Sun Microsystems, a leader in the Unix server market, and its partner, Innovative Information Systems (IIS), have announced a programme to support developers in the Greater China region.
It will consist of an online forum and a hotline, both of which will operate in English and Chinese.
Stephen Furney-Howe, Sun's iPlanet vice-president for Asia-Pacific, described the project as a 'pioneering developer's support programme in the Greater China market'.
'This programme is part of our strategic investments in supporting the needs of the developer communities in Hong Kong and the mainland, and through it we have been able to provide developers with the support and back-up they need in a simple, direct and easy-to-access way,' he said.
IIS, a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Itochu, said it was already seeing the programme as a success.
IIS president Harumi Ito said: 'We are already receiving positive feedback from developers at our partners' locations. There are many informal forums on the Internet, but what makes ours unique is that we offer the professional advice and counsel of qualified engineers.'