Executives from IT industry focus on 10-year anniversary of Microsoft Research Asia

May 3, 2008 On April 29 Microsoft Taiwan launched Visual Studio 2008 and Windows Server 2008 in Taipei. The event was also an occasion to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Microsoft Research Asia, with the president, Hsiao-wen Hung, who was praised by several media groups, IT executives, and academic units because of his background.

On the same day of the product launch, Hung talked to Colley Huang (Founder and Chairman of DigiTimes) about "the past decade overview of IT industry" in an executive panel.

In the past decade of Microsoft Research Asia, the [IT] industry underwent several transformations and changes on improvements like mobility and conveniences.

Opportunities aren't mostly close to your hand! Something should be done to made an impact in this [IT] industry. Initially, like the founding of DigiTimes, there were no confidences for us, but finally, after several achievements, DigiTimes became an IT-industrial newspaper company with not only e-paper but also printed newspapers besides of the transformations of traditional media.

Hung also invited several academic elites and executive panels like Ovid Tseng (Principal of University System of Taiwan), George Chen (Deputy Principal of National Taiwan University), Davis Tsai (General Manager of Microsoft Taiwan), and Hsi-peng Lu (Director of Student Affairs of National Taiwan University of Science and Technology). They reviewed the collaboration between academical units in an academical executive panel. Thereafter, Hung will sign an MoU with ITRI for the future academical collaborations.

The Pre-show Press Conference of COMPUTEX Taipei 2008, Li Chang, Deputy Secretary General of Taipei Computer Association commented on Hung's background when Wikinews Journalist Rico Shen mentioned: The IT industry in Taiwan is a wisdom-oriented industry as it based on R&D and connected with the mature society. If it [the IT industry] will still keep on its way of software R&Ds, more talents will be discovered and more sourcing and trade opportunities will be brought with its right place in Taiwan. Furthermore, if the export market in Cross-Strait nations will be progressively disclosed, companies world-wide including from Hong Kong and China will do more investments in Taiwan for new market shares.