Inspire,Empower,Foster...

An interesting article that was posted by James from Unlimited Potential Group at Microsoft and I would like to share with you that you may find it interesting to read.

'Ultimately our mission is to enable sustained social and economic opportunity for those at the middle and bottom of the world’s economic pyramid—the next 5 billion people'

In the short term, Unlimited Potential aims to reach the next 1 billion people by 2015 by exploring solutions in three key interrelated areas. Each is crucial to developing sustained economic opportunity:

• Transforming education
• Fostering local innovation
• Enabling jobs and opportunities

In these three areas, Microsoft Unlimited Potential can create the greatest possible impact in building a virtuous cycle of sustained social and economic development. This cycle drives communities; helps build connections to form new communities; is fueled by local and global partnerships; and, most importantly, ultimately becomes locally sustainable. Sustainability is a key indicator of effective programs and activities, and is our long-term measure of success. '

The Real Problem With Windows AND Linux In Emerging Market Education

This past spring Microsoft hired Vital Wave Consulting to create a five year Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model to help us and our customers better understand the true cost structure for deploying large numbers of PCs into schools serving under-served student populations around the world. This is part of our goal to help transform education and is a hot topic these days in government circles.

You can find a copy of the Vital Wave paper here.

Among other things, we wanted to understand if Linux has a cost advantage over Windows when it comes to deploying large numbers of PCs into schools in emerging market countries. The study indicates that both operating systems have about the same TCO for these types of scenarios. Windows systems have a slightly higher up front purchase price, but this is offset by the hirer salaries required for Linux-skilled systems administrators in places like China and South America. So over a five year period, the total costs for a school system to deploy and maintain a large number of Windows PCs and Linux PCs are about the same.

Now before some readers of this run off and complain that this study is simply another example of Microsoft tech industry propaganda, please make sure that you read through the white paper that describes the model and and understand what it means. Vital Wave is a good company with smart people who have relevant experience in emerging market technology adoption, and they have done a thoughtful job in assembling their analysis.

For me, the huge, eye-opening takeaway from this work isn't that Windows and Linux cost about the same to put into school labs in poor countries, it's that the 5 year cost of ownership for doing so is about $2,700.

That's right, $2,700. At a time when the press likes to write about whether the $100 laptop costs $200 or $300, economists who live in the countries where these systems are being deployed went out, assessed actual computer implementations, and came back with an estimate that the actual 5 year ownership cost is about 10 times as much.

Kentaro Tamoya, who runs Microsoft's Technology for Emerging Markets lab in India, has observed situations where the cost of maintaining a PC in a rural village in India can run $100 a month.

Why so much? Well, machines break and need to be fixed or replaced (especially when they are used by kids). Teachers need to be trained. Software needs to be upgraded. Electricity can be expensive. These are the "laws of physics" involved in the deployment of large numbers of PCs and shouldn't come as a big surprise for anyone who has deployed computers for big enterprises. Simply because we are now deploying computers to a large number of rural locations doesn't make these laws of physics go away, in fact it can make them worse because in addition to the traditional fixed costs of computer deployments you now need to deal with environmental problems (heat, dust, rodents) and infrastructure problems (things like occasional 1,000 volt surges in power grids).

Don't despair though, because there is hope. Because the same techniques that enterprises developed in the last decade to drive down computer ownership costs to under $1000 over 5 years can be applied by school districts for their PC deployments. No one is disputing the power of computers as learning tools in the hands of children, the challenge is to drive down their costs, especially after the initial acquisition.

Erika Twani, who leads Microsoft's Unlimited Potential efforts targeting poor schools in Latin America, recently co-authored an academic paper that explains how to do this. Their approach is to take the Gartner Group's infrastructure maturity model -- a technology management framework with four levels (Basic, Standardized, Rationalized, Dynamic) used by many enterprises to manage technology costs -- and apply it to schools. The authors even added a fifth level, the "Chaos" level, where

"there is no network infrastructure, management policies do not exist, and there is basic or very limited dial-up access to the Internet. This is a scenario where the dynamics of teaching and learning are reduced to the level of the individual in a disconnected school."

My assumption is that most of the schools surveyed in the Vital Wave analysis are "Chaos level" schools in terms of the sophistication of their IT infrastructure and ability to drive down deployment and maintenance costs. The schools bought PCs, put them in a classroom, and hoped for the best.

Erika and her co-authors go on to provide guidance on how schools can get out of this cost chaos:

How do you identify your school’s maturity level? What
are the milestones for each level? There are two simple
aspects to consider: the presence of a server and the level of
automation.

• Server – the existence of a server is the milestone
  between the Chaos and Basic levels. Without a server, it
  is impossible to implement any kind of service
  automation, security or management. A simple software
  upgrade would require one workday for a small lab of
  20 desktops.
• Automation – the level of automation (need of human
  intervention on a daily basis) defines the transition from
  Basic to Standardized levels.
• A server with an ordinary operating system and no
  automation services requires approximately the same
  work as needed at the Chaos level. However, the
  simplest server currently in place is an advantage.
• An effective operating system with resources of
  recovery policies, desktop backup and security tools,
  upgrades the IT to the Standardized level. This
  requires only a few hours of maintenance per week.
• Adding the functions of client management (software
  distribution, asset management, desktop backups,
  desktop management and configuration), network
  anti-virus, and Internet firewall and filtering, upgrades
  the school’s infrastructure from the Standardized to
  Rationalized level. The need for human intervention
  is reduced to a few hours per month.
• And finally, by implementing an external data
  warehouse or datacenter, the ICT infrastructure
  reaches its highest level of maturity, the Dynamic
  level. Services include disaster and recovery, remote
  management, remote software distribution and remote
  support.

This is the basic approach Microsoft is taking in our Unlimited Potential school deployments, teaching school districts and Ministries of Education how to take lessons learned from the enterprise and apply them to school labs, especially school labs in very remote and rural locations. Because these deployments won't work if we can't figure out a way to get ongoing ownership costs down to manageable levels.

Microsoft Gulf team is participating in the Pink Walkathon that  will take place on Friday October 17^th. This is part of “Making it our Business”:  a campaign that runs this month to increase awareness on Breast Cancer.  October is a month for Hope .

Why Microsoft is involved? And why should I care?

Breast cancer knows no discrimination; it targets no specific age or gender. A significant number of us heard about a friend or witnessed a family member who previously suffered emotionally and physically from cancer. Microsoft has a responsibility to act as a good corporate citizen and is committed to support community engagement initiatives that advance the well-being of the society. As part of this commitment, we feel responsible to advocate such awareness campaign.

For more information please visit http://www.safeandsound.ae/

and  http://www.microsoft.com/middleeast/gulf/

This is a good opportunity for the people who will be in Dubai on Friday to join this event with friends and families in order to raise funds and increase awareness against breast cancer.

I will be there as well:)

Take a few steps to beat breast cancer

On Friday, 17th October, 2008, walk for a cause. Be at the Safe & Sound Pink Walkathon. Now in its fifth year, this annual event is a charitable, non-competitive event aimed at raising both awareness and funds for breast cancer. Show your support. Join thousands of men, women and children to participate in a simple 3.6 km walk and enjoy a host of fun events after. All funds raised through walk registration fees and donations will go towards raising awareness for breast cancer and patient care. Fund usage is monitored by Red Crescent and the Safe and Sound Steering Committee.

Pre-registration : 10 – 16 October 2008 from 6.00 pm – 10.00 pm
at designated counters at BurJuman.

Registration fee : Dhs 50 for adults and Dhs 30 for children between the ages of 8 - 12. Children below 8 years of age do not require registration and walk for free.

Event Date : Friday, October 17, 2008 at 8.00 am

Location : Start and finish at BurJuman

Distance : 3.6 km

Walk day schedule

7 am – 8 am: Onsite registration
8 am: Walk begins

Water provided by Aquafina will be available at the start and also on enroute to all participants.
Walk marshals will be present to assist you during the event.
Medical assistance to be provided by Welcare Hospital

Prizes to be won!

Registered participants have a chance to win the following prizes:
One year free membership from Fitness First.
Xbox 360 Arcade from Microsoft
Dhs. 1000 gift vouchers from Studio R
Dhs. 1000 gift vouchers from Prince
Dhs. 1000 gift vouchers from Zoppini
Dhs. 1000 gift vouchers from Otto Kern
Dhs. 1000 gift vouchers from Adidas
Winners will be notified by October 23rd 2008.

Special events after the walk. For a great morning out.

• Live jazz performance by the fabulous Spice band • Hot breakfast offers from various food court outlets • Free drumming with Dubai Drums • Pink Bazaar • Free Arts and Crafts corner for Kids aged 3 – 12 years • Close up magic • Roaming Entertainment • Face painting.

Here is some information from Environmental side for those who are using Windows Vista runs on their PCs. Did you know that Windows Vista is the most environmental friendly operating system in Microsoft's history?  This is really cool for users and has 2 benefits ; environmentally and financially:)

Included in the white paper you can find detailed information  on how Windows Vista saves energy and be a environmental friendly software and can positively effect to your PC.

Reach the white paper from HERE

A great initiative from Bloomberg and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and interesting article reflecting the facts and the figures in some countries!

Contact:

Bloomberg
Robert Lawson
Phone: +1.212.843.8040

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Phone: +1.206.709.3400
Email: media@gatesfoundation.org

NEW YORK -- Michael Bloomberg and Bill Gates today announced joint efforts to combat the global tobacco epidemic. A combined investment of $500 million will help governments in developing countries implement proven policies and increase funding for tobacco control. Unless urgent action is taken, as many as one billion people this century—more than two-thirds in the developing world—could die from tobacco-caused illnesses. Paula Johns, executive director of Brazil's Alliance for the Control of Tobacco Use, and broadcast journalist Charlie Rose joined Bloomberg and Gates for the announcement.

Bloomberg's Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use, which was established in 2005 and includes a $125 million commitment, will be extended with a new $250 million, four-year commitment. This brings Bloomberg's total commitment to date to more than $375 million.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced that it will invest $125 million over five years to fight the tobacco epidemic, including a $24 million grant to the Bloomberg Initiative. In addition to the grant to Bloomberg, the Gates Foundation will support complementary efforts to reduce high rates of tobacco use in countries such as China and India, as well as to help prevent the tobacco epidemic from taking root in Africa.

The Bloomberg Initiative supports projects that increase tobacco tax, change the image of tobacco, protect nonsmokers from exposure to other people's smoke and help people quit. The Initiative supports the public sector's efforts to educate and advocate for change, and a rigorous tobacco use and policy monitoring system. The Gates Foundation funding to Bloomberg will accelerate implementation of the MPOWER package of proven tobacco control strategies and build economic evidence to support tobacco control over the next two years.

"When I announced this initiative, I said that I hoped others would step forward," said Bloomberg. "I'm delighted Bill and Melinda Gates are supporting one of the most important public health efforts of our time. Our commitments will help governments confront the tobacco epidemic by implementing the proven MPOWER package. This means assuring well-staffed tobacco control programs, raising tobacco taxes, running hard-hitting public information campaigns, creating comprehensive smoke-free public places and banning tobacco advertising."

"Tobacco-caused diseases have emerged as one of the greatest health challenges facing developing countries," said Bill Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation. "The good news is, we know what it takes to save millions of lives, and where efforts exist, they are working. We are pleased to join with Mayor Bloomberg, who has made the fight against tobacco a priority in New York City and around the world."

Bloomberg and Gates called on government and business leaders to make the fight against tobacco a higher priority by increasing resources for tobacco control and implementing proven policies to reduce tobacco use. According to the World Health Organization, 3.9 billion people live in low-and-middle-income countries that spend less than $20 million dollars per year combined on tobacco control. Today, these same countries collect more than $66 billion in tobacco taxes.

When New York City went smoke-free in 2002, only one state and no countries were smoke-free. Today many states and countries are smoke-free. Success stories in tobacco control are emerging from around the globe: 

• 24 states (including New York and Washington states) and the District of Columbia now have laws in effect that require 100% smoke free restaurants and bars.
• Uruguay, UK, France, New Zealand, Italy and Ireland are all smoke-free.
• Cities such as Mexico City, Mexico; Abuja, Nigeria; Beijing, China; and other Olympic cities are implementing smoke-free laws and regulations.
• Uruguay, Turkey and other countries are implementing the comprehensive tobacco control policies of the MPOWER package.
• Egypt has recently raised its tobacco tax.
• Brazil and other countries are using graphic pictorial warnings on cigarette packs to warn the public about the dangers of smoking.
• The Philippines has enacted a ban on tobacco advertising in all forms of mass media.

Earlier this year, Bloomberg and World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan released the U.N.'s evidence-based MPOWER package to help governments adopt the most effective measures to counter tobacco use. Although MPOWER has been proven to rapidly decrease tobacco use and save lives in New York City and elsewhere, less than 5 percent of the world's population is covered by any of the MPOWER interventions.

The six components of the MPOWER package are:

Monitor tobacco use and the policies to prevent it
Protect people from tobacco smoke
Offer people help to quit tobacco use
Warn about the dangers of tobacco
Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship
Raise taxes on tobacco

"Bill and I want to highlight the enormity of this problem and catalyze a global movement of governments and civil society to stop the tobacco epidemic," said Bloomberg. "We challenge governments to show leadership by implementing tobacco control measures, as an increasing number are doing, and to increase funding for these efforts."

Tobacco Background

• There are more than 1 billion smokers in the world today (more than 1 in 4 adults), and tobacco kills more people than any other single agent.
• Smoking kills half of smokers unless they quit, and many more are disabled by tobacco. Those killed by tobacco lose on average 10-15 years of life. Second-hand smoke causes lung disease, cancer, low birth weight and increased infant death as well as other problems in those exposed.
• More than 5 million people are killed by tobacco each year – more than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined. In this century, unless urgent action is taken tobacco could kill more than 1 billion people.
• More than 80 percent of the world’s tobacco-related deaths will be in low- and middle-income countries by 2030.
  • The poorest households in Bangladesh spend almost 10 times as much on tobacco as on education.
  • Medical costs from smoking impoverish more than 50 million people in China; with 350 million smokers – a third of the world’s total – China suffers about a million deaths from tobacco each year.
  • Indonesians spend on average 2.5 times more on tobacco than on education, and 3.2 times more on tobacco than on health. Traditionally viewed as unacceptable practice, smoking among Indonesian women is now seen as modern and trendy, especially in large cities.
  • India's toll of premature, tobacco-related deaths is expected to rise from 700,000 annually to 930,000 by the year 2010, with bidis currently accounting for 77 percent of the market for smoked tobacco. Studies indicate that bidi smokers are five to six times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers.
• The effectiveness of tobacco control interventions is well established by rigorous scientific studies; implementing proven programs can reduce smoking rates where they are high and prevent an increase where rates are low.

About the Bloomberg Initiative

• The Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use supports public sector and civil society efforts to implement proven strategies in tobacco control in low- and middle-income countries, particularly China, India, Indonesia, Russian Federation and Bangladesh.
• The Bloomberg Initiative supports training programs, journalism workshops, in-country development of mass media public education campaigns, capacity building and global monitoring through a WHO report on country-specific tobacco control policies and a population-based, house-to-house adult survey of tobacco use prevalence.
• One aspect of the Bloomberg Initiative is to provide tobacco control funds to low- and middle-income countries through a competitive grants program (http://www.tobaccocontrolgrants.org/); more than 125 grants have been awarded in 36 countries.
• The Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use is implemented though five partner organizations: the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the World Health Organization and the World Lung Foundation.

Tobacco Control in New York City

• New York City's tobacco control program has included raising the tobacco tax, making virtually all workplaces smoke-free, running hard-hitting public education campaigns, helping smokers quit and rigorously monitoring smoking rates and program results.
• For the 10 years before New York City's program was implemented, there was no decrease in smoking rates. Between 2002 and 2007, under Bloomberg's leadership, New York City's comprehensive program reduced adult smoking by 300,000 smokers, from 21.6% to 16.9%, preventing 100,000 deaths in years to come. Teen smoking decreased from 17.6 percent in 2001 to 8.5 percent in 2007, a level nearly two-thirds lower than the latest available national teen smoking rate.

Just an update that I am back after a long trip to Jordan, Syria and Turkey:) I had a great time in Jordan where I had chance to float and fully covered with mud in one of the most spectacular natural and spiritual landscapes in the world called Dead Sea -the lowest point on the surface of earth, also had chance to visit the ancient city Petra which was recently voted as the seventh wonder of the ancient world.

Syria was also an interesting place to be in the middle east. I stayed in Old Damascus from the narrow streets, old houses and the big mosques...  it was simply amazing and great place to visit.

Turkey was of course spectacular. Enjoyed spending my time with my family and old friends. That was basically Sea, Sun and Fun:)

Hope you will have/had a great time during your vacation.

Cheers

On 15th and 16th of June I was in the 5th CSR Summit which was very well organized by IIR and a high number of participation of CSR Experts from companies and from different organizations.It was really inspiring to see what the other companies are doing in terms of CSR and how they are aligning their initiatives with business and what are the future strategies for creating more positive impact in the society and how they differently define and cover CSR in a broader perspective. I especially liked the different presentation of a Waddah S. Ghanem, Chief EHSQ Compliance Officer from ENOC on looking CSR from a cultural perspective and on  how religions especially Islam is related with CSR.

The event was held from June 14th-19th, 2008 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Dubai. The first and the last 2 days were full with workshops and the summit were mainly on 15th and 16th of June.This week-long event brought decision makers leading business and social organizations together to share ideas and best practices that will help define the future of CSR in the region.

Microsoft was the Associate sponsor of the event. As a keynote speaker, Charbel Fakhoury our general manager for Microsoft Gulf, shared Microsoft experience in combining innovative technology, partnerships, and programs to help nurture socioeconomic opportunities in local communities and provide a more secure computing experience for people everywhere. In the same day Zaki Khoury, Gulf Citizenship Lead attended a panel discussion around the topic of help create vital self-sustaining links and strengthen local communities and talking about general Citizenship approach in Gulf.

Looking forward to be in the next summit :)

Some of my friends were asking questions regarding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. So here is the overview for the foundation and the web site where you can take more information on the foundation and the programs/initiatives that the organization is dealing with.

The headquarter of the foundation is in Seattle, US where the foundation is led by CEO Patty Stonesifer and co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

The main focuses of the foundation are, globally, to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty, and, in the United States, to expand educational opportunities and access to information technology

The foundation donated around $2.000 billion to different type of grants within the 3 grant making programs;

The foundation is where the Bill Gates will actively involve when he will continue to serve as a chairman and an advisor on key development projects.

For more information please visit : http://www.gatesfoundation.org

To subscribe for announcements , updates

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/MediaCenter/RelatedInfo/Subscribe.htm

Microsoft just launched a revised version of the corporate environmental web site.  There are some great new content and resources available, including a video  discussing Microsoft’s sustainability efforts. 

Other features include:

Energy Efficiency Best Practices in Microsoft Data Center Operations

-Watch this video  to help make energy-conscious decisions about PC purchases.

How Can Technology Sustain the Environment in the 21st century?

-The software industry is leading the way in helping consumers and businesses increase energy efficiency.

Windows Server 2008: Enabling Energy-Efficient Performance

-Learn how the new power management features in Windows Server 2008 can help reduce your IT electricity bills.

Visit the new site at http://www.microsoft.com/environment .

`At Microsoft, we believe in the potential of software and technology to help people and businesses around the world foster environmental sustainability. Discover how Microsoft and its partners use innovative technologies and responsible business practices to address environmental challenges worldwide.`

When you will upload the Office 2007 Service Pack (SP2) you will have chance to save it as ODF . It will support ODF, PDF, and XPS!

You may remember  recently  that the Open XML standardization issue. This is an another important step/action from Microsoft regarding to enable interoperability after Microsoft`s investment in Open XML through participation in ISO and ECMA. I think this started to be seen as how Microsoft started to listen more to their customers and provide  more flexibility and to choose according to the needs of the customer.So this can help create opportunities for developers and competitors, including members of the open source communities, to innovate and deliver new value for customers.

Below is the announcement that was made by Microsoft Corp. yesterday ;

Microsoft Expands List of Formats Supported in Microsoft Office

Move enhances customer choice and interoperability with Microsoft’s flagship productivity suite.

REDMOND, Wash. — May 21, 2008 — Microsoft Corp. is offering customers greater choice and more flexibility among document formats, as well as creating additional opportunities for developer and competitors, by expanding the range of document formats supported in its flagship Office productivity suite.

The 2007 Microsoft Office system already provides support for 20 different document formats within Microsoft Office Word, Office Excel and Office PowerPoint. With the release of Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 2 (SP2) scheduled for the first half of 2009, the list will grow to include support for XML Paper Specification (XPS), Portable Document Format (PDF) 1.5, PDF/A and Open Document Format (ODF) v1.1.

When using SP2, customers will be able to open, edit and save documents using ODF and save documents into the XPS and PDF fixed formats from directly within the application without having to install any other code. It will also allow customers to set ODF as the default file format for Office 2007. To also provide ODF support for users of earlier versions of Microsoft Office (Office XP and Office 2003), Microsoft will continue to collaborate with the open source community in the ongoing development of the Open XML-ODF translator project on SourceForge.net.

In addition, Microsoft has defined a road map for its implementation of the newly ratified International Standard ISO/IEC 29500 (Office Open XML). IS29500, which was approved by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in March, is already substantially supported in Office 2007, and the company plans to update that support in the next major version release of the Microsoft Office system, code-named “Office 14.”

Consistent with its interoperability principles, in which the company committed to work with others toward robust, consistent and interoperable implementations across a broad range of widely deployed products, the company has also announced it will be an active participant in the future evolution of ODF, Open XML, XPS and PDF standards.

Microsoft will join the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) technical committee working on the next version of ODF and will take part in the ISO/IEC working group being formed to work on ODF maintenance. Microsoft employees will also take part in the ISO/IEC working group that is being formed to maintain Open XML and the ISO/IEC working group that is being formed to improve interoperability between these and other ISO/IEC-recognized document formats. The company will also be an active participant in the ongoing standardization and maintenance activities for XPS and PDF. It will also continue to work with the IT community to promote interoperability between document file formats, including Open XML and ODF, as well as Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY XML), the foundation of the globally accepted DAISY standard for reading and publishing navigable multimedia content.

Microsoft is also committed to providing Office customers with the ability to open, edit and save documents in the Chinese national document file format standard, Uniform Office Format (UOF). The company does so today by supporting the continued development of the UOF-Open XML translator project on SourceForge.net, and will take additional steps to promote the distribution and ease of use of the translator. As UOF develops and achieves market adoption in China, Microsoft will distribute support for this format with Office to its customers in China.

“We are committed to providing Office users with greater choice among document formats and enhanced interoperability between those formats and the applications that implement them,” said Chris Capossela, senior vice president for the Microsoft Business Division. “By increasing the openness of our products and participating actively in the development and maintenance of document format standards, we believe we can help create opportunities for developers and competitors, including members of the open source communities, to innovate and deliver new value for customers.”

Microsoft recognizes that customers care most about real-world interoperability in the marketplace, so the company is committed to continuing to engage the IT community to achieve that goal when it comes to document format standards. It will work with the Interoperability Executive Customer Council and other customers to identify the areas where document format interoperability matters most, and then collaborate with other vendors to achieve interoperability between their implementations of the formats that customers are using today. This work will continue to be carried out in the Interop Vendor Alliance (http://www.interopvendoralliance.org), the Document Interoperability Initiative (http://www.microsoft.com/interop), and a range of other interoperability labs and collaborative venues.

“Microsoft’s support for ODF in Office is a great step that enables customers to work with the document format that best meets their needs, and it enables interoperability in the marketplace,” said Roger Levy, senior vice president and general manager of Open Platform Solutions for Novell Inc. “Novell is proud to be an industry leader in cross-platform document interoperability through our work in the Document Interoperability Initiative, the Interop Vendor Alliance and with our direct collaboration with Microsoft in our Interoperability Lab. We look forward to continuing this work for the benefit of customers across the IT spectrum.”

“The demand for a document format that everyone can use is something I hear from our customers on a regular basis,” said John D. Head, framework manager at PSC Group LLC, a Chicago headquartered  information-technology and professional services consulting firm. “I am very pleased that Microsoft is enabling Microsoft Office to support ODF directly from the software. This will allow us to develop solutions that create documents that can be edited by any user, regardless of what software or operating system they use. In a world where software companies want people to select one software package for their entire user base, the reality is that different user groups and types need options. Microsoft is now enabling users to make that choice. This is a very smart move by Microsoft, and one that lets the most important person — the customer — be the winner.”

This work on document formats is only one aspect of how Microsoft is delivering choice, interoperability and innovative solutions to the marketplace. Microsoft will continue to work with its customers and partners and the rest of the industry to continue advancing in the area. More information can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/interop.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.

Last week I was in Dubai Municipality Refurbishment Center to visit the center and to check how the system has been running so far. I was concerning to go there by car since I have been Dubai for 7 months and had no idea on how to go to  the place  and not sure how to come back:)  For this reason  I took a cab and it was much more easier for me to find the way and not to get lost on the complex roads of Dubai:)  It was easy to find a cab and after 30 minutes I was successful to reach there on time.

During my visit , what I have seen was an amazing work that has been done by the Dubai Government and Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian & Charity Est. and Microsoft Gulf as well. I met with  Qasem Rafi Al Qasem the head of the Refurbishment Center and Khalid Mouassa Idris Sharief  the Technical Support Officer in the center. They welcomed me with a big smile and showed great hospitality during my visit to the center.

We had 2 hours meeting discussing the Secondary PC Market , the refurbishment process and all the details regarding the Community MAR as well as they showed me the IT Museum that they created in the center.There were so many old parts of PCs that they took out from the PCs donated by different entities.Please have a look at them and let me know what they had used for :))

There were thousands of used PCs ,laptops, monitors ,printers,keyboards,scanners that are al used by companies, government entities ,organizations,institutions. In UAE , Dubai Municipality is the refurbisher receiving the second hand,damaged or discarded computers, after the necessary repairs , wiping, cleaning ,those computers are donated to the eligible organizations like educational institutions , Non-governmental Organizations,Not for Profit Organizations,social and charity organizations and the individuals in the under served community qualified as a person who can be donated refurbished PCs. The other partners are Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity Organization wholly responsible for the distribution of the PCs and Microsoft for providing the software that will be be received and used with the refurbished PCs.

So far 2500 PCs were refurbished in the center received from the government bodies like Dubai Ports,RTA, Dubai Police,Sharjah Ports as well as companies like HSBC,Deira City Center,Emirates Towers and so on ... Those refurbished PCs were sent to different eligible organizations to different countries in the region.

When we look at the secondary PC market which is basically market of the new PCs that are then resold,repurposed or donated.The secondary PC market is complex and fragmented.Quality and reliability are also issues. Buyers and recipients of secondary PCs often have difficulty distinguishing reputable sources from less trustworthy ones. Such problems can undermine the perception of the PC as an effective tool. In many countries,secondary PCs are often sold with counterfeit software or with no software installed at all. Warranties and product support are rare. Donors of used PCs also run the risk of compromising confidential data if the machines they donate are not properly wiped , cleaned of data during the refurbishment process.

In 2004 Microsoft conducted a joint study with Gartner that focused on the secondary market. What they found was 150 million PCs entered the secondary market, and of those, approximately 20 million were refurbished and resold. Today the expected  number is closer to 28 million PCs, making refurbished PCs over 10 percent of the worldwide PC market. According to the Gartner research firm, one in every 12 PCs in use worldwide is a secondary PC, and for every two new PCs shipped to mature markets, one will ultimately be resold and reused.So there is a great potential in the secondary market.

Basically the cycle works like this ;

1. An organization contacts the Refurbisher/government/Microsoft to arrange to dispose of some computer equipment.
2. A Community MAR collects the equipment from the organization and may provide the organization with an inventory of the equipment collected.
3. The Community MAR completes any required refurbishment which is likely to include removal of data, repair of faulty components, and safety testing and installation of new components.
4. The Community MAR installs products from the program as required.  Microsoft supplies each Community MAR with master copies of the software for this purpose

Community MAR Initiative aims at reducing the e waste and minimizing the improper disposal of computers by individuals and organizations as well as helping Microsoft`s UP commitment to reach to the under served community. (Microsoft’s commitment to reaching those currently under served by technology,with the goal of reaching the next 1 billion people by 2015.7 Unlimited Potential weaves together innovative technologies, new business models and partnerships with businesses, governments and development organizations to help address the diverse social and economic challenges faced by those who currently receive little or no benefit from technology)

So far , by Community MAR has been running in 30 countries with more than 200 refurbishment centers ,provided hundred thousands of software to the under served community.

1. If you would like to have more information about Community MAR please visit the link ; www.microsoft.com/mar

   2. If you are not using your PCs anymore and  willing to donate in order to support this initiative please contact to center or visit the 4 delivery sites of Dubai Municipality.

        Tel : 800900

       www.pcrecycle.ae

   3- You can also directly contact me regarding the Community MAR and I can give you the right information and the contacts for this great initiative.

Looking forward to a less disposable of PCs  in our communities;)