Guest post by The Russian government is planning to build a new operating system (if you are fluent, here’s the original), most likely to be derived from Linux, made especially for the country itself as a whole. This is being done to reduce Russia’s reliance on foreign license agreements, particularly those of Microsoft it seems. The OS is expected to be open source and distributed at little or no cost, but it’s uncertain just how successful this nationwide operating system will be, if indeed it ever comes to fruition. If it’s anything like that Chinese Red Flag enforcement fiasco, count me out.
Algorithm is simple:
1. They loudly tell about new OS.
2. They spend a lot of money.
3. Money are disappear.
4. All will silently forget about OS … and spended money.
In this country (Russia) this is standard procedure
I really want that this will not be true, but I can’t remember any political program that sounds good and ends with some real result besides spend a lot of money in no were.
Sounds a lot like some corrupt Asian countries I know. Glad we’re not the only ones who are corrupt
For now, this isn’t a governmental project. It’s only a proposition from a group of persons in Russian parliament. And yes, it seems to be only a trick to obtain some money for Russian companies selling some Linux derivatives. 🙁
This is already part of education reform (it is governmental project) there is complect with FOSS software for schools developed with budget money. But it made with such marketing that nobody will use it. And educational governmental organizations (that control schools) try to make all that no one can use it. It’s a pity. There is strong fill that all this done just for write another faked story in “get the facts”.
If money for companies – it is good! But money never hit companies (or that money is 0.1% of spended money ) they just disappear. Or hit “right” companies that do nothing but get money.
Edited 2009-01-28 09:51 UTC
Here’s information on the Russian government’s schools deployment of free software.
http://www.altlinuxatrussianschools.com/?page_id=56&language=en
Why don’t they use Linux XP? It’s a russian project and it has an XP-like interface. Problem solved.
But I doubt Russians (or anyone else) would use such an operating system. People buy or pirate Windows. That’s the OS they want (for whatever reason).
It is cost money.
It is bad product.
There is ALTLinux here it is far more good.
That is problem, “they” don’t even buy it They just get it for free.
P.S. I am Linux user for years and for me Windows not an option, even for free, it is just cant feel my requirements.
I would not be surprised if Russia wanted its own OS considering all the stuff NSA and such must have in windows .. ? Or am i just donning the tinfoilhat ?
Russian version of Win98 was heavily tested by government structures before release. A lot of stuff was noticed and W98 codebase for Russia was so changed, that I could not install some specific drivers which I could into USA/European variants. That raised a lot of talks that time. Don’t know how it happens now.
In soviet russia, you dont use operating system, operating system uses you!
Lol, that was a good one
I come to OSNews for serious comments. Leave that stuff on Slashdot.
Last I checked, this is nothing even remotely close to slashdot, 1 comment isnt gonna kill you.
When I hear these things – especially when it comes to Russia, I wonder how much of it is actually reality.
Lets look at something more important than operating systems; public infrastructure. When the oil prices were high Putin came out and talked about the need to make massive investments in the crumbling Soviet era infrastructure. Sounded like a great way to spend the money obtained through the oil boom after having finally got the debt under control.
Well, here we are a couple of years later – and not a single thing has occurred; same thing will occur here with the operating system. The idea is great, infact IMHO they should assemble 100 programmers as a start and invest in Opensolaris (personal bias of mine), then provide it free of charge or atleast a nominal fee – mandate all government departments must use it then tell Microsoft if they wish to sell their products to the Russian public service, it has to run on the Russian operating system.
Its a great idea, but it won’t ever take flight. We saw it in China; about the only one that seems to finally taken some hold is in Vietnam; it will be interesting to see what the transition to Linux/OpenOffice.org will be like.
Edited 2009-01-29 09:46 UTC
And I think they’re population has become accustomed to this kind of behavior, talk big, and deliver in mediocrity. It gives a good outward appeal, but its people know better, and will not hold breath for something useful to come out of it.
Ive been used to it here in the US!
First is a no-brainer. The OS will be named “Putix”.
Second is a little more subtle. There will be a new revolutionary kernel developed specifically for Putix: nano-kernel, the product of the extremely popular (among politicians) branch of Russian science, nanotechnology. Which is already delivering some spectacular results (for example see http://paradoxoff.com/elektronika-mk-152-programmable-calculator-fr…)
Edited 2009-02-02 10:51 UTC