Stephen Forte's Weblog
A complete waste of time…

 



Subscribe to "Stephen Forte's Weblog" in Radio UserLand.

Click to see the XML version of this web page.

Click here to send an email to the editor of this weblog.

 

 

  Saturday, June 28, 2003


Microsoft and the Developing World (Social Responsibility)

The North African Developers Conference 2003 ended today. In a region where Microsoft estimates that there are only 5,000 developers, we had 1,000 developers attend. How about that reach! It was so successful that Microsoft will do it again next year in Marrakech, Morocco. On the heels of the success last week of the PDC in Karachi, Pakistan (1,400 attendees) and this week in Tunis (1,000 attendees), I have seen Microsoft success in the developing world and a momentum is there.

 

Nasser Khan Ghazi, who is in charge of Microsoft evangelism for MEA or Middle East and Africa has now vowed to make these events annual and build off their successes. We discussed the rate of mobility adoption in Sub-Saharan African and contemplated an African Mobility Tour as well as events in the Middle East, South Africa, Istanbul, and Jordan.

 

What is great was the amount of students attending the conference. (I have a special love for bringing current technology to Academia, hence my involvement with the Imagine Cup in Spain next week.) I was speaking to a few students in Tunis (many were female) and they all inspired me with their drive and dedication. I also spoke at length with a Professor of Computer Science from Algeria about the pros and cons of the western content in the Middle East. We decided that it is a two way street, while Microsoft has great content in English and sometimes even localized in French and Arabic, the Universities need to pitch in some more. And he was practicing what we decided since he came from Algeria to Tunis for the conference.

 

Nasser and I talked about a Microsoft plan to take one developing country (Pakistan and Nigeria are the frontrunners) and making it a model for investment by Microsoft (and others). I believe that Microsoft has a social responsibility to lead by example, which they clearly have every intention of doing. Bill Gates has chosen MEA as the area to start this focus. This can only be win win for Microsoft and the region. Microsoft will of course see a longer term financial benefit, but the main objective here is social responsibility. The developing world will of course gain in the investment (especially countries like Iraq and Afghanistan which are emerging out of years of hardship and recent war.)

 

The plan is good because it is all about empowering people with technology in schools, libraries, women centers, and poor areas. Evangelism and education for current and future developers would also be very important (that means more travel for me). Then use that example as a showcase for the region. Right now it is a plan on paper, who knows where it will go. I am optimistic. I am glad that I can play a small part in this initiative.

 

Some Fun time...

After my sessions yesterday I also visited Carthage. Then I had dinner last night with Andrew (and his wife Laruen), Clemens, Malek and Nasser. We chatted about the developing world, BizTalk, Indigo, .NET Branding, and the RD program. We also talked about the upcomming Imagine Cup in Spain. Today was a free day in Tunis, visited some great sites. The medina, or city, is a wealth of ancient palaces, mosques and centers of trade and learning, truly a living museum.


5:08:06 AM    


Click here to visit the Radio UserLand website. © Copyright 2003 Stephen Forte.
Last update: 7/30/2003; 1:40:38 PM.

June 2003
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30          
May   Jul