An interesting dimension of the April 11, 2006, "Outcomes" of the U.S.-China trade talks is the provision that all computers produced or imported into China must be pre-loaded with a legal operating system.

An obvious beneficiary is Microsoft, since Chinese piracy rates for Windows are probably close to total.

But the agreement also sets up an interesting market test. If open source software, most notably Linux, really is superior, as its supporters claim, then here is an opportunity for Linux to prove this superiority in the market, free of the installed base that, it is charged, maintains Microsoft's market position in the U.S.

Furthermore, since the Chinese market is price sensitive, and Linux would be available for free, then any computer manufacturer adopting it should be able to sell at a lower price, reflecting the zero cost of the operating system.

So go to it, guys, and let the best system win.

posted by James DeLong @ 2:25 PM | Software

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