After an agreement was signed requiring all of Vietnam's government offices to use licensed computer software, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said he sees "a prosperous future ahead for Vietnam, and the country is doing the right things by looking now at how it can foster a healthy local software ecosystem, which will help open up this market to the rest of the world." The software piracy rate in Vietnam is about 90%, one of the highest in the world, according to piracy watchdog group U.S.-based Business Software Alliance. A version of Microsoft Windows can be bought on the street for as little as 50 U.S. cents. The Business Software Alliance hails the licensing agreement saying it demonstrates how the government is serious about protecting intellectual property rights and reducing piracy.
News source: Sydney Morning Herald
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