MICROSOFT, the world’s biggest software company, is preparing for the first time to sell versions of its Office and Windows programs specifically designed for the healthcare sector as it seeks to smother a challenge posed by Linux, a cheaper rival. The company is set to break with precedent by tailoring its software for use by a variety of medical professionals to try and win a lucrative deal with the National Health Service, The Times has learnt. If successful, the strategy could mark a significant change in the way Microsoft promotes software to its main customers. The company is thought to be weighing similar refinements to its software packages for a range of sectors such as banking, telecoms and utilities.
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