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IBM Opens A Linux Training Center In Russia
Posted by
timothy
on Sat Oct 11, 2003 05:43 PM
from the nyet-nyet-nyet-for-darl dept.
from the nyet-nyet-nyet-for-darl dept.
prostoalex writes "IBM and Russian Ministry of Communications announced the opening of the first Linux Competency Center in Moscow. Representative of the goverment was quoted saying that such a center will help 'create a Linux ecosystem enabling Russian hi-tech companies to expand into global markets faster. IT solutions based on Linux and open standards will open up great opportunities to businesses in Russia.' This news piece in Russian also quotes Russian government official planning to expand the Linux initiative into provincial cities as well, if the center in Moscow turns out to be a viable idea."
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Linux: Linux To Be Installed In Every Russian School 293 comments
J_Omega writes "According to an article from last week at the Russian IT site CNews, Linux is slated to be installed in every Russian school by 2009. The article makes it appear that it will be going by the (unimaginative) name 'Russian OS.' As stated in the article: 'The main aim of the given work is to reduce dependence on foreign commercial software and provide education institutions with the possibility to choose whether to pay for commercial items or to use the software, provided by the government.' Initial testing installations are supposed to begin next year in select districts. Is 2008/09 the year of Linux on the (Russian) desktop?"
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IBM Opens A Linux Training Center In Russia
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Repeat after me (Score:1, Funny)
In Post-Soviet Russia... (Score:2, Interesting)
(http://www.thefurryone.net/ | Last Journal: Sunday September 28 2003, @11:33PM)
I see this as a good thing. Open source will definitely help give some countries a good advantage into getting on a competitive tech level with the rest of the world. Of course, if enough non-America nations wind up embracing Linux as their sort of official operating system, we could have a situation like the English units/metric units thing... but maybe I'm looking too far ahead. Or maybe I'm just being stupid.
Great News for Russia: Linux and Moody's Upgrade (Score:4, Interesting)
News that IBM is opening a Linux Competency Center in Russia comes a day before Moody's Investors Service upgrades Russia's foreign debt to investment grade, according to "Russia Earns Investment-Grade Status [voanews.com]". These developments are wonderful news for Russia and the West.
Russia certainly has many flaws: there are signs that civil rights are being abridged in Russia under the Putin government. However, Russia is far ahead of China in human rights, civil rights, and basic decency. Consider the recent atrocity described in "China Detains Health Official for Publicizing AIDS Coverup [washingtonpost.com]". The Chinese arrested (and possibly tortured) a person for revealing that Chinese officials had attempted to sell AIDS-tainted blood products to Americans in the USA.
It is a no-brainer as to which country deserves American support. American companies should bypass China and put all their investments into Russia and Eastern Europe. American consumers can encourage the American companies to do so by boycotting any product or service that is "Made in China" (which includes "Made in Hong Kong" or "Made in Taiwan"). Furthermore, we should pull our money out of mutual funds that invest in any company located in China (which includes Hong Kong and Taiwan).
It is imperative (for the preservation of Western society) that Russia outperforms China economically. The Russian value system shares much more in common with the American value system than the Chinese value system.
Next headline... (Score:1)
(http://www.slashcode.org/)
In Soviet Russia (Score:2, Funny)
(http://slashdot.org/)
To be the first Russian to comment on it. (Score:3, Interesting)
(http://kobylkin.com/)
Just a year or so Russian Ministry of Education approved a deal to Microsoft, not to local educational system developers. It was a normal case with a rumors of bribery wich usually turns out to be true.
Today we see that technological superiourity and the development model of Linux opens the doors even in Russian political system.
I am happy for Russia, and you know, we have a lot of smart people who will contribute back to Linux soon.
Cheap labor! (Score:1, Redundant)
(http://www.livejournal.com/users/sinistertim101 | Last Journal: Saturday March 24 2007, @12:32PM)
A news piece in Russian? (Score:1)
(http://www.comclub.org/)
Geez.
The Ittalian Stallion (Score:1)
(http://youtube.com/thedarkener)
Rocky: Yo, Adrian! Check this out! ADRIAAAAAN!
Adrian: I CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE, ROCKY! Windows has hidden it's network configuration from me and put it in another place where I can't find it! IT'S JUST TOO MUCH!
Rocky: Yo Adrian, I was just doing some pull-ups on this tree branch out in the middle of nowhere, with two-foot logs tied to my shins, and I saw IBM opening a Linux Competency Center over there! Yo!
Suddenly, Mr. T appears out of nowhere
Mr. T: I PITTY THA FOOL DAT RUNS MICROSOFT IN RUSSIA!
Oh wow... It really is Saturday. I'm spending way too much time trying to be funny.
what are they using now? (Score:2)
(Last Journal: Thursday August 05 2004, @01:40PM)
In Republican America... (Score:2)
Russia and IBM (Score:4, Funny)
(http://slashdot.org/)
and the other is Russia.
=brian
Say Nyet to .NET! (Score:2, Funny)
Rough translation of the russian text (Score:4, Informative)
The Ministry Of Communications will promote Linux.
Yesterday, the Ministry of communications and information of Russian Federation and IBM corporation have signed an agreement about the creation of a Linux competency center in Moscow. Among its tasks will be not only support of governmental institutions in using Linux, but also testing and porting of applications based on open source. Up to 60 people (including foreign specialists from IBM) will be employed at the center, which will open in 2004.
(snipplets follow, translating the whole thing will take too long):
-The center will be located on the territory of a university, and students will also take part in its work.
-The federal government already has limited experience in using IBM technologies
-"Our task now becomes usage of open source programs in making current and future systems in the government work as a whole" (A. Korotkov)
-Experience shows that, in other governments, open source software may constitute 30% of [all software]. Our country is far behind that, and it's unlikely that usage of standard software, such that [software products by] Microsoft, can be left behind completely due to the aggressive promotion by the manufacturers.
-"Open source programs aren't completely free, and I cannot say how much we will have to pay for the center"
-The resources
-The first meeting [between the sides] occured back in september 2002.
-Once the center [is fully operational, tested, etc], similar centers may be deployed in other cities.
-"This will save tremendous amounts of money for the budget, and this is just the beginning" (minister of communications)
Pardon any awkwardness in the language, it's hard to translate on the fly.
That was just a matter of time... (Score:1)
and the penetration is very high - for instance every businness here in russia uses linux for sure... bc it saves bucks and opens up some deals.
Generally linux prevails here (i live in siberia)... Every government entity won't buy microsoft snake oil but hire competent sysadmins/developers to support some apps.
So the support is very strong here.
Ummm... (Score:1)
(Last Journal: Friday October 03 2003, @05:21PM)
Pardon my ignorance, but is the Russian government so unstable that its members can't even be named in a press statement? That is, do we not expect this guy to be in office next week, or what...?
Accurate Translation (Score:2)
(http://578.291.762.662/)
Russia Linux developers (Score:1)
By the way, how come no one has ever discussed OwL Linux [openwall.com] here -- a security-enhanced operating system made in Russia. It is worth a mention.
SourceForge deveoper in the Ukraine (Score:2)
(Last Journal: Saturday March 12 2005, @12:22AM)
Esther Dyson's Bet (Score:1)
(http://elesi.org)
There's a really interesting org called the Long Bets Foundation [longbets.org] which takes bets that won't be resolved for many years. One for the first was Esther Dyson's for ten grand:
"By 2012, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times will have referred to Russia as "the world leader in software development" or words to that effect." [longbets.org]
It will be interesting to see if the world looks back in nine years at this event and sees it as a turning point.
Damn Russians... (Score:1)
First, they conquered 10% of our territory during WWII, as they wouldn't have had enough already. Now, they're hijacking our uni department [helsinki.fi], too!
Couldn't they just go and download some MS stuff from KaZaa?
Probably something like their center in Austin (?) (Score:2)
I'm curious whether their Russian "Linux Competency Center" will also have an AIX box or two available -- basically, I'd be unsuprised if this is something completely new for them as opposed to having similar facilities elsewhere.
Better Russia than China (Score:2, Interesting)
The United States and Russia have the potential to be great trading partners, in stark contrast to the mortal enemies we were a few decades ago. China on the other hand, is in a relationship of convenience (for them), and as soon as they've drained the US dry, they'll become a far larger problem and threat to the US than Russia ever was...
We should not encourage (or even allow, I say) technology transfers to China (of course, Clinton sold us down the river by giving all sorts of secrets to the Chinese, so the damage may have already been done).
Finally catching up to MS! (Score:1)
Were are you Linux papers? (Score:2)
--
This one actually works.... (Score:1)
As good a translation as can be after having a few (Score:1)
MiniComm Will Promote Linux
Yesterday, the Communication and Informations Ministry of the Russian Federation and IBM signed an agreement for the creation of a Linux competency center in Moscow. Therein, the plan is not only the support of governmental organizations in using Linux, but testing and porting based on open-source code. Up to 60 people will work at the center starting in 2004, including foreign IBM specialists.
The agreement of intent signed in the company of journalists by the acting premier minister of communication and information, Andrej Korotkov, and the vice-president of corporate strategy for IBM, Mrs. Val Rahmani, makes provisions for the creation of the center and the joint work of IBM, MiniComm, and Moscow Technological University of Communication and Information. The center will be built on the territory of the university, and the work there will be undertook not only by MiniComm and IBM specialists, but by students as well. Apart from the education of working with Linux, adaptation and localization of different programs, the center will fulfill another important task: the promotion of "Electronic Russia." As stated Andrej Korotkov, in there are already examples of the use of IBM technology in the federal organs of government, for instance in Tatarstan. "Our task now becomes, using open-source programs, making already-existing and future systems in the government organs work together as one whole," said Mr. Korotkov.
The experiment will show that in other governments, open-source programs can take up to 30% from the total programming outlay in the government. Our country is still far from that, and it is hardly likely that it is possible to get away from the use of a standard program, for instance Microsoft, completely during such active politicking of its promotion from the side of the creators / authors. However, hope exists on the widening of the use of Linux as an program unto itself; just as in MiniComm the intention to do this has been set off, including the "Electronic Russia" initiative. Thus, considers Andrej Korotkov, "if in two years within the confines of the russian government the use of [Linux] will be up to 30%, that will be very good." The Linux Competency Center will be open for the stimulation of growth of applications and solutions, the provision of support, consultation, education of Linux technology, promotion of Linux products and a feasible localization of solutions on the platform. Therein, says IBM says it's ready to offer access to resources of the center and it's partners who can test on it's platform and solutions on a Linux platform or on another open-source program. Also, IBM is ready to work with independent russian developers of such programs.
Andrej Korotkov declined to offer even a rough number as to the amount MiniComm will put into the Center. "Open-Source Programs aren't free themselves, and I can't say how much we're going to have to spend on the Center," said Mr. Korotkov. A general count of the personnel of the center should number 50 to 60 people, however that number should possibly change in connection with the beginnings and ends of projects.
The use of technology provided by the russian office of IBM in the Competency Center. Although the list is concrete, the equipment is not yet guaranteed. It is already clear that the resources which will be found in the center will include various server systems, including the IBM family of Intel-based servers, eServer xSeries, high-performance Linux clusters, and data storage systems. It is planned that in the Center, the entire spectrum of IBM's Linux-based programs, including the WebSphere, DB2, Lotus, Tivoli, and Rational families, providing for the creation of complete, integrated, safe solutions. IBM will also provide access between the Center's workers and those in
oh great! (Score:1)
Seriously though, this is the march of globilization, but I wonder if this will cause more outsourcing and more cracking coming for
Well, good luck, IBM (Score:2)
(http://slashdot.org/)
here's the real deal (Score:3, Interesting)
there is practically no linux here. why? because MS is free, or practically free.
I can run down to the metro station and pick up MS winxp, MS office for 2 bucks a pop (licenses included).
Games and DVD's are no different, and they have all the latest stuff.
it's quite common when purchasing commerical software that the 'crack' resides on the same CD as the software.
Games are just the same
Russia has a beyond serious pirating problem (I'm sort of not complaining, I was tired of paying $50 per game in the US).
If a business has an option to run on linux for free or windows for free, they would probably choose windows, and that's what they do here.
I would love to see some member of the SPA or MS come here and try to do an company audit on any of the businesses here. i guarantee you these people would be left crawling out of the building with broken legs.
I've been a linux consultant and my business has been running since 1999, and in the States we're doing pretty good. I thought it would be easy to do some consulting here in Russia.
are you kidding? the only consulting I've been doing here is for a company in Sweden...
because internet costs here by the megabyte (usually between 3 and 6 cents per meg), i've written an accounting and billing application (iptables, php, mysql) that counts packets NAT'd behind the firewall for each machine. the whole thing runs on linux, and i'm finding more and more private underground networks that are more than willing to adopt linux to perform this function.
believe me, i'm trying like mad to get people interested in linux over here, but the fact that all MS products are practically free keeps getting in the way.
Linux is dead in Russia (Score:2, Interesting)
Desktop is taken by MS. Contrary to other countries, there is no reason to switch to Linux to save money because Linux and WinXP costs the same - about $3. You can buy pirated XP and almost any Windows software and development tools for the same cost - about 100 rubels - everywhere. What works for Linux in eastern countries doesnt work in Russia.
Servers are taken by FreeBSD. Ask any russian sysadmin and you will hear that Linux sucks on server side. Almost all major ISPs and hosting companies are running *BSD.
There is some tuny amount of commercial Linux development coming from outsources projects, mainly in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
The unfortunate truth is that IBM opens this center to push IBM hardware not Linux in Russia. Russia has always been a Sun land and IBM realises this.
Re:Outsourcing (Score:1)
Re:Outsourcing (Score:1)