14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has debuted an initiative designed to convert one of China's most populous provinces to Windows. The Redmond Company will deliver digital literacy to a total of 150,000 people in the Henan province over the next five years. And for this endeavor to be accomplished, Microsoft has donated two InfoWagons as part of its rural computing pilot program. Will Poole, corporate vice president at Microsoft, attended a rollout ceremony in the Luohe village from the Henan Province in Central China.
"The entire IT industry agrees that technology access and affordability in the rural computing space is required, but relevance is an equally important consideration," Poole stated. "We, as an industry, need to work together to provide technology that has real application and usefulness in people's lives. For example, delivering services that people find relevant for agriculture, healthcare, education and skills training, will help to address the unique needs of rural communities."
Henan is an underdeveloped and agricultural province, and as such, Microsoft has considered that it is the best-suited location for the company's rural computing general services pilot program. The Redmond Company is looking to increase its pool of users to two billions by 2015 with the help of the Microsoft Unlimited Potential program.
"Deployed initially in Henan and later expanding into the four additional provinces, the roving InfoWagons will give rural villagers the opportunity to experience and learn basic PC skills. Microsoft estimates that as many as 8,000 people will get trained this way by the end of 2007. Within five years, the InfoWagons are expected to reach 6,000 villages and bring digital literacy to 150,000 people," stated the company in a press release.