Thanks to Microsoft, iLab now holds 30 computer software licenses valued at almost $22,000! The generous donation will help to build iLab's training capacity and further provide users with the flexibility of learning two operating systems. Since its beginnings in May 2011, iLab has powered all its computers on the Ubuntu system, a free and open source Linux distribution that ensures virus-free workstations. Despite that obvious advantage, the slight disadvantage for most users using Ubuntu for the first time is their lack of familiarity with the operating system and most of its office applications.
Even businesses interested in hosting a training on Microsoft Word or Excel using iLab computers have been limited because of the high software costs. That will all soon change. iLab now has 30 new licenses for Windows 7 and Microsoft Office. And with a rapidly growing user rate, we can expand on our public trainings and further invite businesses to maximize use of our resources. The donation came from Microsoft's Corporate Citizenship initiative, which seeks to provide technology tools, training, and resources to help create opportunities and transform communities.