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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."

6 of 316 comments (clear)

  1. Oh... by DavidR1991 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm guessing said news program didn't consider the potential consequences for the student? (Especially if a) he's still there and b) If they consider this project to be some kind of 'national secret' which they probably do given security / the likelihood of 'cyber warfare')

  2. Re:2010: by sopssa · · Score: 5, Interesting

    And they still had to make it look like Windows:

    The Red Star is based on Linux, a free and open software operating system, but looks a lot like the Microsoft Windows on display. It also has a similar user interface.

    The desktop display of Red Star is almost identical to that of MS Windows.

    A Red Star logo is shown on the lower left corner of the screen where MS Windows has a start button. It has most of the basic MS Windows icons such as a Trash Bin and My Computer. Only, the names of the icons are slightly different from the Korean version of MS Windows.

    Application programs such as a Web browser and a word processor which also resemble MS products come in separate discs.

  3. Re:A firewall is the least of the problems by ArsonSmith · · Score: 5, Interesting

    http://geology.com/articles/night-satellite/satellite-photo-of-asia-at-night.jpg actually shows this best.

    The bright portion of the peninsula just west of Japan is South Korea, the dark spot between it and the main land is North Korea.

    --
    Paying taxes to buy civilization is like paying a hooker to buy love.
  4. Re:I might have had something to say but... by RocketRabbit · · Score: 3, Interesting

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

  5. Re:2010: by wintercolby · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Damnit! Now all the Windoze Fanboiz are going to say there's evidence that Linux and FOSS are communist.

    --
    Most ignorance is vincible ignorance. We don't know because we don't want to know. --Aldous Huxley
  6. Re:...can't...stop...myself... by Skillet5151 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I doubt they're going to murder him for leaking information about their non-secret software if that's what you mean. Apparently North Korea still gets a fair number of Russian tourists and would probably like to not piss off the Russian government.

    I ran across a bunch of pictures from a Russian tourist a while back with translated captions. I found them pretty interesting.
    http://www.enlight.ru/camera/dprk/index_e.html