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TRON: The Unknown Open-Source?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the ordinary-life dept.

jordandeamattson writes "Over on CNN there is a very interesting article about Tron, an open-source real-time operating system from Japan first developed and distributed in the early 1980s. The claim is that it is more widely distributed than Windows (in some 3 billion devices world-wide), that the developer (Ken Sakamura, a University professor) would be worth mucho if he had just charged for it, and that Microsoft/U.S. goverment used trade rules (Super 301) to block it adoption by schools in Japan. Check it out for an interesting read and a 'what might have been ...'" (Here's a previous mention of Tron from March about MontaVista's work to combine it with Linux.)

8 of 437 comments (clear)

  1. First Post by UltimateZer0 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Tron is an OS? I thought Tron was a simple program, written only to destroy the MCP.

    --

    --- I'm going to get a score of -1 for this post because the mods are fuckers.

    1. Re:First Post by TCaptain · · Score: 4, Funny
      No, actually, Tron was written to shut down programs that perform illegal operations.

      So it IS supposed to be a Microsoft killer then...

      --
      "I'm not a procrastinator, I'm temporally challenged"
  2. Movie by GeckoFood · · Score: 4, Funny

    In the movie TRON, TRON was a program designed to crack security and free the computer from an overpowering OS that became self-aware and was plotting to take over everything. In the end TRON was victorious.

    It's not hard to draw obvious parallels...

    Hearing that M$ went out of the way to block TRON from being used on this side of the pond brought back found memories of said movie. Give that program one of those cool disks from the movie and see what happens...

    --
    Be excellent to each other. And... PARTY ON, DUDES!
  3. PR0N by GillBates0 · · Score: 5, Funny
    When it was first revealed in 1984, TRON, which can be modified for use on personal computers, was hailed in Japan as a homemade software which could break the dominance of Microsoft and free Japanese computer firms from the burden of paying for the basic software.

    First revealed in 1984, PR0N, which can be modified for use on personal computers, was hailed in Japan as a homemade software which could break the dominance of Playboy and Hustler and free Japanese masturbators from the burden of paying for the basic software.

    --
    An Indian-American Hindu committed to non-violent thought/speech/action alarmed by the global explosion of radical Islam
  4. The Best Thing About Tron... by pazu13 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is that instead of just deleting old programs, you can throw frisbees at them and they'll disappear. For once, you'll be able to have as much fun deleting files as Strong Bad[homestarrunner.com].

    --
    It wasn't me, it was the one-armed .sig!
  5. if TRON is anything like Japanese cars.. by Trigun · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can get a 14 foot spoiler and Type R stickers for my operating system!

  6. Note to self- by EzekielQ · · Score: 4, Funny

    TROFF. -)

  7. GNU/TRON? by cant_get_a_good_nick · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think RMS would be happy... we could all do the GNU/TRON dance.

    Maybe someone should forward this story to Darl, get him time to get his lawsuit ready.