Demand for open-source software is rising in China, the <i>South China Morning Post</i> reported. The country's newfound taste for open-source products, which are a low-cost alternative to expensive proprietary software, is due partly to initiatives by Oracle and Microsoft. The two companies have taken steps to provide better support and products, according to Red Flag Software, the country's largest open-source system supplier. Oracle's Unbreakable Linux initiative provides high quality support to users of products from US-based Red Hat Linux while Microsoft has launched an initiative with open-source proponent Novell. The Linux operating system undermines sales from software giants because it is available without royalty payments. Companies like Red Hat and Red Flag make money from pre-packaged support programs.
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