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Infamous Chinese pirates launch Ubuntu that looks just like Windows XP
If you clicked the link above, you'll notice that the entire site is in Chinese with no sign of any button that'll magically turn it into English, but if you navigate to the download page, there does seem to be five links to the ISO that you can download. Initial testing, and the screenshots, would suggest that the OS's GUI (graphical user interface) is purely Chinese too, but if you find out a way to convert it into American/English, let us know!
This isn't the first time copycats or pirates have imitated a prevalent operating system. Cloned in China reported on the case of Tomato Garden Windows XP, another pirate distribution, where the creator was jailed for 4 years and fined $147,000. China has very lax piracy laws, but I would expect Microsoft to lean rather heavily on its friends there -- if they have any -- to make sure Ylmf OS is stamped out quickly. It might not be Windows itself, but you can sue for GUI copycatting too!
All in all, despite the questionable legality, it really is a great-looking copycat; almost pixel-perfect. I wonder if Ubuntu developers are happy, or despairing.
Comments
52
Subscribe to commentsGigiAUTDec 28th 2009 2:25PM
That's the exact info I was just looking for, thanks! I was also curious to see how much like XP this supposedly was but couldn't get around the language. Only found Chinese in the options.
markDec 27th 2009 12:24AM
Jordan, you can rename the My Computer Icon. I just had not done it yet. Also, the only thing hard coded (that I have run into) is the start menu image.
Once the locale is changed, you are good to go with the installed apps as well.
MxxConDec 27th 2009 3:35AM
There's also Linux XP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_XP
It's a commercial distro created by Russians.
Some of the initial releases had "Activation" that looked almost identical to Microsoft's. It was their solution to software piracy :)
Sebastian AnthonyDec 27th 2009 6:14AM
That looks pretty good too :)
Must be pretty hard to sue people on the other side of the world, I guess. Microsoft hasn't quite yet assumed the role of a Superpower...
kkzoneDec 27th 2009 8:34AM
Now, this is what I'd call a perfect xp look like linux.
http://www.linux-xp.com/desktop/2010-release-notes/
JohnApr 7th 2010 7:22PM
Most users won't know they are using Linux or Windows .. even base Ubuntu. Lot's of Linux users load computers up for family; 'grandma's computer'; and grandma is off and running - posting to facebook and twittering.
The linux users know they will have zero maintenance problems to worry about as there will be no virus problems.
China has a big problem with Windows viruses. The Ubuntu-based OS will be very secure and safe to use - and run faster on any machine so workers can use much older equipment and still get their work completed.
Too bad they spent all that time copying when they could have worked on a new unique theme to put in gnome-look.org. But that is probably next with the 10.4 LTS version.
techpopsDec 27th 2009 10:15AM
John said "Most users won't know they are using Linux or Windows .. even base Ubuntu. Lot's of Linux users load computers up for family"
I've tried this (well I say I, I did kinda farm out the setting up to a friend but i still claim i set it up if asked so shhh), it sounded like a good idea but was more trouble than it was worth as even newbies know a few things in Windows and they have to learn a new way of doing things. Even my sister who at the time hadn't used Windows at all ended up phoning me about software that wouldn't work (trying to install windows apps) And a list of other things that finally made me go over there and put XP on.
John said "The linux users know they will have zero maintenance problems to worry about as there will be no virus problems."
If you're still talking about setting it up for family or friends, you can automate pretty much all these tasks, and with a little remote magic, fix the little things that always crop up (regardless of os type).
It's probably less of an issue today as more and more cloud apps can replace non cross platform ones that have to be installed. But I'd still put Win7 on any family members PC now so they can play games (although that's a problem in and of itself with the whining that the sims is stuttering and you needing to upgrade hardware heh)
Just giving an alternate view. There are pro's and cons to both OS's.
jeff.siegelDec 27th 2009 1:28PM
I'm convinced, after installing various forms of Ubuntu and other distros on older computers for friends and family, then it's not so much the Windows software that people need to run that makes them so shy about Linux (save for some games and Photoshop) is that it's not Windows. They truly believe, as crappy as Windows is, that the computer won't run if it doesn't have Windows on it. That's the job that Microsoft has done on everyone.
If this version of XP/Ubuntu was stable, I'd love to do a blind tasting -- stick it in front of someone who doesn't know Ubuntu and see if they can tell the difference.
OkazDec 27th 2009 10:55AM
There is not much rip here. The home page of their clearly says :
# Based on Ubuntu 9.10 version of the custom to remove non-system software packages commonly used to increase the Chinese language pack, increasing the most commonly used applications
# 集成OpenOffice3.1办公软件 Integrated OpenOffice3.1 office software
能打开所有ms office 文件 Be able to open all ms office files
# 默认集成经典的Windows主题 Integration of the classic Windows theme default
界面操作最接近Windows用户的使用习惯，让您迅速入手 Windows user interface, the closest operational usage, so you quickly start
(Google Translation: http://translate.google.ca/translate?hl=fr&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ylmf.org%2F)
Also, it is not that hard to change the Ubuntu look to XP look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4StlvX-kOg
If there is a rip, it is the russian linux-xp that is mostly the victim.
Now, that said, even if Linux is pretty much virus safe, I would never ever trust a version coming from pirates. Contrary to other Linux systems, this one will never be verified by trusted programmers. They can put anything they want in there, like a key logger.
Sebastian AnthonyDec 27th 2009 8:11PM
Thanks for the info, and translation.
The keylogger is an important point -- but I don't think a 'trusted' pirate like Ylmf would try such a thing!
Jack RipoffDec 27th 2009 11:01AM
You also got the Brazilian Famelix, a copycat of Windows Vista:
http://img.vivaolinux.com.br/imagens/artigos/comunidade/1203171970.famelix.png
Sebastian AnthonyDec 27th 2009 8:12PM
Wow, they even tried to copy the new start menu... kudos :P
LexrstDec 27th 2009 12:23PM
If you want XP themed Ubuntu, all you have to do is install it, then run the Gnome-XP script from PhranKDaChicken: http://ubuntu.online02.com/node/14
I've done this for a few friends and family members to ease their transtition over to Ubuntu... it works perfectly.
Sebastian AnthonyDec 27th 2009 8:12PM
Thanks for the tip :)
Justin BreithauptDec 27th 2009 12:48PM
I'm against piracy and illegal distributions like this but I have to give them credit for doing such a good job. If it were me and I was going to translate it to English I would simply choose USA and English during setup and then remove all Chinese language packages and install EN or English ones instead. If that didn't work then I'd look into it further.
Gi%uFFFDng Ch%uFFFDuDec 27th 2009 8:03PM
I have some comment!
http://vnstudy.org/home/ylmf-os-ubuntu-os-with-windows-xp-theme
StonedOdieDec 27th 2009 9:16PM
@ Pepe Gonzalez, I was thinking the same thing. It says its not in English but the picture was in full English... I dunno. Wasn't gonna download it to find out.
TomDec 28th 2009 3:23AM
Why not integrate Wine into the Desktop and then it would support *some* Windows applications and games :)
http://www.codeweavers.com/products/?ad=64
.hopeDec 28th 2009 4:24AM
Integrating WINE really isn't sufficient. We need a store people can buy applications that work with WINE. It is nearly impossible to figure it out right now or get the versions that do work. Most applications that do work are older versions of the applications and not as readily available. Especially with activation and lock-ins you can't buy used any more. Allot of applications and games do work- just not enough that you can bet on a random applications working either and definitely not ones 'off the shelf' at your retailer. I think people need to support those selling GNU/Linux more. Buy from those supporting it. Buy from those selling it exclusively especially. Buy from those who take additional steps to support it or develop for it- not just off the shelf. Are they offering an assortment of products or just laptops and desktops? Paying more for niche Linux products means that stuff gets better rather farther apart. Paying for stuff with MS on it just means we end up further behind. In allot of areas we are ahead- but in others we haven't made ANY headway. Consumer desktop publishing applications like print shop for instance; zero headway. Video editing on the other hand; some. We do have Kino- which is a joke to most it is a full fledged video editing application. And then we also have a pro editing application that is nearly impossible to use for anybody other than the real hollywood studios (which means the Mac guys couldn't handle it and would conclude Linux isn't good at video editing).
.hopeDec 28th 2009 4:08AM
I think the pirates would be better off setting up a penguin store like ThinkPenguin in the US. Nothing wrong with the operating system if people have the support and hardware to go along with it. Microsoft is only "better" because of the availability of support/hardware for the most part. While we high tech people use our computers for more than just email, word processing, and web browsing 90% of the world falls into that segment. Add in digital cameras and you hit 95%. What Americans and certain other English speaking parts of the world are missing is the fact they/we don't see Linux systems everywhere so it seems harder to use than it really is. I'm seeing it more and more though. I'm at a Christmas party and we have more computers here running Linux than Mac and two of the three Linux systems aren't mine. Sure- this is the exception rather than the rule for the USA/East Coast region-but none-the-less things are changing. Now if only the significantly cheaper ARM systems would come out with Linux so we could rid Microsoft from the market again like it was when Netbooks first came out.