Japan to offer financial aid for Linux

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030205/ap_wo_en_bu/as_te
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Japan to offer aid to Asian computer software developers of Linux-based
system
Wed Feb 5, 8:38 AM ET

TOKYO - Japan plans to spend about 1 billion yen (US$8.3 million) funding
Asian software developers working on the open-source Linux (news - web
sites) operating system for consumer electronics goods, an official said
Wednesday.

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry official Shuichi Tashiro said the
subsidies will be doled out next fiscal year, which begins April 1.

Japan is betting that the next-generation of high-tech products and computer
networks will rely on open-source software, in which the underlying code is
public and open for modification, unlike Microsoft's proprietary software.

Tokyo has already budgeted 50 million yen (US$416,000) for next fiscal year
to study the possibility of switching government computers to an open-source
operating system.

Like computers, most high-tech electronics products such as digital cameras,
refrigerators and air conditioners require built-in software to control
their functions.

U.S. computer giant IBM has thrown its considerable weight behind
open-source software, and some Japanese companies are joining in.

In December, Sony Corp (news - web sites). and Matsushita Electric
Industrial Co., both major Japanese electronics makers, said they will
jointly develop a Linux-based system for digital consumer electronics.
_____________________________

Jordi Carrasco-Muñoz
Economic and Political Advisor
EC Delegation to Vietnam

e-: jordi.carrasco-munoz@cec.eu.int
T: +84-4-9341300 Ext. 220
F: +84-4-9341361
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