Maine to receive $400M in software

AUGUSTA – Its attention drawn by Maine’s middle-school laptop program, a Texas company said Thursday it’s giving Maine schools software valued at $400 million to help the state implement its pioneering effort.

EDS will also make software available to high schools and Maine’s technical college and state university systems so students using it will be better-trained to work for precision manufacturers.

Gov. Angus King said that to his knowledge, the gift, with a commercial value of $400 million, is the largest ever made to the state of Maine.

“It’s somewhat breathtaking to be announcing a gift of this magnitude,” added King, whose effort to make laptop computers available to every seventh- and eighth-grader in the state has drawn interest both nationally and internationally.

The governor hailed the donation as one that “gives us a fighting chance to protect our manufacturing base.”

Hulas King of EDS, who announced the gift at a news conference with the governor, said it was also the largest gift the Plano, Texas-based company provided for educational purposes.

The EDS official said his company’s attention was drawn to Maine largely by the laptop program Maine’s governor has championed since he proposed it three years ago. The initiative came into full swing this year when computers started appearing in middle schools throughout the state.

EDS also was attracted by Maine students’ good performance in tests that measure academic achievement, said EDS’ King. He also demonstrated the software, which is used by 24,000 manufacturers, including 400 in Maine.

The cutting-edge software has applications in manufacturing, aerospace, medical technology and other fields.

Many of Maine’s resource-based industries have given way to those relying on advanced training, such as semiconductors and computer-aided boat building. The state has taken steps to better prepare Maine students to embrace technology.

Wick Johnson of Kennebec Tool & Die Co. Inc. in Augusta said one of the biggest challenges for precision manufacturing industries such as his is “keeping up with the intellectual capital.”

EDS’ gift “really does open up the world, and a whole new world, to the students of Maine,” Johnson said.