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North Korea's Own OS, Red Star

Posted by timothy on from the linux-is-sometimes-for-communists dept.

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."

11 of 316 comments (clear)

  1. Re:GPL by Phrogman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Does it count as fulfilling the obligations required by the GPL if you make your source code freely available and downloadable but your entire country is behind a firewall and no one can access it? :)

    --
    "The first time I got drunk, I got married. The second time I bought a chimpanzee, after that I stayed sober" Arian Seid
  2. Ironic by orkysoft · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Ironic how super-strict North Korea uses Free Software, while South Korea is totally in thrall to Microsoft.

    --

    I suffer from attention surplus disorder.
    1. Re:Ironic by MrEricSir · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Not necessarily. Free Software can be easily customized to fit the whims of a dictatorship. Proprietary software requires the cooperation of the developer and (presumably) payment to that developer.

      --
      There's no -1 for "I don't get it."
  3. A firewall is the least of the problems by name_already_taken · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Does it count as fulfilling the obligations required by the GPL if you make your source code freely available and downloadable but your entire country is behind a firewall and no one can access it? :)

    Most of North Korea doesn't even have electricity. I'm not sure they need a firewall.

    --
    Putting moderation advice in your .sig lowers your karma!
    1. Re:A firewall is the least of the problems by PCM2 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Are they really that fucked?

      There are "bright spots" visible by satellite within North Korea. They are believed to correspond to enclaves of the wealthy elites. What's that you ask? How can they have "wealthy elites" within a Marxist utopian state? You may be nearing an answer to your own question.

      --
      Breakfast served all day!
  4. Re:...can't...stop...myself... by umghhh · · Score: 4, Insightful

    and I cannot stop myself of thinking - this russian student in NK that revealed the secret to the evil world - what happens to this poor soul? I mean either he was f.g silly, the regime told him to do it or the regime is already falling apart and everybody (in NK) can see it. Well I personally opt for silliness.

  5. Re:I might have had something to say but... by bertok · · Score: 5, Insightful

    We have a greater percentage of our population in prison than North Korea does.

    Their entire country is a prison.

  6. Re:2010: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yeah, and I'm sure that the cars in N. Korea have a wheel to steer, pedals on the floor for accelerator, clutch and brake, and a lever to shift gears... Just like a Chevy.

    So what?

  7. Re:I might have had something to say but... by DigiShaman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Ya, executions do tend to keep the prisoner count low...

    --
    Life is not for the lazy.
  8. Re:2010: by interval1066 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In N. Korea, you don't operate system; system operates YOU.

    --
    Python: 'And then suddenly you have a language which says "we're all stuck with whatever the whiniest coder wants".'
  9. Re:Yes! by Ethanol-fueled · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Rather that than the enterprise controlling government with an iron fist, like where I live.