Chinese Academy of Sciences is launching a rival to Microsoft Corp’s ‘Venus’ operating system, an internet-enabled set-top box OS targeted specifically at the Chinese market. The ‘Nuwa’ OS – named after an ancient Chinese goddess – has been developed by the Academy’s Software Engineering Center.
Both Nuwa and Venus will allow Chinese electronics firms to combine a web browser, low-end personal computer and video compact disk player in a single set-top box, using a TV set as a monitor. The reasoning behind launching such boxes is that less than 1% of the Chinese population has access to a PC, but 70% have access to a television set. In addition, China is the largest VCD player market in the world.
Director of the SEC, Zhong Xichang told the China Daily state news service that there was little to choose technically between the two operating systems, and admitted that his system could not match the market reputation of Microsoft. So success for either system will depend on how many domestic consumer appliance manufacturers take up one OS or the other. The largest Chinese PC manufacturer, Legend Group, plans to demonstrate a Venus box this month. The Nuwa system has the support of more than 20 domestic electronics companies. Products based on the system will appear later this year.
