Chinese no OS ban may open way for Linux

Stan Beer
Monday, 17 April 2006 18:37

IT Industry - Development

The Chinese Government ban on the sale of naked computers (computers without pre-installed software) may open the way for Linux distributions loaded with open source applications to increase its penetration of the massive Chinese market.
China is a country where software piracy is rife and the Government, wishing to enhance its standing as a responsible trading nation, wants to be seen to be proactive in helping to stamp it out. However, the cost of pre-loaded Windows and Microsoft Office applications could more than double the cost of low-end computer systems. On the other hand, suppliers could download Linux distros for free or buy cheap supported versions loaded with free open source applications, such as Open Office.org.

The Chinese, which says that it will not buy naked computers, appears to be a prime candidate for Linux suppliers and service providers like Novell, Red Hat, IBM and HP to start the ball rolling from the top. For Microsoft, the choice would seem to be to cut its prices to the bone or risk being cut out of potentially the biggest market in the world.