In the Philippines, Sharp said there are users on Microsoft's Windows platform that have been running heterogeneous IT environments, noting in particular telecommunication companies which rank among the heaviest IT users in the country.

Sharp describes Port25 as a "forum" by which Microsoft is listening to interoperability issues and concerns within the tech community that, directly and indirectly, affect end-users. Port25 is the SMTP port that sends and receives e-mail on a server, and facilitates two-way communication.

He said, however, that the portal is neither meant to be a repository of open source applications nor will it issue a "seal of approval" for such applications to run on the Windows platform.