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Gates: Market Unstable

PRAGUE () -- Microsoft Corp. chairman Bill Gates said Wednesday he was surprised at his company's rapid expansion in eastern Europe, but said it would be years before Russia has a stable software market.


"In the case of Russia, the infrastructure for software sales, for understanding about paying for software, many of these elements are still moving somewhat slowly," the billionaire told a news conference during a stop here on a European tour.


Gates said that although Microsoft -- which has cornered the world market with various applications of its Windows programs -- has produced Russian versions of the programs and plans to invest in more, it "could be many years before it gets stabilized the way that this (Czech) market has."


Gates said Russia is "still a very difficult market."

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