>>I really do not know anything about the Iraqi IT Tech level, however, and assuming your theory, I cannot see any difference between get started with Linux or Windows (besides $$), in fact, I would prefer MS since IMHO, alleged monopoly does not affect their experience at all. But of course, that’s another matter…
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>Precisely the $$$ are a big difference for a developing country - and even for some of the richer ones; check the case of München - and a powerful motivation to change to Linux.
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>OTOH, some also complain that MS continually forces users to upgrade. Security concerns are also heard. I am not sure if Linux is really more secure, but some people seem to think so.

Hi Hilmar,

Indeed most monopolies provide for good "experience" for their users. Here we had a monopoly on telephone service and the service certainly was high quality.
However, when it was 'opened up' we learned some additional things, like:
1) the new guys offered similar services at much lower pricing;
2) the monopoly used every trick it could to slow the others' progress;
3) the monopoly didn't shy away from spending big $$$ in advertising telling us that things would not be as expected once you signed up with a non-monopoly.

It is when a monopoly turns to cheating its customers - unknown to the customers - (as was the case here until it was opened up) by false causes for rate increases and adding charges for things that cost them nothing, etc that the bad taste is experienced.
Microsoft has essentially stooped to similar levels by publishing "upgrades" that only marginally qualify as upgrades and withdrawing support for prior versions. And now, in the name of "security" Microsoft is said to be abandoning its previously stellar record of maintaining backward compatibility of other products across all of its operating system products!
It was Microsoft that created the very problem in the first place and now they are being permitted to walk away from the problem with hardly a whimper from the vast user community!

Microsoft, as has been written in at least one article I have read, would be happy to GIVE AWAY its DEVELOPER TOOLS but of course such an overt action would be pounced on other providers of developer tools. Microsoft knows full well that it breeds powerful allies by providing cheap developer tools.

The $$$, it seems are not at all in the developer tools, but rather in the sales of other products that those developer tools cause. And this is a big reason, especially considering the present standing of Linux in the world, that VFP continues to be developed and supported by MS.

By the way, I have read that Iraq was, until the 1991 Gulf War, a very modern contry in terms of infrastructure and education and business and such. That war and subsequent embargos no doubt impacted their growth of computer use/automation and the recent war and its aftermath must surely have wiped out any vestiges that were left.
I could see them, since they are basically starting afresh, going to Linux but for one factor... it is U.S. $$$, and lots of it, that is funding the reocnstruction and no doubt Microsoft wants to get it's "share" of the pie and is ensuring such.

cheers