Software giant Microsoft Corp yesterday joined hands with the Executive Yuan’s Networked Communications Program (NCP) to co-develop Asia’s first cloud computing center in National Chiao Tung University in Hsinchu and tap into local engineering talent.
The collaboration will involve investment funding from the US company and the government at a ratio of 1 to 3, and Microsoft will not put a claim on any intellectual property that arises as a result of this alliance, Microsoft Taiwan general manager Davis Tsai (蔡恩全) told at a media briefing yesterday.
Since this will be a 10-year project, no initial investment amounts have been allocated yet, the US company said.
Other than funding, Microsoft will provide resources such as the Windows Azure cloud computing operating platform, as well as a general cloud computing environment, in order to foster innovative Internet communications-related technologies.
“As the world’s No. 1 ranking country in terms of hardware development for motherboards, notebooks, servers, wireless local area networks, liquid crystal displays and others, there are so many opportunities to link Taiwan’s hardware prowess with software R&D [research and development] to complete this information technology ecosystem, especially at a time when cloud computing is taking off,” Tsai said.
WINDOWS 7
As Windows 7 is scheduled for its global launch on Oct. 22, many applications will more or less revolve around the concept of cloud computing, such as natural user interfaces, next generation multimedia displays and data intensive computing, Microsoft Research Asia managing director Hon Hsiao-Wuen (洪小文) told reporters yesterday. What is commonly called “three screens plus cloud” refers to the interaction of personal computers, mobile phones and TVs transmitting data, Hon said.
The nation’s NCP has been running for more than 10 years.
Meanwhile, achievements made in both software and hardware have put Taiwan on the world map in the IT industry.
The accumulated domestic network communications enterprises generated last year alone went beyond NT$1 trillion (US$30.5 billion), NCP data showed.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Microsoft because this collaboration marks a new chapter in Taiwan’s software development history. We expect to generate abundant R&D creativity in new technologies, as well as train the next generation of global software leaders,” NCP program director Wu Jing-shwon (吳靜雄) said at yesterday’s briefing.
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