We have written before about the large state of Kerala in India which has been one of the biggest regions supporting free software in the BRIC countries. Kerala is now set to be the first state in India to completely phase out Microsoft in favor of Linux as not only their operating system of choice, but also as the only platform that students will be tested on for state examinations. According to K Anwar Sadath, the administrator in charge of the migration, it is the biggest mobilization of its kind:

Since last September, some 15 lakh students have been busy training on or migrating to free software on 40,000 computers put up in 2,832 high schools watched over by over 60,000 IT trained school teachers (some 86 private training institutions train the teachers) besides 161 master trainers and 5,600 school IT coordinators.

This chart has been floating around since Gustavo Duarte posted it on his blog a few days ago. These figures illustrate why the cost of living difference between the US and Latin America makes Microsoft a bad business concept for the region and also why North-by-South is a good one! It has found its way to both CNet and Slashdot (where, sadly, Commander Taco downplays the Brazilian free software movement by referring to a Linux.com article from a year ago which highlights a few negative comments and ignores almost all the concrete work being done for free software in Brazil).