Jeremy Kirk

Microsoft Corp. officials have been hammering home a key theme to government leaders gathered this week in Lisbon: modernizing their IT systems will provide better service to their citizens and save them money.n

After outrage from many of its own employees over its abrupt censoring of a Chinese blogger, Microsoft Corp. has formulated a new policy to deal with requests from a government that alleges posted material violates its laws.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Durao Barroso said Tuesday the Lisbon Agenda -- Europe's plan to increase jobs and growth based on innovation and information technology -- failed to translate into European-wide policy making.n

Several private companies and European organizations have committed to spending

Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates is planning this week to unveil the company's strategy for the government IT market, an intensely competitive area that has seen open-source software gain a strong foothold. n

The U.K.'s National Health Service (NHS) is defending its IT restructuring program after a new survey found doctors in clinics were not well informed and had little enthusiasm about it. n

The British government has proposed sharply increasing penalties for computer crimes that are taking a financial toll on U.K. businesses. n

Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates is planning this week to unveil the company's strategy for the government IT market, an intensely competitive area that has seen open-source software gain a strong foothold.