Belarus Developing Operating System

[george]

Competitor for Windows? - Belarus developing operating system

MINSK, Belarun: -- Scientists in Belarus are working on their own computer software to serve as an alternative to the market-leading Windows operating system from U.S. firm Microsoft.

The inexpensive Belarusian operating system will work with open source code like Linux, reports computer scientist Michail Machanek from the Academy of Science in Minsk. Both the European Union and NATO have expressed interest in his project, he claims.

Authoritarian President Alexander Lukaschenko has previously criticised the high price of imported software.

"Ordinary citizens cannot afford to buy an operating system for 300 U.S. dollars," Machanek claims. This is why the Microsoft programme is so often pirated in Eastern Europe. The Belarusian Windows will cost only 12 euro (14 dollars).

--DPA/Bangkok Post 2005-11-04

[spog]

The inexpensive Belarusian operating system will work with open source code like Linux, reports computer scientist Michail Machanek from the Academy of Science in Minsk.

Umm, Mr Belarus Scientist, Linux IS an operating system.

[solo siam]

So its going to be like Linux, and work with Linux apps - but unlike linux whixh is free, they want to charge $12 for it.

[Tywais]

The Belarusian Windows will cost only 12 euro (14 dollars).

--DPA/Bangkok Post  2005-11-04

So they are going to sell free software (open source) for 14 dollars. What a deal.

[buadhai]

Best guess is that they're going to do a localized desktop to run on top of Linux and charge for the package on CD.

[Crushdepth]

Apparently it is going to be called 'Bindows'.