Unlike John Howard, and our IT and Communications Minister, Senator Helen Coonan, Mr. da Silva seems to know something about IT ... or more likely is at least prepared to listen to people outside the professional lobbyists and entrenched interests who have captured this Government's ear.

He has instructed government ministries and state-run companies to progressively switch from proprietary to free operating systems, like Linux. Under Mr da Silva, Brazil has also become the first country to require any company or research institute that receives government financing to develop software to license it as open-source.

By the end of this month, Brazil plans to roll out a program called PC Conectado, or Connected PC, to help millions of low-income Brazilians buy their first computers.

On the other hand, Brazil has just given agricultural chemical giants like Monsanto a hand, by passing legislation that paves the way for legalisation of genetically modified crops.