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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 commentsJouniDec 28th 2009 7:58AM
Now we begin to see the benefits of real operating system concepts. When the OS is well thought out we can change the machine-specific (processor) layers and we have a OS for a different architecture. Please try that on some piles of trash like MS's.
I so much wait for the new ARM-based tablet machines, with bigger screens than the new Nokia N900 with its linux.
JoeSchmoeDec 28th 2009 8:21AM
Anyone who wants their Ubuntu install to look like XP without much of a hassle can make use of the excellent "XPGnome" theme for metacity. It looks just like XP.
You might need this for legitimate uses - like allowing your parents or family or friends to use Ubuntu while not feeling out of place due to UI - incompatibility.
If you dont want to use it - you can disable it on your login or you can uninstall it with a single click - it just changes icons and colors and does nothing else to Gnome or Metacity or Ubuntu.
You can use it as a temporary fix for someone who is not computer savvy and then delete it.
There is no need to be afraid of Microsoft for using XPGnome because you are using it on your own machine and NOT making money selling it to other people, so if they ever really, actually manage to reach you in the first place, still the court will have a hard time accepting any criminal charges against you.
You simply customize it according to your needs.
If you dont want it, delete it with a click, matter closed.
Meanwhile, the benefit is that your folks who might not be used to the Ubuntu look, might be happy with the same UI while you can use the standard Ubuntu desktop.
If you ask me my opinion, KDE is best, followed by Ubuntu's Human and Clearlooks themes if you have Compiz Fusion running.
Again, the name's XPGnome.
Sebastian AnthonyDec 28th 2009 8:22AM
Cheers for the tips!
I think this is more a story about an ex-pirate turned 'straight' (ish) -- but yeah, I should've paid more attention to the other XP clones already out there.
techpopsDec 28th 2009 11:46AM
.hope said "Integrating WINE really isn't sufficient. We need a store people can buy applications that work with WINE"
I'm thinking you've more chance of seeing webGL side step the whole idea of a need for Wine than you have of ever seeing something like that take off.
ohgamersDec 28th 2009 1:30PM
Why do these stupid kids expect one operating system to develop the ability to run "games"(i guess he means windows games but who knows) which are specifically designed for another? Had everyone waited for windows to get full support for dos games before they started to adopt it, the windows gaming culture would never have developed in the first place, or at least would have taken many years longer to get established.
Games developers are quite used to porting games between multiple platforms, the trouble is that there just isn't enough call for it on linux, as long as everyone continues to buy the windows version and fork out subscription charges for cedega. To be honest, to say that there's no call for games on linux is simply wrong, look at 2dboy's experiment with their excellent 'World of Goo' title; Linux gamers clearly felt inclined to pay for a quality, original game; and to pay considerably more than their windows using counterparts.
Stop paying transgaming for a shoddy product so you can sort of play windows games, you're only funding the mac gaming market, cider's the only thing they care about now.
yangzhDec 29th 2009 11:16PM
Many chinese are familar with xp,rather than vista or 7 .Ylmf OS just wants to make it easier for users to change to use linux instead of windows ...... In fact ,the OS is based on ubuntu9.10 , anyone can install other languages easily,just guessing the program from the icon ......
astrotoysevenDec 30th 2009 10:56PM
Im not sure what the news is here.... linux has had windows themes for a very very long time. As more people are familiar with windows, it is natural that those linux evangelists among us will cloak it with a windows look to get kids and unsuspecting adults to give it a try. Others just prefer it to look that way. Many others simply dont give a rat's....
diegoJan 3rd 2010 4:34AM
Well, I'm living in China right now, and I find it really interesting that almost every computer here is running Windows XP, cracked of course. The Chinese I've met running Linux are mostly at Tsinghua University, where the best developers and computer geeks are. However, most get out to work for some big company and produce software for windows.
I think Chinese would greatly benefit from using Linux, however that change has to start from the developers themselves to support Linux... which seems far fetched considering most people in china do things either because they have to or for money... very few do it for the love of it.
Sebastian AnthonyJan 3rd 2010 10:40AM
China would be the ideal place for Linux to become 'popular'. With 1 billion users behind it, a free operating system... it must be worth looking at...
I don't know if China has more or less technical experts than somewhere like America, but it must have enough to make an operating system... hmm.
twillJan 14th 2010 11:30PM
What about ReactOS? It's almost a screen for screen clone that is built to emulate windows/microsoft products to a T. Yet MS hasn't attacked them yet with exception for the stolen/pirated code issue that seems to have been all taken care of.
I don't know that you can copywrite design since MS has stolen a lot of design concepts from Apple in many of their various releases.
snowieJan 18th 2010 1:23AM
Here's links to the English YLMF ubuntu XP ISO.
http://xiazai.xiazaiba.com/Soft/Y/YlmF_OS_EN_v1.0.iso
Or users may go to the download page (http://ylmf.org/download) and click last download link.
flyordie2Mar 14th 2010 1:19AM
You were looking for an english version... But I simply googled the url of the website, clicked translate this page, then I found the download section on the website, and clicked "english version". Downloading the .iso now.