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North Korea's version of Linux is extremely oppressive
It's no secret that North Korea has its own Linux distribution, Red Star OS, that limits you to a government-approved view of the world. However, researchers have just taken an in-depth look into how Red Star works -- and it's clear that software is as authoritarian as the country that created it. Besides its known tendency to watermark files on USB sticks (to track people shuttling contraband material), Red Star is paranoid about modifications. It not only has extra safeguards around key system files, but will immediately reboot the PC if it detects changes to those files.
North Korean media reports North Koreans love North Korean tablet
Remember those futuristic PCs we reported North Korea was producing last year? Well now the Democratic People's Republic has unveiled a seven-inch flagship tablet called the Achim (Morning). Understandably, we don't know what's inside this 0.66-pound (300g) device with a five-hour battery life, but it's apparently very popular with local students. There's no word on the OS either, but a touch-friendly build of the homegrown Linux variant Red Star would make sense. Although unconfirmed, sources suggest internet connectivity is wholly absent, with a pre-loaded selection of fun, state-approved content available instead. Eager to get your hands on a Kim Jong-unPad? Well, you can't.
North Korea's Red Star OS takes the 'open' out of 'open source'
You know, Tux always seemed so harmless... little did we know that he is actually a Che Guevara-type figure who's been traveling around the world, fighting the good fight on any number of fronts. First, Cuba announces its national Linux variant, Nova, and now? Red Star is North Korea's very own Linux-based operating system, featuring a desktop very similar to Windows -- but for the red star that replaces the Start button. It first came to light when Mikhail, a Russian blogger living in Pyongyang, picked up a copy for $5 near Kim Il-sung University. The install disk apparently features a quote from Kim Jong-il about the importance of an operating system "compatible with Korean traditions," and the system requirements are a Pentium III 800MHz with 256MB RAM and 3GB hard drive space (North Korea's version of Minesweeper must take up a lot of room). Of course, this bad boy has Firefox -- except here it's called My Country, and it will only connect you to something called "My Country BBS," a web portal on North Korea's own (restricted) version of the Internet. Where will the plucky penguin turn up next? We don't know, but we bet it'll be one hell of a ride. %Gallery-87381%
