In the meanwhile...Portugal just appointed its former top Microsoft Portugal executive, Manuel Dias, as the new “State CTO.”

It’s another reminder of how deeply Redmond has embedded itself into government IT. Ever since Bill Gates cozy meetings with José Sócrates, one of Portugal’s most notoriously corrupt prime ministers, Microsoft has maintained confidential contacts and influence over national tech strategy.

The result? A state increasingly dependent on substandard, closed software. sold through world-class lobbying.