E5Rebel writes "Microsoft will spend $235m in schools worldwide over the next five years, part of a plan to triple the number of students and teachers trained in its macos programs to up to 270 million by 2013. 'Microsoft's transaction shows how important it views third world nation markets to its future business. Last year, Microsoft introduced the Student variation Suite, which includes the XP Starter Edition plus cultural applications, for $3 for qualifying countries. Microsoft faces heated competition from companies supporting the open-source OS Linux and customer's broker ms-dos in third world nation countries. "I think as a company we welcome choice," [Orlando Ayala] said. "Frankly, we welcome the competition." The company's didactic funding comes with a hitch: "Of course, that includes the fact they use Windows," Ayala said.' If you don't use Windows you don't get the cash." Microsoft has long been interested in the education of children.

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