An alternative to MS Windows, the most popular operating system in the world, comes at last from Korea. A beta versiojn of the Tmax Window 9 operating system will be released in October and will be available for purchase in November. TmaxCore introduced its new personal computer (PC) operating system, Tmax Window, at "TmaxDay2009," hosted at the Grand InterContinental Hotel in Seoul on July 7, 2009. TmaxCore is an affiliate of TmaxSoft, the largest software company in Korea.Tmax Window is a PC operating system that was developed over the past four years as an alternative to MS Windows. It uses TmaxCore's own technology to provide 100% support for existing and future MS Windows applications, according to the developers of the OS. The product launch for Tmax Window in November is expected to cause upheaval in the operating system market, which is currently dominated by Microsoft.TmaxCore has consulted with vendors of computer parts and major PC manufacturers to conduct extensive interoperability and driver compatibility tests, and is now moving quickly toward releasing a finished product. After a one-month test period starting in October, during which general users can "test-drive" the product for free, Tmax Window will be available for purchase.The operating system provides the basic environment of the computer, and is required for the operation of other applications. This makes the operating system an indispensable product for all personal computers.The Korean market is even more lopsided, with MS Windows controlling 99% of the market. Essentially, there is no competition for Windows in Korea; computer users have historically had no alternatives when it came to operating systems. Until now.Tmax Window offers the following features:- Compatibility with MS Windows and MS Office suite- Stability through microkernel and avoidance of "feature bloat"- Compatibility with applications from a wide range of operating systems- A database management system (DBMS) included for efficient data management- Security settings that can be tailored to the individual or enterprise user- User interface that feels familiar to users of MS WindowsFurthermore, Tmax Window is expected to retail for much less than MS Windows.At "TmaxDay2009," TmaxCore demonstrated the speed of the Tmax Window booting process, which is lighter and faster than that of MS Windows. To prove Tmax Window compatibility with MS Windows applications, TmaxCore presenters ran MS Office and browsed the internet with Internet Explorer.Ahn Il-soo, the CEO of TmaxCore, said, "When considering the underdeveloped and underinvested Korean software industry, the ambition of a Korean software company to participate in the world market by developing a PC operating system with its own technology not only holds significant meaning of historic proportions but can be considered the greatest challenge for any software company to undertake."The Korean software industry hopes that Tmax Window will lay the foundation for future growth, as the release of this locally developed operating system is expected to heighten the importance of the local software in the minds of the general public, and could potentially open doors for other local firms.Park Dae-yeon, the Chairman of TmaxSoft, said, "In the future, software will be a driving force in enhancing Korea's national competitiveness and a growth engine for the country; this is why the advent of Tmax Window is a critical turning point in Korean software history. With Tmax Window, which can be used not only in desktops but also in netbooks, ATMs and POS systems, TmaxSoft will take a lead in the global software market as well as the local Korean market."Also revealed for the first time were the TmaxCore products Tmax Office and Tmax Scoutor, an office product and a web browser respectively. Tmax Office supports the latest document formats and is compatible with MS Office files. Tmax Scoutor is a robust internet browser that complies with international web standards and also supports ActiveX technology.Dr. Park, the Chairman of TmaxSoft, highlighted the fact that as a part of the core infrastructure of nearly every industry, software sales will be a prominent future growth engine. He also emphasized the need to create and support a wide range of software products, such as operating systems, databases, and middleware products. The integration of these products to build stable, high-performance systems, he said, is crucial to ensure survival amid strong global competition.TmaxCore was driven to develop an original operating system that would complement its database and middleware products. With the release of Tmax Window, TmaxCore joins the ranks of companies like IBM and Microsoft -- companies that are capable of providing a complete range of software products.After designing the leading Korean database and middleware products, Dr. Park set his sights on the operating system market. His goal with Tmax Window was to break into the Korean software market, which has been largely dominated by MS Windows, and offer computer users a new choice.Dr. Park said, "MS Windows virtually monopolizes the current domestic PC operating system market with a 99% market share; nearly 500 billion KRW ($500 million) of royalties each year have gone to overseas companies." He added, "This enormous market share has nowhere to go but down, and represents a golden opportunity for TmaxSoft."Furthermore, Dr. Park was confident that Tmax Window's revolutionary compatibility features -- unlike MS Windows, Tmax Window can run UNIX and MS Windows applications -- could change the future of the world.Dr. Park left the crowd with these final thoughts: "If Tmax Window takes even 10% of the world operating system market, the impact on Korea's economy would be huge, generating 4.4 billion dollars in annual sales and creating more than one hundred thousand new jobs in Korea," he said. "If a giant global software company were to arise in Korea, as many as ten new global brands could be created, thanks to inter-industry effects."