[photopress:180px_Linus_Torvalds.jpeg,full,alignright]Linux was considered by major software companies as the work of the devil although, in fact, it is the modification of earlier work done by Linus Torvalds, shown in our illustration.
Start with Unix which was first released in 1970. Then, under the GNU free software idea, Minix, a Unix-like system intended for academic use, was released in 1987. Then, in 1991, Linus Torvalds began to work on a replacement for Minix while he was attending the University of Helsinki. This eventually became Linux, a complete, fully functional free operating system.
(In 1992, Torvalds explained how he pronounces the word Linux: ‘li’ is pronounced with a short ee sound: compare prInt, mInImal etc. ‘nux’ is also short, non-diphtong, like in pUt.’)
Which may sound like a load of Linux but, in fact, Linux has always been a great worry to the software houses because it is free as a program (support is different) and works on personal computers.
[photopress:oraclewithlinux.jpg,full,alignright]Now, the world’s leading software and hardware providers such as Oracle, IBM and Intel are rushing to do compatibility testing and quality authentication with China’s local Linux products. If China says it will go with its own variety of Linux then you had better smartly get in step or you will miss out on the biggest potential market in the world. Our second illustration shows Larry Ellison of Oracle spruiking the Oracle Linux which is like Linux but much, much, much better. According to Larry Ellison.
Lu Shouqun, president of the China Open Source Software Promotion Union speaking at the ‘Summit Forum of Open Source action and China’s information industry development’ in Guangzhou said that since the 1990s, an Open Source movement represented by Linux has been springing up vigorously, bringing good development opportunities to China’s software industry.
In recent years the number of national local Linux enterprises has been growing.
According to the 2005 statistics, among the local enterprises, Red Flag Software led the pack with a market share of 32.1%. According to statistics from the China Open Source Software Promotion Union, sales of Linux and associated programs in the Chinese market reached RMB218 million in 2006, up 41% and higher than the international average. (How can a program which is free create turnover and profits? Support and modification and add-on programs.)
Seven million computers in the domestic market were signed up for pre-installation of Linux, making up 35% of the computers in the Chinese market. This probably does not make Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer into a happy chappie. Not at all.
Source: People’s Daily Online