Bill Gates offers free software to Indonesian students

Bill Gates offers free software to Indonesian students

JAKARTA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Microsoft founder Bill Gates has saidhe would help Indonesian students obtain free software andinexpensive personal computers to gain greater access to theInternet.

During the Thursday's meeting here with President Susilo BambangYudhoyono, Gates expressed his commitment to supporting thegovernment's efforts to improve education quality by providingInternet-based national education, local newspaper The Jakarta Postreported Friday.

"He told the President that Microsoft will continue to trainteachers and students throughout Indonesia in software, computer andinformation and communication technology," Coordinating Minister forPeople's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie was quoted as saying.

Yudhoyono told Gates that Indonesia and Microsoft should continueto work together as the cooperation would mutually benefit bothparties.

The government is seeking to obtain software from Microsoft for amillion computers for educational purposes in an effort to cut theratio of computers to students from the current 1:1000 to 1:20,Aburizal said.

Gates said he was ready to help Indonesia get high-qualitypersonal computers for a price of less than 200 U.S. dollars perunit, plus free software if Indonesia could make a deal with Intelchairman Craig Barrett, who will meet Yudhoyono in Jakarta nextweek.

"We will make a deal with Barrett to acquire cheap or even freeprocessors for the computers to be distributed to the students. As aresult, we will get a much lower price than 200 dollars," Ministerof Communication and Information Muhammad Nuh said.

He expressed optimism that Indonesia could strike a deal withBarrett, who is known as a leading advocate for educationimprovement in the United States and around the world, and a vocalspokesman for the value of technology.