Oracle, HP to set up e-governance centre
Oracle India, a subsidiary of the Nasdaq-listed Oracle Corporation, and Hewlett-Packard India are jointly setting up an e-governance Centre of Excellence. The centre is likely to be up and running by April in Gurgaon. Apart from research and development (R&D) activities on e-governance, the two companies plan to take up productisation of ‘proof of concept’ applications. “This is a virtual centre of excellence connecting all such centres across the globe, thus providing access to all research work and innovation in e-governance to this centre,” Oracle India managing director Shekhar Dasgupta said.

Dell bets big on Hyderabad
The US-based $34 billion hardware and IT services major Dell Computer Corporation has set a target to achieve an export revenue of Rs 220 crore in the first five years of operations out of Hyderabad. Dell Computer, which has chosen Hyderabad as the next destination for its technical centre (call centre) operations after Bangalore, has geared up its operations in the city by acquiring close to 150,000 sq ft area at the Cyber Gateway, the second phase of L&T Infocity, recently. Dell Computer has also decided to spruce up its manpower from the initial level of 100 to 500 in a year and would eventually scale up to 1,000 the following year. The company is expected to start operations from March 2003.

Chennai, B’lore top in computer usage by kids
Chennai and Bangalore jointly top in computer usage among kids, ahead of Delhi and Mumbai, according to a Cartoon Network survey. Nasik surprisingly ranks second with a 79 percent usage while Chennai and Bangalore Chennai and Bangalore have a 81 per cent usage. Delhi and Mumbai have the same level of usage at 59 percent. Chennai also tops in Internet usage with 27 percent of computer users having accessed the Internet, followed by Cochin and Hyderabad at 24 percent each and Delhi and Mumbai at 20 percent each. The computer usage pattern was observed for the past three months.

SSI may rope in financial investor for new firm
SSI is planning to rope in a financial investor for the education and training firm that would be formed by merging SSI’s education division and Aptech. The proposal is under active consideration, said SSI chairman and chief executive officer Kalpathi S Suresh. “Bringing in a financial investor is an important option. It is being given serious consideration,” he said. He declined to provide further details. Commenting on the roadmap for the demerger of SSI’s education and software development arm, he said that the open offer by SSI for 20 percent of Aptech shares would be completed in the next 60-90 days. Later, the SSI board will consider the merger of SSI’s education arm and Aptech. Asked whether SSI’s shareholders would be allotted Aptech shares, Mr Suresh said it was too early to comment on the exact details. On the issue of nervousness among the 2,400 franchises of Aptech about the merger, he said that franchisee views were being considered. “There will be no rationalisation of the franchises (even those in close proximity). SSI and Aptech will continue to fight in the marketplace. We have sent the franchises FAQs explaining the merger details,” he said.

Microsoft launches Hindi lab
Microsoft has launched the first Hindi lab in the country in Dehradun. The lab will promote the use of the national language—Hindi—in government workflow applications, provide training to Uttaranchal government employees on use of Hindi and facilitate website development and content creation in Hindi. The lab will provide a comprehensive Indian language solutions showcase, where Microsoft and its partners would be demonstrating and developing innovative ways and manners in which Indian languages could be used.

— The Financial Express