North Korea's Own OS, Red Star 316
klaasb writes "North Korea's self-developed computer operating system, named 'Red Star,' was brought to light for the first time by a Russian satellite broadcaster yesterday. North Korea's top IT experts began developing the Red Star in 2006, but its composition and operation mechanisms were unknown until the internet version of the Russia Today TV program featured the system, citing the blog of a Russian student who goes to the Kim Il-sung University in Pyongyang."
So, not a new operating system, just YAGLD (Score:4, Informative)
Yet Another GNU Linux distro.
With a skin that resembles windows, and rebranded apps.
Here's an article with a bit more of information
http://techie-buzz.com/linux-news/red-star-os-linux-distro-north-korea.html [techie-buzz.com]
The "My Country" browser is just firefox.
Interesting is, they are in violation of the GPL. But then again, It's North Korea ...
Re:I might have had something to say but... (Score:5, Informative)
Ahh Ha!
An actual article exists!
With photos!
http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-03-01/north-korea-cyber-weapon.html?fullstory [rt.com]
Slightly more info... (Score:5, Informative)
mentions that the browser "my country" is actually a fork of FF [techie-buzz.com]
Lots of Screenshots (Score:3, Informative)
Re:2010: (Score:3, Informative)
It is just KDE, it does not look like windows anymore than OSX.
Re:2010: (Score:4, Informative)
It's not intended to copy Windows, it just looks like Windows the same way Gnome and KDE both resemble Windows. http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-03-01/north-korea-cyber-weapon.html?fullstory [rt.com]
Violating the GPL? (Score:4, Informative)
They also aren't violating the GPL if the jurisdiction they are in does not require them to have the permission of the copyright holder to make a derivative work in the first place, since the GPL is merely a license by which the copyright holder grants someone else rights which would otherwise be exclusive under law to the copyright holder.
Since its the North Korean government operating within North Korea we're talking about, here, I'm pretty sure the local laws don't require them to have a license from anyone to do anything they want.
Re:amerika has executions (Score:4, Informative)
Note, by the by, that even if one assumes that all executions in the USA are purely random (as opposed to punishment for a specific crime), the chance of being killed by lightning is about twice as high as the chance of being executed.
Re:...can't...stop...myself... (Score:1, Informative)
I don't see where he said 'only' Americans did bad things during the war, and I hope you realise that it was in fact the Soviets who liberated Korea from the Japanese in WWII.
Your other points put into context:
'incessant flow of tourists' - 'The flow of visitors (to the birthplace of their founder) is almost incessant and consists of tourists, pioneers, and soldiers. Most are in groups.'
By pioneers I think he means party members. Between them and the soldiers I can believe an incessant flow to the birthplace of the guy who's birthday is year one in their calendar.
'Interestingly, all construction in the country is done by the army. As we can tell from the results, it is done rather well.'
I'd say from the photos it doesn't look too shabby, but anyway it was just a sideline comment where he was discussing their military service. It's not like he made a big deal of it.
'freedom to walk around' - you mean when he said the exact opposite, 'I will point out that in DPRK foreigners are not welcome walk around the city without attendants. However, no one was holding us by the hand, a liberty we used sometimes (described below).'
I guess you'll say I'm brainwashed now :)
Re:Violating the GPL? (Score:4, Informative)
Its impossible to not violate at least some of that set, since they pose mutually exclusive demands. (In fact, the one you've capitalized, on its own, poses mutually exclusive demands, so its impossible not to violate it alone.)
Re:A firewall is the least of the problems (Score:2, Informative)