Microsoft Corporation said Monday it would share the source code of its Microsoft Office desktop software with more than 60 governments, including China and Russia.
The world's leading software maker announced in a statement on its website that it would offer access to the basic code of Microsoft Office 2003, which includes Microsoft Word and Excel spreadsheet applications, as part of its Government Security Program.
Launched in January 2003, the GSP is a no-fee global program aimed at promoting confidence in the security and interoperability of the US group's products.
More than 30 countries, including Australia, Britain, China, Norway, Russia and Spain, have signed GSP agreements, the Redmond, Washington state-based company said. Government agencies from more than 60 countries are eligible to participate in the program.
The move came as Microsoft faces competition from so-called "open-source" software, available free of charge on the Internet, such as Linux.
"At Microsoft, we view governments that utilise our software as trusted partners. The addition of Office 2003 to the GSP demonstrates our continued commitment to collaborating with government all over the world to deliver solutions that address their unique and specific IT needs," said Jonathan Murray, vice president and chief technical officer of Microsoft EMEA, the company's European, Middle East and Africa division.
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