North Korea's Official 'Red Star' Operating System Borrows Heavily From OS X

[Lone Deranger]

I bet that is loaded with spyware to track what the people are doing and report back to the local peoples monitors

You mean kinda like the NSA.

 

[gkarris]

Is there a sound chime called, "Sosumi"?

There's only ONE race, the human race. Everything else are ethnicity. People are just unable to change their way of thinking since they were taught that way.

No, there is more than one. Don't forget "Rat"...

 

[Mousse]

Good luck suing them, Apple!

Can Apple sue them?

Apple vs Kim Jong Un. Will be a interesting court case.

The courts already ruled on a a similar case nearly 20 years ago. Here's the short version: Apple lost.

Here's the long version.

 

[nutmac]

If it's anything like countless Mac skins/themes for Linux (and I assume Red Star is essentially based on existing skins), the experience will be quite subpar at best (definitely worse than default GNOME/KDE skin).

I suppose this effort is to exhort how technologically advanced their glorious leader is, and on that ground, perhaps NK citizens will be impressed enough.

 

[bushido]

i am still amazed that the Kim o'Tool family hasnt come up with their own "korean" language. Shouldnt it be below them to speak the same language as the south to a god like creature?

 

[StoneJack]

i am still amazed that the Kim o'Tool family hasnt come up with their own "korean" language. Shouldnt it be below them to speak the same language as the south to a god like creature?

They would use very different words, phrases, symbols and euphemisms. Grammar still same, but will feel very different.

 

[/\/\]

Ok North Korea is not China, but it's maybe a little bit similar:

Yet copying, whether a painting or a literary work, has a long tradition in China. It was a way of learning, of showing admiration and respect, as this report about from Taiwan’s National Palace Museum shows.

Why do the chinese copy so much?

 

[SoAnyway]

Borrowing from OS X? I think not. To me, the North Koreans seem to be working on OS XI here.

 

[Will do good]

Borrows… that's a funny word for this.
Do they plan to return it one day?

 

[macs4nw]

Clearly North Korea is sucking up to South Korea and Samsung.

More like sockin' it to them…..

 

[topgunn]

Shall we play a game?

 

[ThunderSkunk]

It's funny, what with Apple being the North Korea of the computer industry.

 

[Solomani]

I think that's kinda cool actually. NK is ballsy if nothing else.

NK is beyond ballsy. They have (at times) even stood up to insult their patron and largest supporter, China.

Reminds me of the story when China once sent a train of foods and supplies to North Korean border. On arrival, the North Koreans emptied all the goods from their benefactor China. Furthermore, the NK soldiers also confiscated and claimed property on the Chinese railcars. The Chinese train conductors and engineers were told to get out and had to run to the border to return to China.

I'd say, NK is a nation-state that really knows no fear. When you are fearless, you can do just about anything. Nothing is impossible. Not even unicorns.

 

[obeygiant]

Shall we play a game?

Joshua?

 

[497902]

It's no real surprise: http://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/where-did-kim-jong-un-get-his-apple-computer

I wonder where you can download it and if it is possible to change the language?

 

[localoid]

Seriously?

Good grief, people. "Red Star" is just another version of Linux running a KDE 3.x desktop that's been customized to look similar to OS X.

It's Linux -- install Macbuntu on a stock Ubuntu installation, or change the default Linux desktop theme yourself -- virtually anyone can easily achieve an OSX-look with almost any flavor or Linux (see below).

 

[northernmunky]

Theres already a pretty decent Mac like OS around, its called Elementary OS, and its pretty decent with some Linux knowledge you can do a lot with it... I've got it running in a Parallels VM and runs rather well. Even its version of iTunes is a decent runner....

I like it because I can install it on a cheap laptop I can carry around when I need to do really basic stuff on the go but don't want to take my MacBook with me and I wouldn't buy a Windows craptop if you paid me!

 

[furi0usbee]

But does it have HiDPI (retina) assets? That is the question.

 

[Cyborg21]

Why did this remind me of Samsung?

 

[aerok]

North Koreans, South Koreans. Mortal brotherly enemies. But they both agree on one thing: Copying from Apple is the way to go.

I feel offended as a someone of Korean descent, not all Koreans copy.

 

[baryon]

Quite a remarkable job, given that they built the UI from the ground up (I suppose).

At least the poor people of NK get something that looks and probably works somewhat like a Mac! Let them enjoy it as much as they can...

One of the many ironies here though is that they're copying an OS that was built by their Eternal Enemy: the USA...

 

[mac*jedi*g]

Apple has a standing army of.... how many? They might have introduce "the iDraft" and push into service all these bloggers here and throughout to reprimand N. Korea for being bold and naughty.

 

[iJohnHenry]

I feel offended as a someone of Korean descent, not all Koreans copy.

He's new.

 

[Cox Orange]

I feel offended as a someone of Korean descent, not all Koreans copy.

I find it funny that you say that and your picture is a camera.

 

[iZac]

The courts already ruled on a a similar case nearly 20 years ago. Here's the short version: Apple lost.

Here's the long version.

Haha yes, unfortunately, I'm old enough to remember this! While this is a blow by blow homage to OSX, the funniest thing would he watching Tims trained lawyers try and infiltrate Pyongyang.

Maybe they'd instigate legal proceedings if they ever manage to open an Apple Store there ...