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Open Source JapanProposed collaboration between Japan, South Korea and ChinaThe project, proposed by Japan's Trade Minister Takeo Hiranuma at a conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in early September 2003. Apparently there have been discussions between officials of Japan, South Korea and China for research and development into software that will rival Windows. The idea seems to be to agree on a Linux standard that will be shared by the three countries, especially given the localization problems these countries have. Japan has allocated $8.6 million for the project. There was a planned meeting in November to advance the project. Japan, China, South Korea agree to develop non-Windows softwareUSA Today, September 5, 2003. Japan, South Korea and China discuss working to promote Linux By Yuri kakeyama, Associated Press, September 20, 2003. Free Software Initiative of Japan (FSIJ) The following is an excerpt from Brave GNU World - Issue #45 on a FSIJ initiative: As the Asian readers will probably be happy to read, on July 10th, 2002, the "Free Software Initiative Japan" (FSIJ) [15] was founded. It seeks to further Free Software in Japan and create the basis for a future FSF Japan or FSF Asia. Chairman of the FSIJ is Prof. Masayuki Ida, who was acting as the "Vice President Japan" of the Free Software Foundation North America for a long time and with whom the members of the Free Software Foundation Europe led intensive discussions during his trip through Europe last year. In order to provide an impulse for Free Software in Japan, the FSIJ organized the "Free Software Symposium 2002" in Tokyo on October 22nd and 23rd. Being the first event of its kind in Asia, speakers from China, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Germany, Italy and the USA were invited to provide an interesting conference programme. Besides the more technically oriented presentations about Debian, the HURD project or RedFlag? Linux, the Chinese GNU/Linux distribution, there were also speeches about the larger issues of Free Software and the situations in Asia and Europe. The round table on the evening of October 22nd discussed the issues of better international cooperation for internationalization of programs and documentation as well as the possibility of a solution oriented database for Free Software. Even though these issues would certainly not be solved in two hours, some practical ideas were found that are now being pursued by mail. All in all this was an important step forward for Free Software in Asia, which also intensified the dialog between the asian countries. Building upon it, it is considered to hold a followup-event sometime around February or March 2003 in Thailand. Maybe it will be possible to establish these events as a permanent institution wandering from country to country in Asia. In any case it is very good to see that Free Software is also on the rise in Asia. Asian readers of the Brave GNU World who would like to get involved should probably get in touch with the FSIJ or GNU China [16]. Ruby: Programmers' Best Friend Follow up:
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