Date: Thu, 02 Sep 1999 23:10:00 +0200
From: Jacques Le Marois <lemarois@mandrakesoft.com>
To: lwn@lwn.net
Subject: Linux-Mandrake Expands Into China Market

Here a new Press Release...

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Linux-Mandrake Expands Into China Market

MandrakeSoft Development Centers Open in Beijing and Shanghai
Strategic Partners LinuxOne, Kingstar and iTRANS establish Distribution

        Pasadena, California -- September 3, 1999 -- MandrakeSoft
(www.linux-mandrake.com), the premier publisher of the popular
Linux-Mandrake? operating system, today announced the opening of two
development centers in Beijing and Shanghai for working on world-wide
Open Source? projects with the support of LinuxOne, Kingstar and
iTRANS.  Also disclosed are its strategic partnerships with Kingstar
(Shanghai Fudan Kingstar Co. Ltd.), the largest finance software company
in China, and iTRANS, a privately-held company focused on the
Linux.Isdn.Pc solution, publisher of Plinux "leading Chinese version of
Linux".  These alliances will distribute the Chinese version of
Linux-Mandrake through their comprehensive network of Value-Added
Resellers.  MandrakeSoft's strategy offers multi-lingual Linux-Mandrake
and positions it to become the global Linux company.

Linux-Mandrake continues to gain rapid acceptance in the United States
and Europe where Open Source projects have been continuously managed. 
With these two new development centers in China, MandrakeSoft local
developers will contribute to international Open Source projects and in
the development of a worldwide version of Linux-Mandrake, ensuring the
same high quality and success in China and, in turn, globally.  In
addition, Kingstar and iTRANS will rapidly distribute the integration of
Linux-Mandrake with Plinux (the Linux Chinese version that is compatible
with Red Hat).  Both companies offer local language support and
expertise that will facilitate MandrakeSoft's entry into the Chinese
domestic market.

High- profile individuals are involved in this venture including Jess
Kuang, Kingstar, and Yang Jun, iTRANS who co-founded the first Linux
user group (http://www.linux.org.cn), as well as Wun Chiou, founder of
LinuxOne who previously led NetUSA to a successful IPO.

"We are extremely pleased to enter into these partnerships with
companies that share the same vision when it comes to collaborate on 
more international Open Source projects,"  said Daniel Morales, CEO, 
MandrakeSoft.  "By teaming with LinuxOne, Kingstar and iTRANS, we are 
demonstrating our commitment to pursue global 

expansion and always being at the forefront of Linux technology by
delivering a global Linux,"  added Daniel Morales, CEO, MandrakeSoft. 
"With these new development centers, and a well-adapted product
integration, we will provide complete Linux solutions tailored to this
specific market with optimal market support.  It is also a new step
towards ensuring our global presence and success."  

About Linux-Mandrake
Linux-Mandrake is an easy-to-use Linux operating system that is
appropriate for home or office use.  Linux-Mandrake secured two awards
at LinuxWorld Expo in August 99 for Best Product of the Year and Best
Linux Distribution/Server, and was a finalist for 
the Linux Distribution/Client Award.  Linux-Mandrake 6.0 features the
Mandrake
Touch, MandrakeSoft signature graphical interfaces that give users
selected desktop icons including easy CD-ROM and floppy disk access and
easy Internet upgrades using the Mandrake Update icon and features
Pentium optimization.  LinuxMall, the largest online reseller of Linux
products, reports that Linux Mandrake was its best selling product in
July 1999.

About MandrakeSoft
Founded on the Internet in 1998, MandrakeSoft publishes the
user-friendly and popular open-source Linux Mandrake operating system
that is compatible with the leading Red Hat Linux Distribution. 
MandrakeSoft is headquartered in both France and the US, with offices in
Germany.  Through its strategic partnership with MacMillan,
Linux-Mandrake maintains thousands of contributors around the world. 
MandrakeSoft is the originator of several other innovative Open Source
cooperative projects that focus on ease-of-use, including Lothar, an
automatic hardware configuration, which allows users to install and use
Linux directly on top of a Windows directory, and the DiskDrake
hard-drive partitioning tool.  For more information on Linux-Mandrake
and additional products, please visit us at
http://www.linux-mandrake.com

About LinuxOne(TM) 
LinuxOne(TM), One Stop for Linux, provides world-class quality UNIX
(Linux) software targeted to the server, workstation and home
environments and is distinguished by the unchallenged availability of
applications and platform support, ease of installation and use,
support, and commitment to lead in the development of timely extensions
that address the requirements of the market for new functionality that
provides stability, security, and usability for the software. 
LinuxOne(TM) expects to become the highest rated supplier of Linux
solutions based on packaging, support, and capability world-wide. 
LinuxOne is based in California. 

About Kingstar (Shanghai Fudan Kingstar Co. Ltd.) 
Kingstar (www.kingstar.com.cn) specializes in researching, developing
finance (futures and securities), estate, commerce, hospital, files and
multi-media software products.  In addition, the company offers systems 
integration, product distribution and information service.  
By establishing branches and service offices in major cities including 
Beijing, Tianjing, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, Kingstar provides 
complete services and creates market expansion.  
As the largest finance software (futures and securities) providers in 
China, Fudan Kingstar owns more than 600 futures software
and captured 60 percent of the total Chinese software market.  In
addition, Fudan Kingstar is the fifth largest multi-media company in
China.

About iTRANS
Created in 1997, iTRANS Institute Inc. is a privately held commercial
company focused on Linux.Isdn.Pc solution.  ITRANS successfully brought
TELES AG into the Chinese ISDN market, along with its Linux solutions. 
The company is the founder and main sponsor of www.linux.org.cn and
founded the Shanghai Linux Professional Committee (SLPC), recognized by
the Chinese government in August 1999.  In August 1999, ITRANS announced
its general network server called 1JT (www.1JT.com), in partnership with
IBM, and AMD (Fareast).  The company also distributes Plinux, a Linux
version based on Red Hat that includes cutting-edge features like
Pentium Optimization, ISDN support, strong cryptography, and poorman's
Chinese user interface.  For further information, please visit iTRANS: 
http://www.iNTRANS.com.cn

#   #   #   
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