Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer announced that they will use its $1.2 billion purchase of Oslo company Fast Search and Transfer ASA to form key, Norway-based research and development centers for its business search systems. Microsoft bought Fast in January in an all-cash deal to strengthen its enterprise search technology in effort to better compete with Oracle Corp. and IBM.

"Norway can be proud of building up an international competence center for business searches," Ballmer said after meeting Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg in Oslo to inform him of the plans. "Microsoft wants to be a significant player in that area."

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