[LUAU] ROK Plans Linux-Only City & University

JIm Thompson jim at netgate.com
Mon Feb 20 02:09:09 PST 2006


http://htdaw.blogsource.com/post.mhtml?post_id=250609

ROK Plans Linux-Only CIty & University

Saturday, February 18, 2006 at 2:01 PM EST

The Korean government plans to select a city and a university late next
month where open-source software like Linux will become the mainstream
operating programs.

The Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) Wednesday revealed
the scheme of building up the city and university, which will operate as
test beds for the open-source programs.

``We will start to receive applications next week. After screening
candidate cities and universities, the test beds are likely to be
decided by late March,’’ MIC director Lee Do-kyu said.

Lee said that the project will be kick-started just after the decision
of the city and university, toward which end the ministry earmarked 4.1
billion won for this year alone.

``Already many universities and local governments have shown interest in
the project. We expect big-sized entities will join it,’’ he added.

The selected government and university will be required to install
open-source software as a main operating infrastructure, for which the
MIC will support with funds and technologies.

In the long run, they will have to migrate most of their desktop and
notebook computers away from the Windows program of Microsoft, the
world’s biggest maker of software.

``The test beds will prompt other cities and universities to follow suit
through the showcasing of Linux as the major operating system without
any technical glitches and security issues,’’ Lee said.

The open-source software refers to an emerging operating system
alternative to the closed-door Windows program of Microsoft, which has
flat-out ruled the global market thus far.

The underlying source codes of the new-type software are basically open
to the public so that programmers from across the world can upgrade them
continually, the strength that the proprietary Windows lacks.

The attempt to create a Linux city is not a first. Munich in Germany
plans to deploy Linux and open-source packages on its 14,000 PCs in
place of Microsoft office automation suites and operating system.

Other cities and governments also look to embrace various open-source
software, which represents freedom and flexibility by nature, to save
costs and increase efficiency.

Korean Move to Linux

In fact, Korea is not a world leader in adopting Linux and other
open-source programs.

Currently, less than 1 percent of desktop PCs are based on Linux in
Korea, much lower than the global median 3 percent. For servers, Linux
accounts for about a fifth of the market here.

The Korea IT Industry Promotion Agency wants to increase the rate to 5
percent for desktop PCs and 40 percent for servers by 2010.

``In order to become a genuine software powerhouse, Korea has no choice
but to secure source technologies. We cannot achieve the goal under the
command of dominant closed-source programs,’’ said Ko Hyun-jin,
president at the state-backed agency.

To do so, the government will stage a campaign to use Linux. Korea Post,
the nation’s postal service provider, last year embarked on a four-year
program to install a Linux-based operating system on 4,748 PCs in its
2,800 branches.

The Ministry of Planning and Budget plans to launch 37 state
informatization projects with Linux this year, which would cost
approximately 80 billion won.

A new online information system for schools, dubbed the National
Education Information System (NEIS), also fixed Linux-empowered platform
on its 2,331 servers.

The government hopes the test-bed plan will mark a watershed for Linux
by playing a pivotal role in further boosting the standing of the
open-source program here.

``The Linux city and university will be leading the way in bringing
software flexibility to the whole country at a lower cost to the
public,’’ MIC director Lee said.

voc200 at koreatimes.co.kr 02-15-2006 17:49

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/tech/200602/kt2006021517494311780.htm



More information about the LUAU mailing list