Linux, the Unix-based freeware operating system that inspires devotion among its US fanbase, is now making waves in Japan. Nikkei Computer reports that Japanese equipment trading company Otsuka Shokai Ltd has started to sell NEC Corp’s Express5800 series and IBM Japan’s NetFinity series pre-installed with Linux – aimed at the file/printer, intranet, web server and mail server market. The company will also offer a software bundle and service support for the program, which it calls ‘Linux Server solution.’ Meantime, several Linux relational database programs will ship in Japan over the coming months. InterBase Software Corp has already launched the Japanese version of its InterBase 4.0 database (CI No 3,457) and Canadian firm Empress Software Inc will ship a Japanese Linux version of Empress 6.10 at the end of August. In September, Informix Corp will ship a Japanese version of its recently ported SE database (CI No 3,458). Only the major player in relational databases, Oracle Corp has not committed to a Japanese version of its Linux Oracle 8 product (CI No 3,457) – Oracle Japan is reported to be undecided about launching the product.
