“The world’s top two electronics giants said Friday they
were keeping an open mind on joining a new Japanese consortium
promoting the Linux computer operating system. A total of 22
Japanese companies, including high-tech giants NEC Corp. and
Toshiba Corp., and two university research units launched the
“Japan Embedded Linux Consortium” on Thursday.”
“But Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd., the world’s
largest consumer electronics maker, and Sony Corp. said they
needed more information on the syndicate before deciding whether to
join in promoting Linux. “Our name had been initially on the
list of the members. But we are now considering or not to join,”
Sony spokesman Yoshikazu Ochiai said.”
“A spokesman for Matsushita, known by brand names including
Panasonic, Technics and National, said the giant supported Linux in
principle. Matsushita had “always wished to introduce operating
systems which are easy for our clients to use,” public affairs
official Akira Kadota said. “That is our basic position and it will
not change.”