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IBM Opens A Linux Training Center In Russia
prostoalex writes "IBM and Russian Ministry of Communications announced the opening of the first Linux Competency Center in Moscow. Representative of the goverment was quoted saying that such a center will help 'create a Linux ecosystem enabling Russian hi-tech companies to expand into global markets faster. IT solutions based on Linux and open standards will open up great opportunities to businesses in Russia.' This news piece in Russian also quotes Russian government official planning to expand the Linux initiative into provincial cities as well, if the center in Moscow turns out to be a viable idea."
In Russia all MS products de facto cost $3 for 650MB for companies smaller than 50 employees. People just buy them on the flea-markets.
:-) It could work for Munich, Germany, but not for Moscow, Russia.
So I do not see Ballmer in Moscow any time soon with such mission.
...a stunned silence fell upon the hall.
This is the best I can make of it:
... will include Intel-architecture IBM eServer xSeries, high-performance Linux clusters, data storage systems. Use of the full specter of IBM software for linux, including WebSphere, DB2, Lotus, Tivoli and Rational, is expected.
The Ministry Of Communications will promote Linux.
Yesterday, the Ministry of communications and information of Russian Federation and IBM corporation have signed an agreement about the creation of a Linux competency center in Moscow. Among its tasks will be not only support of governmental institutions in using Linux, but also testing and porting of applications based on open source. Up to 60 people (including foreign specialists from IBM) will be employed at the center, which will open in 2004.
(snipplets follow, translating the whole thing will take too long):
-The center will be located on the territory of a university, and students will also take part in its work.
-The federal government already has limited experience in using IBM technologies
-"Our task now becomes usage of open source programs in making current and future systems in the government work as a whole" (A. Korotkov)
-Experience shows that, in other governments, open source software may constitute 30% of [all software]. Our country is far behind that, and it's unlikely that usage of standard software, such that [software products by] Microsoft, can be left behind completely due to the aggressive promotion by the manufacturers.
-"Open source programs aren't completely free, and I cannot say how much we will have to pay for the center"
-The resources
-The first meeting [between the sides] occured back in september 2002.
-Once the center [is fully operational, tested, etc], similar centers may be deployed in other cities.
-"This will save tremendous amounts of money for the budget, and this is just the beginning" (minister of communications)
Pardon any awkwardness in the language, it's hard to translate on the fly.
IBM has signed an agreement with Russia's Department of Communications as part of an effort to increase the use of Linux within Russia's government. A "Linux Computer Center" will be created in Moscow that will hire up to sixty people (including IBM's own specialists) by early 2004. It's purpose will not only be to encourage government organizations to use Linux--the employees will also spend time testing the operating system source code and porting applications to this platform.
The Center's location will be an important asset. The Center will be constructed as an additional building on a Russian university campus, thus offering active participation and employment to students as well as members of the DOC and IBM.
There are many important things the Center staff will have to do. Two are to translate and localize the operating system to the Russian language, and to train government employees on Linux operation. But an important goal of the organization is to push forward a "Digital Russia".
According to Andrew Korotkov, organizations of the federal government already contain examples of using IBM technology to for solutions. "We will switch our current computer systems to Linux and use Linux solutions on our future computers. Our goal is to put all branches of the federal government on a large-scale open source solution, united as one."
It will be hard to switch to open source completely, as closed source applications, from companies like Microsoft, might be required for some tasks. However, the hope and drive remains exactly that.~
Translated by Integer
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