The Register meldt dat de Chinese overheid waarschijnlijk geen gebruik zal gaan maken van Windows 2000, maar een eigen versie van Linux zal gaan gebruiken. Hieronder een hap uit dit bericht:
China is to ban government use of Windows 2000 and is developing its own Linux-based operating system instead, according to reports this morning from Beijing. The move, which doesn't seem to have been entirely confirmed as yet, follows on from claims last year that China intended to ban both Intel processors and Microsoft software for security reasons (China says no to PII, Win98).According to the Yangcheng Evening News, Chinese officials intend to both save money and boost local development via the move. Most of the Microsoft software used in China isn't actually paid for, but the government claims to be running a clean operation, so if it upgraded to Win2k it would cost a bundle. Unless of course it got a present from Microsoft.
But while you could maybe reckon this is just a bit of price-gouging by China, the development of what seems to be called Red Flag Linux (unless you want tanks on your lawn, Mr Young, we'd caution you not to sue) is being justified for other reasons. According to Chinese officials quoted in the paper the development of an indigenous operating system is being seen as an IT parallel to the cold war leaps China made in producing nuclear weapons, missiles and satellites.
