Microsoft shifts some work out of Egypt

[OhioChick]

Source: Computerworld

It is among some 120 companies located in Cairo's Smart Village IT office park

WASHINGTON -- Egypt has been aggressively attracting tech companies to its wired office parks to help create jobs for its young, educated and often English-speaking workforce. But by cutting off Internet access last week in the wake of civil unrest, Egypt's government demonstrated just how quickly it can unwind its hi-tech goals.

Microsoft is among the 120 companies located in Cairo's Smart Villages, an office park created in 2003 to be Egypt's "prime" information technology park. It includes a health club, swimming pool, video conferencing services, a conference center and a pyramid-shaped restaurant called the "Think Tank Café."

Egypt's move to block Internet access prompted Microsoft to respond. Asked about the situation in Egypt, Microsoft said in a written response to a query that it "is constantly assessing the impact of the unrest and Internet connection issues on our properties and services. What limited service the company as a whole provides to and through the region, mainly call-center service, has been largely distributed to other locations."

Another tech firm with a presence in Smart Villages is Hewlett-Packard, which has asked it employees to stay at home .

Read more: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9207158/Microsoft_shifts_some_work_out_of_Egypt

[Drale]

1. So not only are the "government" not creating jobs

they are driving away some of the few jobs the actually have? Thats just going to piss more people off. It's pretty entertaining to watch these idiots dig themselves into a deeper hole everyday.

[Skittles]

2. they'll just pimp it off somewhere else cheap