After one year's testing, experiment and software development, China lately put out its first network computer (NC) with its own intellectual property in Beijing, with the CPU, system and application software all "made in China".
Jointly put out by Digital China and other domestic companies, the first set of NC uses imbedded CPU of "Fangzhou" brand, with its system and application software both provided by Chinese companies.
This is a gift by Zhongguancun companies to the coming 16th Party Congress, said Liu Zhihua, vice-mayor of Beijing, adding that the municipal government will fully support the product's industrialization from many aspects such as government purchasing.
As a client specially used under network environment, network computer has its application programs and data all stored at the server, without need of external memories such as hard and floppy disks and driver. As a mini network access equipment, it makes no noise and boasts high performance with good price. Besides, compared with personal computer (PC), it is low-priced and safe. Statistics show that prices of two sets of NCs are equivalent to one low-priced PC, and the maintenance fee is only half of the latter. Meanwhile, with memories all set up at the server, it is easy for NC's security administration.
China sees a large demand for NCs along with the promotion of e-government, Internet education and enterprise informalization process. Now time is ripe for promoting NC in the nation as statistics indicated that three fifth users don't need the various functions provided by PC, expert said.
(People's Daily November 5, 2002)
