Microsoft Corp. announced Wednesday that it would offer a low-cost, localized version of its Windows XP operating system in India to tap the large market potential in this country of 1 billion people, most of whom do not speak English.

The Windows XP Starter Edition, designed for first-time personal computer users in India's national language, Hindi, will be "significantly cheaper" than the Windows XP, said Rajeev Kaul, managing director of Microsoft India.

Kaul, however, didn't divulge the price, saying the software would be available only through desktop manufacturers and the price decided weeks before its launch early next year. If the Hindi version works well, the company plans to offer the software in 14 other Indian languages.

"It is easy to use, and is the most affordable version of Windows so far," Kaul said of the Starter Edition, which is also being rolled out in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Russia.
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Source : eWEEK