Brazil hates Windows: pushes free OS

When I was in Sao Paulo last April, a free Linux based OS was the furthest thing from my mind as I surveyed the Favellas (slums) as well as the metropolitan parts of the city. In this country of new hope, the government has taken an interesting tack: computers for all. Their plan is to offer a free operating system to keep computer costs low and thus more affordable for all. It is an interesting approach that is gaining acceptance.

To date, the OS has an installed base of 1.5 million and looks to climb to 2 million by year’s end. The first open source OS for the country is Insigne, which opened a training center in Sao Paulo. Working closely with vendors, Insigne prides itself on a simple UI and basic functionality for email, word processing, spreadsheets, and browsing.

The Brazilian government is working with banks to provide simple financing for machines. The initiative works to have computers made in Brazil, financed through Brazilian banks and used by its citizens. Everyone seems to benefit from the program. Everyone, except Microsoft.

OS website [Insigne]