Last year while his party was still in opposition, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair boldly proposed that if he got into power he would set up a National Grid for Learning, putting computers in every classroom in Britain and giving schools cheap internet access. Some four months in to his term of government, the go- getting Mr Blair, according to the UK’s tabloid newspaper The Sun, a publication not renowned for its coverage of technology issues, has apparently invited none other than Microsoft Corp’s Bill Gates to work with him to oversee the high-tech revolution in Britain’s schools. The Sun says Gates, 41, would help advise Mr Blair on the most sophisticated systems available, and act as a broker for deals with computer hardware and software firms including his own, so the cost is kept low through bulk purchases. While this may make a nice human interest story for the UK daily, with a ‘computer industry celebrity helps UK schoolchildren’ angle under the headline Tony’s man for Bill- ennium, the implications for other pretenders to the UK education market could be far-reaching. Would Mr Gates, for example, recommend the concept of thin client Network Computers, Wyse Technology Inc terminals, Apple (almost) spin-off Newton Inc’s emate, or systems from UK education supplier RM Plc, for example? The Labour party press office told Computergram the story was a piece of pure speculation, and Microsoft’s public relations company in the UK said it was unable to comment on the rumor at present. Neither RM, nor Xemplar Education Ltd, the Apple Computer Inc/Acorn Computer Group Plc joint venture, were available for comment. Network Computer evangelist Sun Microsystems Inc also said it could not comment, but said it would have some news on the subject later this week.
