology (WIT)" program. The company is currently working with the Oman Women's Association in Muscat to train women throughout the Sultanate on IT skills. Under a "train the trainer" initiative, Microsoft donated its "Unlimited Potential" curriculum to the organization to allow participants to pass along skills taught by Microsoft trainers to women residing in the secondary cities of Oman. Microsoft further donated over $50,000 worth of software and 90 refurbished computers to support the continuation of the initiative. GRAPPO







In short, Microsoft is indoctrinating government employees so that they come to depend on Microsoft technologies, at taxpayers' expense. For those who do not know what "Unlimited Potential" is (a euphemism to say the least), see our posts about it [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].

Recent Techrights' Posts

Lies Need to be Corrected
the Court never invited us
 
EPO Staff Representation Lacks Social Dialogue With Relevant Management, Controversial and Sometimes Illegal Policies Implemented Without Necessary Input
"In this open letter, the CSC requests that the President submits an agenda item in the next available General Consultative Committee (GCC) meeting on setting up regular meetings between the CSC and the higher management of DG1."
Links 16/10/2025: Political Leftovers and Gemini Protocol Links
Links for the day
Slopwatch: Guardian Digital (linuxsecurity.com), Slashdot, Google News, and More
Maybe one day, once the bubble pops completely, Google News will just outright delist all slopfarms
Lufthansa Modern Slavery, Joerg Jaspert (ganneff) & Debian NSB Softwareentwicklung charade
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Links 16/10/2025: US Starting More Trade Wars With China, CIA War on Venezuela
Links for the day
SUSE Blog is Still LLM Slop, Marketing Manager at SUSE Cannot Write
Would you buy from a company or seek support from a company that cannot even write (or fakes writing)?
Pretend You're Not Dead: Microsoft Spent Almost Two Decades Rebranding Things as "Cloud, Then "AI", Now "XBox" and "Quantum"
"AI" bubble pops, Microsoft harping about "quantum" already
IBM Allegedly Found New Tricks for Silent Layoffs: LPI, Then MIS (Not PIP)
Remember that "Red Hat layoffs" won't be reported after the bluewashing
Links 16/10/2025: Red Lines and Feeding of Microsoft Trolls
Links for the day
MIT as a Propaganda Mill of GAFAM, Paid by GAFAM
"the news" today
Links 16/10/2025: Lies Euphemised as ‘Dueling Versions of Reality’ and Microsoft "Open" "Hey Hi" Resorts to Porn as No Business Model Was Found
Links for the day
The Local Staff Committee Munich (Representation of the EPO's Staff) Explains When Cluster of Pregnancies May Result in Reduced Pay
"...even one week of part-time working is sufficient to reduce the salary you perceive during the entirety of your maternity leave."
Another Black Eye for 'Secure Boot', Microsoft Media Tries to Blame "Linux"
It enables Microsoft to remotely control computers, even computers that don't run Windows and never had any Microsoft software installed
Slopwatch: UbuntuPIT, linuxsecurity.com, and Various Slopfarms in Google News Attacking "Linux"
A new survey of the Web said that the majority of the Web is now slop (that's being said in the news this week)
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, October 15, 2025
IRC logs for Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Links 16/10/2025: Increased Use of Social Control Media Surveillance in US, French Rage Over Pensions
Links for the day
Links 15/10/2025: Qantas Airways Loses Control of Sensitive Data and Software Patents Are Being Thrown Out
Links for the day
Vista 10 is 'Dead', Here's Why People Should Move to GNU/Linux (or the BSDs)
Today we try to make an outline of reasons move away from Windows to GNU/Linux
Our Sites Continue to Improve
LLM slop has had no noticeable impact on us
Gemini Links 15/10/2025: Neovim, Helix Compared and Gemlog.blue Now Closed
Links for the day
Links 15/10/2025: Mass Layoffs at Amazon, OneDrive Spyware Revved Up, More 'Gen Z Protests'
Links for the day
The EPO's Staff Engagement Survey 2025 is Already Tainted by Intimidation by EPO Management (Trying to Influence Outcomes by Scaring Genuine, Honest Critics)
"[W]e have received reports that, following the previous survey, teams with negative responses were reproached or questioned about their answers..."
The DDoS Attacks by Microsoft's Scam Altman and Other Slop Charlatans and Frauds is Hurting the FSF, Delinking It From Copyleft Projects
This impacts a lot more than access to the licences
Microsoft Scanning Faces in Photos People Upload to Microsoft (Even Unconsciously), Slashdot Turns Report About It Into "Microsoft Sez" (Says)
Or "let's repeat the lies from a PR person/Microsoft's publicist"
[Teaser] Angel Aledo Lopez the Manipulator (Nepotism, Poll Rigging, and Other EPO Corruption)
We'll discuss this later today or tomorrow, based on internal EPO material
Attacks on Techrights Are Only Making Techrights Bigger and Even More Popular
A week ago they offered to settle with us
Epic Metaphor for End of IBM: "The IBM Demolition is Down to the Last Shards!"
Nothing lasts forever
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, October 14, 2025
IRC logs for Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Proprietary and DRM Prisons Spiralling Down the Sinkhole? Not Just Yet.
Let's hope that more people will flee to GNU/Linux
The European Patent Office (EPO), the Second-Largest Institution in Europe, is Cracking Down on Recreational Activities
Without AMICALE activities, and as staff already says it's pressured to work more for less, how can the EPO recruit bright people?
Transparency: FSFE financial reports exclude speaker fees and expenses
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Many Developers Have Many Political Views, They'll Never Agree on Everything
It's an effort to divide and destroy, not build
Gemini Links 14/10/2025: An Opportunity to Consider GNU/Linux and Another Simple IRC Client
Links for the day
Slopwatch: UbuntuPIT, LinuxSecurity, Google News, and the Serial Slopper Brian Fagioli
Nothing of merit here, just more slop
Links 14/10/2025: Lack of Trust in Slop and "Retirement Challenges"
Links for the day
EPO Staff Can Go Listen to Richard Stallman Next Week in Munich (Technical University of Munich, Rudolf-Diesel Hörsaal (MW2001) on Campus Garching at 18:00)
"The talk is open to the public and attendance is free. Registration is not required."
Rhonda D'Vine, Gerfried Fuchs, Pronouns & Debian pregnancy cluster
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
At IBM, Relocation Means Layoffs (Downsizing)
Silent or 'invisible' layoffs?
Central Staff Committee of the European Patent Office (EPO) Warns That EPO Management is Robbing or Manipulating Pension Funds Again
Faking "growth" is just about as bad as forgery
Probably a Lot Worse Than LLM Slop: GNOME Tying Itself to Divisive Politics, Even Where It's Clearly Not Relevant
Something has gone terribly wrong in GNOME
Links 14/10/2025: Microsoft OneDrive Scanning Faces in Photos (Without Asking First), "OpenAI Says It Will Move to Allow Smut"
Links for the day
They Generally Don't Like Scholars, as They're Less Compelled or Pressured to Repeat What Corporations and Oligarchs Say
People who loathe scholars have an agenda in mind that, unlike that of reasonable people, revolves around controlling people
Dystopian Trends in Technology Make Richard Stallman More Relevant Than Ever
It's good to see him attracting vast audiences
Belated New Article About Last Thursday's Lecture by Richard Stallman in Helsinki, Finland
there are good reasons to pay with cash, not limited to privacy
Attacking Richard Stallman Has Become 'Career Suicide'
If you're going to viciously attack somebody, make sure your arguments are rock-solid
Microsoft's Failing XBox Business Has Turned Games Into Funerals
How does it feel to depend on Microsoft?
Yesterday's "Distinguished Lecture" by Richard Stallman Possibly Attended by Close to 1,000 People
The capacity of the place is about 900
Slop Poisons Everything
Imagine wanting to find what Torvalds has just said or what has just been released
Taking Software Freedom 'Mainstream'
interest in Software Freedom must have grown
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, October 13, 2025
IRC logs for Monday, October 13, 2025
Gemini Links 14/10/2025: Ada Lovelace Day, Sony CLIE PEG-TG50 Review, Why to Avoid Network Solutions
Links for the day
Richard Stallman (RMS) Announced His Talk Less Than 24 Hours Before It Took Place and Still Filled Up the Auditorium at Sapienza Università di Roma
Photos from yesterday evening [...] It looks like it was a very successful event