Instant Market Share
So much for Linux not being a player in the desktop computer market; Sun, the company more well known for it’s massive servers than it’s desktop offerings, has just inked a deal to provide the Chinese government with 1 million Linux desktop computers.
Sun’s desktop offering called ‘Java Desktop System’ includes the Linux based operating system, a browser, StarOffice, e-mail and other Java applications and is comparable to similar Linux distro’s from Red Hat and SuSE.
“Linux and open source software bring new opportunities not only to China, but also to other countries around the world, ” said Li Wuqiang, deputy director-general, Department of High and New Technology Development and Industrialization, Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) People’s Republic of China. “A desktop solution based on open standards means more choice, an affordable price and a higher level of information security. China warmly welcomes international cooperation in this area, such as this agreement between CSSC and Sun.”
Expect to see Microsoft counter-offer with hundreds of millions of dollars in free Windows software just to keep their desktop monopoly in place.
November 18, 2003 2:50 pm 
I live in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Milwaukee, WI with my wife Jen, our daughter Emerson, and son Carter.
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By mwarden, November 18, 2003 @ 8:09 pm
Wasn’t there something about MS charging China with unfair trade practices?