Moving software to a global platform

The 1990s has already seen enormous change to the computer industry in Brazil. But the greatest change of all is expected in the area of software. By the end of 2000, Brazil is out to capture 1 percent of a US $ 200 billion international software market, according to the federal Govemment's National Program of Software for Export, or Softex 2000. For Brazil, this could mean $2 billion in revenues from sales of application programs, programming tools, and multimedia entertainment and educational systems on CD-ROMs. So far, the local industry has done well. Exports in 1995 reached $100 million, about half going to the United States, again according to Softex. This occurred even though most of the Softex-supported companies still have to make their mark overseas. In 1994, Brazilian companies sold a total of $1.1 billion worth of software, which puts the industry on a par with that of India's far better known software industry, though exports account for about half of India's revenues. Brazil's software industry grew by about 25 percent over the year before. Revenues from information technology hardware, software, and services in 1994 were around 2 percent of Brazil's gross domestic product of about $552 billion.