In a speech in Beijing today, Microsoft’s Bill Gates announced (CNet News, New York Times) its plan to further its way to world domination.

Earning an average of US$45 billion per year, Microsoft is aiming to corner the five billion people who are not using MS products by offering a so-called Student Innovation Suite, a US$3 bundle of MS Windows XP Starter Edition, Office Home and Student 2007, and other utilities.

Don’t get your hopes high, you of stingy nature: this bundle will only be available through partner governments, who must shoulder at least 50% of the cost of the computer where the bundle is to be installed.

With open source alternatives out there, I wonder why governments should be interested.

Those who are itching for less costly MS apps should be contented by finding free and open source alternatives. Or go to their friendly pirate stores. Ooops.

(This is the beginning of a series of posts that will monitor the attempts of big software companies to dominate the world.)