Microsoft's mideast strategy (page 3 of 3)

I'd say that North Africa has not realized its potential. To be honest, I still feel frustrated with North Africa. We've done some good things in Morocco, when I think about the government work, the election system. When I think about Tunisia, though, where we started our business a few years ago, I'd have to say that, yes, we are far from getting the best from our investment.

Q. Why are Microsoft products so expensive?

A. I'm not sure that they are so expensive. Everybody is entitled to a point of view, but customers wouldn't buy our products if they were so expensive.

Q. But, in the region, people don't buy your products. They buy a pirated version.

A. Yes, but our business has been growing very fast in the region. We are always seeking flexible ways to work with emerging countries. We are very much aware of what it takes, in terms of budget spending given the per capita GDP, for people to consume our technologies. As much as we can do it, we want to make it happen.

Q. But why are your products so expensive?

A. I would again say that I'm not sure they are that expensive. We have many licensing schemes for our products: depending on the volume you buy, depending on your status - as a student, as a school, as a government, as a big business - you might have a different price. We try to have that make sense in the context of those countries. That's the best I can tell you.