China is working on an operating system based on Canonical’s Ubuntu, as it looks to follow through on a promise to promote open source software, according to the tech company.
The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will work alongside Canonical and the National University of Defense Technology at the new CCN Open Source Innovation Joint Lab in Beijing.
There they will work on “an enhanced version of the Ubuntu desktop with features specific to the Chinese market” called Ubuntu Kylin. The first version will be released in April 2013.
“This collaboration will bring local investment and participation to ensure that the platform is relevant for the Chinese market, and close coordination with the global Ubuntu project ensures that it is familiar to software and hardware vendors, and useful for export products made by Chinese companies as well,” said Jane Silber, CEO of Canonical.
According to the Ubuntu maker, the OS will hook up with the most popular services in China, such as Baidu and shopping service Taobao. The Kylin crew are working alongside WPS, the most popular office suite in China, on further integration.
“With Ubuntu Kylin, China now has its own secure and stable desktop operating system, produced alongside Ubuntu’s global community,” added Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Ubuntu and Canonical.
There was a hint non-desktop versions would be built, indicating a bespoke version of Ubuntu for mobile could be built soon.
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This is a symbiotic relationship that will set off a virtuous cycle.
This should be good for China, Ubuntu & Linux.
Odd why other governments don't do the same.
The juggernaut of the existing OS monopoly can only be fixed by government help and involvement of the masses.