Friday, July 2, 2004
The open source software movement is spreading to Asia. Oracle South East Asia has revealed plans to join with Linux distributor RedHat Inc in a $11.5 million deal to establish the Linux Enterprise Applications Porting (Leap) center here. The collaborative effort is seen as an opportunity to persuade independent software vendors to support the Linux operating system throughout Asia. Leap will provide consulting services to software developers and companies seeking to switch to open Linux applications as an alternative to licensing Windows and related applications. Keith Budge, regional managing director of Oracle South Asia, said development of Linux-driven software companies here could spread throughout the region, making Linux a de facto standard here.
Besides wooing foreign investors to set up base in Singapore, the Leap program is seen as an outreach program for small to medium companies seeking cheaper hardware running on Linux.
Sensing a shift in the region, Microsoft recently announced it plans to launch a beginner's version of Windows in Thailand and Malaysia. A Windows XP Starter Edition will be available by the end of this year, and is expected to cost a fraction of the original cost of a complete Windows XP suite.
Microsoft also has signed an agreement with the Malaysian government to invest up to $2.6 million to train teachers and improve information technology in 10,000 schools over a five-year period.
By: DocMemory
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