The United Nations has held a free software Day to promote open source software to Asian users.

Recently, the United Nations will organize the first annual Software Freedom Day through its International Open SourceNetwork (IOSN ). The event was held to promote to Asian users the benefits of "Free and Open Source Software" to further develop it in the region. Ios n will be held in the following Asian countries: Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. They will set up a booklet in public and give away some selected Open source software CDs, such as The Open CD and Linux Live CD.

"Due to high prices, access to ICT (information and communication technology) is severely restricted in developing countries ." The IOSN is on its website. "FOSS ...... Reducing the digital divide provides an opportunity for these countries to use Affordable Software and solutions ."

In addition to Linux, the high-end FOSS application software also includes the OpenOffice software package, Mozilla Browser and e-mail solution, mySQL database, and Apache network server software.

At present, several countries in Asia have begun planning to promote the use of Linux and open-source software, even though no country has yet established private authorization methods. An action plan, including Japan, China, and South Korea, has spawned a localized Linux Standard, Asianux. If open-source software is widely used in Asian countries, Microsoft Windows will be greatly threatened. In view of this, Microsoft has agreed to launch a cheap XP desktop OS Windows XP Starter Edition in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. (Yunque)

From: China Youth Daily