Japan, China, S Korea to jointly develop Windows replacement

Japan, China, S Korea to jointly develop Windows replacement

Sat Aug 30,10:29 PM ET

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TOKYO (AFP) - Japan, China and South Korea (news - web
sites) plan to develop an original operating system in a bid
to challenge the domination of Microsoft Corp.'s Windows,
news reports said.

Trade and Industry Minister Takeo Hiranuma is to propose the
plan when he meets his Chinese and South Korean counterparts
in Phnom Penh on Wednesday on the sidelines of the ASEAN
trade ministers' meeting, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun and the
Asahi Shimbun said Sunday, quoting sources.

The three countries are expected to reach an accord in
mid-September, when senior trade ministry officials are to
hold another meeting, Asahi said, and to establish a joint
private-.

The accord would be the first signed by major economies, the
two dailies said.

Under the expected tie-up, the partners are expected to
improve open-source operating system, like Linux (news - web
sites).

The three countries are to set up a joint private-sector
promotion committee in mid-November, to include Japanese
businesses such as NTT Data Corp., Matsushita Electric
Industrial Co., NEC Corp., Hitachi Ltd. and Fujitsu Ltd.

The project is part of combined efforts to reduce heavy
reliance on Microsoft's operating system, which they say has
oppressed their business strength in the computer software
industry.

Japan, China and South Korea have also noted the risk of
overconcentration of a single software product, they said.

Computer viruses targeting Windows' defects have been
rapidly proliferating, awakening global industry officials
to the importance of reviewing reliance on Microsoft's
operating software.

To develop a Windows replacement, the partners will make
improvements to Linux or other open-source programs, using
their basic designs, and develop their own unique
application software programs, including those for word
processing and spreadsheets.

The governments of the three countries will consider
subsidising the project. If a new operating system is
developed via the scheme, the three governments are expected
to use it in some of their computer systems, they said.

To facilitate co-ordination regarding the introduction of OSS SW in Vietnam

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