Pan-Asian Linux initiative kicks off

China's Red Flag Software, Japan's Miracle Linux and Korean software company HaanSoft announced an alliance on Tuesday in which the vendors will cooperate to develop a variant of Linux, Asianux, that they hope will become a pan-Asian Linux standard.

Miracle Linux and Red Flag chose HaanSoft's software as the Korean partner, despite the growing popularity of alternatives such as WoW and IGET Linux.

HaanSoft established Hancom Linux in 1999, and has merged its software with technology from both Thinkfree and Core. Thinkfree is a venture company that develops productivity software based on Java, and Core Linux is a Korean Linux distribution and development company.

According to HaanSoft, the alliance plans to establish a Linux Joint Development Center in Oracle's China Development Center in Beijing. Each company will pick a Linux developer, project leader and other offices, and set up an Asianux project team.

Cho Gwang-Je, HaanSoft business integration managing director, said in a statement: "In September 2005, Asianux 2.0 will be released. HaanSoft will package it as HaanSoft Linux 2005, Red Flag will it package as Red Flag 4.2, and Miracle will package it as Miracle Linux 4.0."

HaanSoft also plans to customise it own applications in Asianux and export them to the rest of Asia. Its software includes WorkDesk, Groupware for Workstations, and Thinkfree Office 3.0.