When Danny Ho returns from a short lunch on a blistery winter day in the Pudong district of Shanghai, China, he throws down layers of clothing on the floor and shakes the mouse on his workstation. In a moment, a GNOME login window pops up. After a few keystrokes, Ho, a bank manager, is staring at a Linux desktop and dozens of new emails waiting to be opened.
Linux is quickly becoming a familiar sight on desktops across China, where many influences have led the government to strongly push Linux as its preferred operating system. As the country experiences the longest economic boom in its five thousand year history, its technology sector is heeding the government’s call for Chinese-developed software on Chinese flavors of Linux.
As one of the fastest growing PC markets in the world, China plays an influential role in determining Linux’s future.
When Danny Ho returns from a short lunch on a blistery winter day in the Pudong district of Shanghai, China, he throws down layers of clothing on the floor and shakes the mouse on his workstation. In a moment, a GNOME login window pops up. After a few keystrokes, Ho, a bank manager, is staring at a Linux desktop and dozens of new emails waiting to be opened.
Linux is quickly becoming a familiar sight on desktops across China, where many influences have led the government to strongly push Linux as its preferred operating system. As the country experiences the longest economic boom in its five thousand year history, its technology sector is heeding the government’s call for Chinese-developed software on Chinese flavors of Linux.
As one of the fastest growing PC markets in the world, China plays an influential role in determining Linux’s future.
To understand the influence of China, simply look at itsstrength in numbers. With over 1.3 billion citizens eager to enjoyeveryday luxuries, such as cars, computers, and entertainment,Chinese consumers hold enormous potential and wield enormous power.While the old stereotypes of rice paddies and small villages arestill commonplace in the Chinese countryside, the scene in thecountry’s many large cities differs dramatically. High-risebuildings, new developments of housing compounds, and miles of carsstretched bumper to bumper reflect the country’spotential.
Indeed, according to the Chinese government, China’s grossdomestic( GDP) has increased 7-9 percent year-over-year for thepast ten years. China now ranks as the world’s second largestconsumer of oil, quickly closing in on the United States. To feedhungry construction, China has catapulted to the number oneimporter of steel and iron, with no end in sight.
As China’s population prospers, they desire what’snow called “the three C’s”: cell phones, cars,and computers. Over the last decade, China has grown into theworld’s second largest market for PCs — a hugepotential market for Linux. While PC manufacturers in the U.S. facepressure from Microsoft to avoid Linux, the Chinese arms of thevery same companies are free to load Linux with carte blanche.
For example, HP sells its Pavilion desktops in Chinawith a choice of Windows or Linux. Random checks atelectronic stores in Beijing show a basic Linux Pavilion sellingfor$ 60 less than the Windows XP version. Silent aboutLinux at home, Dell announced last…
Please log in to view this content.
Not Yet a Member?
Register with LinuxMagazine.com and get free access to the entire archive, including:
