China's Government Unveils 'China Operating System' To Great Skepticism

redletterdave writes "The government of China is not too fond of foreign mobile operating systems like iOS and Android, so the country cooked up its own homegrown solution: A Linux-based, open-source operating system called the COS, or China Operating System. But consumers have every right to be skeptical; China is using the recent NSA scandal in the U.S. to push its own product. A government-approved mobile operating system, especially in China of all places, reeks of its own backdoor exploits for governmental spying."

Comments

US Operating System

[Niterios]

Quick! Someone in the US pirate this and give them a taste of their own medicine!

As opposed to

[JavaLord]

A government-approved mobile operating system, especially in China of all places, reeks of its own backdoor exploits for governmental spying."

As opposed to an operating system created by an American corporation, which reeks of its own backdoor exploits for governmental spying.

MaOS

[orledrat]

I'm not upgrading. I'm sticking with MaOS. I like my standards open.

Re:Linux?

[amicusNYCL]

An entire nation of a billion people that actually manufacture essentially all electronics where this might conceivably be used, and they use Linux? The government of China can't come up with something of their own?

I'm pretty sure that one of the reasons that Linux exists is so that everyone who wants to develop an operating system doesn't need to start from scratch. Whether the government of China is going to contribute anything back to Linux is another question. Even so, Linux does not belong to any government or nation. It was started by a Finnish guy who now lives in America and has contributors all over the world. If there's ever been a single piece of software that more or less belongs to everyone, it's Linux.

Re:before you go there

[mrchaotica]

I would trust theirs more. I may be watched by both, but at least China doesn't have police power over me.