China’s homegrown operating system Kylin OS (麒麟操作系统), developed since 2001, is far more than just a software project. It represents a strategic tool for China to defend its digital sovereignty in the frontlines of the US-China tech competition, and has now evolved into a next-generation platform leading the AI era.

The latest version, Kylin V11 (Galaxy Kylin OS V11), unveiled at the China Operating System Industry Conference in Beijing in August 2025, marks a historic milestone as China’s first commercial operating system based on Linux 6.6 LTS kernel. With revolutionary AI integration and comprehensive support for Chinese semiconductors, it sets new standards for the industry. But why did China develop its own OS when Windows and Linux already existed? And how practical is it really?

 

Kylin-OS-Logo

 

 

1. Development Background – Why China Needed Its Own OS

1.1 The Urgent Need for Digital Sovereignty

The problem China faced in 2001 was more serious than most realized. Government agencies, military facilities, and critical infrastructure were all running on foreign operating systems, creating fundamental concerns about national security in the digital age. Since operating systems serve as the brain of computers, handling all program-hardware communication and data processing, any hidden backdoors could potentially expose all of a nation’s digital information to the OS developer’s country.

Major Concerns and Their Context:

  • Backdoor Risks: Fears of foreign government information gathering and cyber espionage activities, particularly heightened after revelations about programs like the NSA’s PRISM surveillance system made such concerns seem very real.
  • Supply Chain Disruption: Risk of software support or updates being cut off during international sanctions or trade disputes, which later materialized with incidents like the Huawei restrictions.
  • Technology Dependence: Constraints on autonomous development due to reliance on foreign core technologies, creating a vicious cycle that could fundamentally limit national competitiveness.
  • Data Sovereignty: Risks of national secrets and personal information being leaked overseas, especially critical as cloud services expanded and questions arose about where data is stored and who can access it.

1.2 Project 863 and Project Initiation

The 863 Program (officially: National High-Tech Research and Development Program) began in March 1986 as a massive national project aimed at China’s scientific and technological self-reliance. Operating system development became a core task under this program starting in 2001. The program focused on seven high-tech fields: biotechnology, space technology, information technology, laser technology, automation technology, energy technology, and new materials. Within information technology, operating systems were recognized as the most fundamental yet strategic technology.

Project Name 863 Program (High-Tech R&D Program)
Start Year 1986 (OS development began 2001)
Lead Institution National University of Defense Technology (NUDT)
Development Goals Secure independent IP rights, build high-security systems
Cumulative Investment Estimated hundreds of billions of dollars (exact amount classified)
Participating Personnel Initial 100+ → Current thousands

Specific Development Objectives and Strategy:

  1. Multi-platform Support: Achieving universality across various architectures (x86, ARM, MIPS, RISC-V) for unrestricted hardware usage
  2. High Performance and Availability: Targeting 99.99%+ system uptime for mission-critical environments like finance and telecommunications
  3. Military-grade Security: Achieving B2+ security certification for safe use in national security systems
  4. International Standards Compliance: Maintaining Unix/Linux compatibility while developing independent capabilities

 

 

2. Technical Evolution – The Journey from FreeBSD to Linux

2.1 Early FreeBSD-based Development (2001-2010)

The Kylin development team initially chose FreeBSD 5.3 as their technical foundation. Rather than building a new operating system from scratch, this was a pragmatic approach of adapting a proven system to China’s specific requirements. FreeBSD, developed at UC Berkeley, was renowned for high stability and security, particularly excelling in server environments.

Reasons for Choosing FreeBSD:

  • BSD License Freedom: Unlike GPL, no obligation to publish source code modifications, making it suitable for government/military systems with commercial flexibility
  • Proven Security: Relatively few security holes and stable reputation among Unix variants, suitable for security-critical government and military installations
  • Server Optimization: Optimized for high-performance server operations, providing necessary performance and stability for large-scale government systems
  • Commercial Freedom: No license issues when modifying for government/military use, with no restrictions on future commercialization

The 2006 “Dancefire Incident” Shock and Lessons

In 2006, a Chinese student in Australia using the pseudonym “Dancefire” published a detailed analysis of Kylin OS’s kernel, causing major shockwaves in China’s IT industry. This analysis went beyond academic curiosity to raise fundamental questions about Kylin OS’s originality.

Analysis Item Result Meaning
Kernel Similarity 99.45% match with FreeBSD 5.3 Near copy-level similarity
Original Code 0.55% of total Minimal substantial development
Major Changes Chinese language support, some drivers Surface-level modifications only
Technical Innovation Almost none Highlighted need for independent tech development

This incident provided learning opportunities for China’s IT industry beyond just technical controversy. First, it established that genuine technological independence requires core technology development, not just surface branding. Second, it reinforced that even when using open-source technology, sufficient added value and originality must be provided. Third, it highlighted the need for long-term, systematic technology development roadmaps.

2.2 Strategic Linux Transition (2010-)

After the 2006 controversy, China realized more fundamental change was needed. Starting with Kylin 3.0 in 2010, they undertook a major transition to the Linux kernel. This represented more than just a technical choice—it signified a comprehensive review and new direction for China’s IT development strategy.

Strategic Reasons and Technical Advantages of Linux Transition:

  1. Dramatically Expanded Hardware Support
    • Diverse Architectures: Broad support for ARM, MIPS, RISC-V, LoongArch processors, enabling full utilization of Chinese-developed CPUs
    • Chinese Hardware Optimization: Perfect support for domestically developed processors like Loongson MIPS, Hygon x86-compatible, and Phytium ARM-based CPUs
    • Embedded Scalability: Expandability from smartphones to IoT devices, enabling unified ecosystem construction
  2. Developer Ecosystem Utilization
    • Global Collaboration: Benefits from tens of thousands of developers worldwide while maintaining independent functionality
    • Rapid Updates: Quick integration of security patches and new features for agile response to tech trends
    • Skill Development: Chinese developers learning international standards while incorporating domestic requirements
  3. Mobile and Cloud Era Response
    • Android Integration: Compatibility with Android through shared Linux kernel, extending mobile app ecosystem to desktop
    • Container Technology: Full support for Docker, Kubernetes and modern cloud-native technologies
    • Scalability: Unified technology stack from personal PCs to large-scale data centers

2.3 Major Version History and Technical Milestones

Kylin OS’s development shows China’s determination and execution capability for technological independence. Each version had clear objectives and innovations, representing continuous technical evolution rather than simple version updates.

Version Year Kernel Key Features Application Areas Technical Innovation
Kylin 1.0 2001 FreeBSD 5.3 B2 security certification, 64-bit support Military, government China’s first indigenous OS attempt
Kylin 3.0 2010 Linux 2.6 Kernel transition, MIPS support Server, desktop Beginning of Linux-based transition
NeoKylin 2010 Linux 2.6+ Commercialization, enterprise partnerships Enterprise, education Private sector expansion
Kylin V10 2020 Linux 4.19 10,000 device compatibility, Android support Government-wide, private Ecosystem expansion
Kylin V11 2025 Linux 6.6 AI integration, Chinese semiconductors Next-gen platform Leading AI era response

 

 

3. KYSEC Security Framework – Implementing Chinese Security Philosophy

3.1 SELinux Limitations and KYSEC Development Background

Existing Linux security mainly relied on SELinux (Security-Enhanced Linux) developed by the US NSA. However, SELinux presented several fundamental problems from China’s perspective. The biggest issue was depending on potentially hostile foreign code for core security functions. Despite being open source, concerns persisted about intentionally hidden backdoors or vulnerabilities in complex security mechanisms.

Additionally, SELinux’s extreme complexity made it difficult for non-security experts to properly utilize, creating practical problems. This complexity led to SELinux being disabled on many systems, defeating its intended security purpose.

Against this background, China developed KYSEC (Kylin Security, 麒麟安全), an independent security framework. While KYSEC has the complex official name “Kernel Security Access Unified Control Framework,” its core is a security system designed from scratch for China’s security requirements and cultural characteristics.

3.2 Detailed Comparison: SELinux vs KYSEC

Understanding the differences between these security systems clarifies why China pursued independent security framework development.

Comparison Item SELinux KYSEC Difference Explanation
Developer NSA (US National Security Agency) NUDT (China’s National University of Defense Technology) Developer nationality and trust issues
Configuration Complexity Very High (CLI-focused) Medium (GUI tools provided) Usability and accessibility improvements
Policy Language English-based complex grammar Chinese-supported intuitive interface Language barrier resolution and localization
Crypto Standards FIPS 140-2 (US standard) GM/T series (Chinese national standard) National cryptographic standard differences
Biometrics Limited (plugin-based) 4-type integrated native support Multi-biometric native support
Performance Overhead 5-10% 3-7% Performance improvement through optimization
Access Control DAC + MAC MAC + RBAC + ABAC More granular permission control
Policy Updates Manual (expert required) Semi-automatic (AI-assisted) Greatly improved management convenience

3.3 KYSEC Core Technologies and Innovations

Chinese Implementation of Mandatory Access Control (MAC)

KYSEC’s core is its Mandatory Access Control system. Unlike typical Linux systems using Discretionary Access Control (DAC) where file owners have full control, MAC systems prioritize system-wide security policies over individual user permissions.

KYSEC MAC’s Hierarchical Security Model:

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│       Level 4: Top Secret (绝密)      │  ← Highest classification, multi-auth required
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│       Level 3: Secret (机密)          │  ← Departmental secrets, approval needed
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│       Level 2: Internal (内部)        │  ← Internal use, membership verification
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│       Level 1: Public (公开)          │  ← General public, basic authentication
└─────────────────────────────────────┘

This hierarchical structure prevents even administrators from accessing information above their security clearance, effectively preventing insider threats.

Multi-biometric System Innovation

KYSEC’s other innovative feature is an integrated authentication system supporting four biometric technologies simultaneously. This isn’t just multiple technologies listed together, but an intelligent system that can select or combine optimal authentication methods based on situation and security level.

Supported Biometric Methods:

  1. Fingerprint Authentication: <1 second recognition, 99.9% accuracy, works in dry/humid conditions
  2. Finger Vein Authentication: <2 seconds, 99.99% accuracy, requires living person (forgery-proof)
  3. Iris Recognition: <3 seconds, 99.999% accuracy (can distinguish twins), 30cm contactless
  4. Voice Recognition: <5 seconds, 99.5% accuracy, hands-free capable

 

 

4. Kylin V11’s AI Integration – New Paradigm for OS Innovation

4.1 Strategic Background and Technical Vision

Kylin V11’s most revolutionary feature is complete AI integration at the operating system level. This isn’t simply adding AI applications, but embedding AI functionality into the OS’s core architecture, applying intelligent optimization to all system operations.

The AI integration follows a hybrid local-cloud processing strategy:

Task Type Processing Location Response Time Data Security Power Consumption Quality
Simple Q&A Local NPU <100ms Complete security Low High
Document summary/translation Local CPU+GPU <5s Complete security Medium High
Image generation Hybrid 10-30s Selective encryption High Very High
Complex conversational AI Cloud-first 5-15s Encrypted transmission Low Very High
Specialized analysis Cloud-only 30s-5min Full encryption Low Highest

4.2 Heterogeneous Computing Scheduling Innovation

Kylin V11’s technical innovation includes integrated CPU, GPU, NPU heterogeneous computing scheduling. This intelligent workload distribution maximizes each processing unit’s characteristics while minimizing power consumption.

Processing Unit Roles:

  • CPU: Complex logic operations, sequential processing, system control
  • GPU: Parallel computing, matrix calculations, image/video processing
  • NPU: Dedicated AI inference, low-power neural network operations

Performance optimization results show 300-500% speed improvement, 40-60% power savings, and 30-50% longer battery life compared to single-processor systems.

 

 

5. Supercomputer-Verified Extreme Performance

5.1 Real-world Validation on Tianhe Series Supercomputers

Kylin OS’s capabilities were proven on China’s flagship Tianhe supercomputers. Supercomputers demand extreme performance and stability far beyond regular PCs, making stable operation here the strongest evidence of an OS’s technical completeness.

Tianhe-1 Supercomputer Case Study

Tianhe-1, China’s first petaflop-scale supercomputer achieving world #1 performance in 2010, chose Kylin Linux for symbolic significance demonstrating Chinese OS technical maturity.

Specification Details Kylin Linux Optimization
Total Performance 2.566 petaflops (theoretical peak) Special parallel processing scheduler optimization
CPU Configuration 14,336 Intel Xeon E5540 NUMA topology optimization
GPU Acceleration 7,168 NVIDIA Tesla M2050 CUDA integration and GPU scheduling
Total Memory 262TB DDR3 Large-scale memory management algorithms
Uptime 99.9%+ sustained Real-time error detection and recovery

Tianhe-1 achieved over 90% theoretical performance utilization with Kylin Linux, compared to typical 70-80% for most supercomputers.

5.2 High-Performance Computing Optimizations

Large-scale Parallel Processing Optimization

Supercomputer Kylin Linux features completely different parallel processing optimizations than standard versions. Coordinating tens of thousands of CPU cores efficiently while maintaining cooperation is an extremely complex technical challenge.

Memory Management Innovations:

  • NUMA Optimization: Prioritizing CPU access to nearby memory, reducing latency by 20-30%
  • Huge Pages: Using 2MB/1GB pages instead of 4KB for dramatically reduced TLB misses
  • Memory Compression: Real-time compression of unused areas, handling 30-50% more data
  • Predictive Prefetching: AI-based prediction for preloading likely-needed data

 

 

6. Android Application Support – Perfect Mobile-Desktop Fusion

6.1 Technical Implementation Complexity

Running Android applications on Linux is technically complex despite both using the Linux kernel. Kylin OS developed an innovative hybrid approach combining container technology with native bridges.

Hybrid Runtime Environment Architecture:

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│      Android Applications (.apk)     │  ← Original apps run unchanged
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│    Android Runtime (ART)            │  ← Virtual machine environment
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│    Android Framework APIs           │  ← Android API emulation
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│    Kylin Bridge Compatibility Layer  │  ← Core innovation technology
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│    LXC Container Environment        │  ← Isolated execution environment
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│    Kylin OS Native Layer            │  ← Linux system calls
└─────────────────────────────────────┘

6.2 Application Support Status and Performance

Fully Supported Categories (95%+ compatibility):

  • Messaging & Social Media: WeChat, QQ, DingTalk, Telegram
  • Productivity Tools: WPS Office, note-taking apps with enhanced keyboard/mouse support
  • Media Players: QQ Music, NetEase Cloud Music, iQiyi, Youku
  • E-commerce: Taobao, Tmall, JD.com with full payment system support

Partially Supported (70-90% compatibility):

  • ⚠️ Games: Casual games work well, but high-performance 3D games may have limitations
  • ⚠️ Camera Apps: Basic photo/video capture works, but advanced AR filters may not
  • ⚠️ Maps/Navigation: Basic mapping works, but GPS accuracy may vary

 

 

7. Real-world Deployment and Use Cases

7.1 Government Digital Transformation

Siping City Complete Migration Project

Siping City’s complete migration from Windows to NeoKylin represents one of the world’s largest government OS migrations in IT history.

Metric Before (Windows) After (NeoKylin) Improvement
Target Organizations City government + 120 agencies Same Unified management system
Migrated PCs ~15,000 units ~15,000 units 100% migration complete
Duration 18 months (2014-2015) Phased seamless transition
Training Participants 18,000 (staff + external) Systematic training system
Total Investment ~$5 million ROI achieved within 3 years
Annual Savings ~$2 million 70% license cost reduction

Results and Long-term Impact:

  • Enhanced Security: 90%+ reduction in malware infections, improved defense against external attacks
  • Cost Reduction: 70% annual software license savings, totaling $10M+ over 5 years
  • Performance Improvement: 50% faster boot times, improved responsiveness
  • ⚠️ Adaptation Period: Initial 3-month adjustment period, but 6-month mark showed higher efficiency than before

7.2 Space and Aviation Applications

Tianwen-1 Mars Mission

China’s first Mars exploration mission used Kylin OS as critical infrastructure across the entire system, from Earth control centers to Mars rovers.

Extreme Environment Validation:

  • 🌡️ Temperature Extremes: -180°C to +120°C operation for 14+ months without errors
  • ☢️ Radiation Resistance: Survived strong cosmic radiation with built-in error detection/recovery
  • 🔋 Power Constraints: Optimized power management for solar panel limitations
  • 📡 Communication Delays: 20+ minute delays required fully autonomous AI decision-making

7.3 Commercial Success and Enterprise Adoption

Dell Strategic Partnership

Dell’s large-scale Ubuntu Kylin pre-installation in China represents significant global recognition.

Phase Year Pre-install Rate Models Annual Sales Strategy
Pilot Introduction 2018 15% 12 models ~500K units Market response testing
Full Expansion 2020 28% 24 models ~1.2M units Lineup expansion
Mainstream Entry 2023 42% 36 models ~1.8M units Default option status
Market Leadership 2025 Expected 50% 40+ models Expected 2.2M units Standard platform

 

 

8. Technical Challenges and Solutions

8.1 Current Major Technical Challenges

Software Ecosystem Structural Limitations

Software Category Total Market Kylin Support Support Rate Major Missing Software Alternative Solutions
Office Software 100+ 85+ 85% MS Office 365 WPS Office, LibreOffice
Web Browsers 20+ 18+ 90% Internet Explorer Chrome, Firefox, 360 Browser
Media Editing 50+ 25+ 50% Adobe Creative Suite GIMP, DaVinci Resolve
Development Tools 200+ 150+ 75% Visual Studio VSCode, IntelliJ IDEA
CAD/Design 30+ 8+ 27% AutoCAD, SolidWorks FreeCAD, LibreCAD
Games 10,000+ 500+ 5% Most AAA games Steam Proton, cloud gaming

8.2 Performance Optimization Improvements

Memory Usage Optimization

Memory Usage Comparison (idle after boot)
Kylin V10:  ████████████ 2.1GB (without AI)
Kylin V11:  ████████ 1.6GB (with AI, 24% improvement)
Ubuntu:     ███████ 1.4GB
Windows 11: ████████████████ 3.2GB
macOS Big Sur: ██████████████ 2.8GB

Boot Speed Optimization (SSD-based):

Boot Stage Kylin V10 Kylin V11 Improvement Optimization Technology
BIOS/UEFI 3s 3s Hardware-dependent
Kernel Loading 8s 5s 37.5% ↑ Kernel module optimization
Service Startup 12s 7s 41.7% ↑ Parallel initialization, lazy loading
Desktop Ready 5s 3s 40% ↑ GPU acceleration, cache utilization
Usable State 28s 18s 35.7% ↑ Comprehensive optimization

 

 

9. Future Outlook and Development Strategy

9.1 Short-term Roadmap (2025-2027): AI Ecosystem Completion

2025 Q4: Kylin V11.1 “Enhanced Intelligence”

  • 🧠 Expanded Local AI: 7B to 13B parameter models for more sophisticated AI assistance
  • 🎨 Real-time Creative Tools: Live image generation, automated charts, presentation slides
  • 📝 Enhanced Coding Assistant: GitHub Copilot-level code completion and bug detection

2026: Kylin V12 “Predictive Computing”

  • 🤖 Personalized AI Assistant: Learning individual work patterns and preferences
  • 🔮 Predictive System Management: Anticipating and auto-resolving system issues
  • 🌐 Real-time Multilingual AI: 50+ language support with cultural nuance consideration

2027: Kylin V13 “Ambient Intelligence”

  • 🧬 Biometric-based Personalization: Real-time analysis of user state for optimal environments
  • 🎯 Work Pattern AI Optimization: Learning and suggesting most productive times/methods
  • 🔊 Natural Language System Control: Voice-only operation for complex tasks

9.2 Long-term Vision (2028-2035): Global Platform Leap

Belt and Road Initiative Expansion Strategy

Priority Target Markets:

1st Priority: Southeast Asia

  • 🎯 Key Countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines
  • 💰 Market Size: ~$800M (20% annual growth)
  • 📈 Entry Strategy: Government digital infrastructure projects
  • 🤝 Localization: Language support, cultural considerations, telecom partnerships

2nd Priority: Central & West Asia

  • 🎯 Key Countries: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Turkey
  • 💰 Market Size: ~$500M (15% annual growth)
  • 📈 Entry Strategy: Energy and infrastructure cooperation packages

3rd Priority: Africa

  • 🎯 Key Countries: Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria
  • 💰 Market Size: ~$1.2B (25% annual growth)
  • 📈 Entry Strategy: Education and healthcare digitalization projects

9.3 Challenges and Risk Management

Technical Challenges

Key Technical Issues to Resolve:

  • 🔧 Hardware Fragmentation: Supporting too many Chinese chipsets creates optimization burden
  • 🌐 International Standards Balance: Harmonizing Chinese tech with global compatibility
  • 🛡️ Advanced Cybersecurity: AI-based proactive security systems for evolving threats
  • Power Efficiency: Minimizing AI power consumption while improving performance

External Environmental Risks

Political-Economic Variables:

  • 🌍 Geopolitical Conflicts: Intensifying US-China tech competition may limit international cooperation
  • 📜 Regulatory Strengthening: Increasing regulations like GDPR, US national security rules
  • 💸 Supply Chain Sanctions: Expanded restrictions on semiconductors and key components
  • 🤝 Open Source Relations: Political tensions potentially affecting technical community cooperation

 

 

The Future Kylin OS Presents

Kylin OS has evolved from a tool for China’s digital sovereignty to an innovative platform leading the AI era through its 24-year journey. The progression from FreeBSD to Linux, and now to an AI-integrated OS with comprehensive Chinese semiconductor support, demonstrates both the possibility and importance of technological independence.

Meaning of Technical Achievements

Verified Technical Capabilities:

  • KYSEC Security Framework: Achieved national secret-level security through GB/T20272 Level IV certification
  • Extreme Environment Validation: Perfect stability proven in supercomputers and space programs
  • Leading AI Integration: Next-generation computing paradigm through OS-level AI integration
  • Hardware Ecosystem: Technical independence foundation with perfect support for 8 Chinese CPU architectures

Practical Market Results:

  • 📊 90% overwhelming market share in Chinese government sector, leading public digital transformation
  • 🚀 16 million installations achieved, maintaining #1 position in China’s Linux market for 14 consecutive years
  • 🌐 7 million hardware/software compatibility creating practical ecosystem
  • 💼 42% Dell PC pre-installation rate gaining global enterprise recognition

Impact on Global IT Ecosystem

Kylin OS’s success promotes multipolarization of the operating system market. Moving beyond the Windows-macOS duopoly to region and purpose-specific operating systems creates healthy competition and accelerates innovation.

The AI-era OS design philosophy particularly provides important inspiration for other platforms. Microsoft’s Copilot integration in Windows 11 and Apple’s AI enhancement in macOS likely drew influence from Kylin V11’s pioneering efforts.

New Model for Technological Sovereignty

Kylin OS’s development provides a concrete methodology for achieving technological sovereignty. Rather than simply excluding foreign technology, it demonstrates a balanced approach of actively utilizing open-source ecosystems while developing original technologies meeting national requirements.

Implications for Global Markets

Countries worldwide can learn from Kylin OS’s success. Projects like Russia’s Astra Linux, India’s indigenous OS discussions, and Europe’s digital sovereignty policies all draw lessons from Kylin OS’s achievements.

Key Success Factors:

  • 🎯 Clear Vision and Goals: Consistent direction maintained for 24 years
  • 💰 Sustained Investment: Long-term stable government support
  • 🏛️ Public Sector Priority: Market foundation through government adoption
  • 🤝 Industry-Academia Cooperation: Close collaboration between universities, research institutes, and enterprises
  • 🌏 International Standards Compliance: Open technology development avoiding isolation

Future Prospects and Challenges

Kylin OS’s biggest future challenge is global market expansion. While building on domestic success for gradual overseas expansion through Belt and Road countries, language and cultural barriers, existing software ecosystem compatibility, and geopolitical tensions remain obstacles.

However, with fundamental OS paradigm shifts in the AI era, Kylin OS’s innovative approaches deserve attention. OS-level AI integration, multi-biometric security systems, and heterogeneous computing optimization represent important technical achievements pointing toward next-generation computing directions.

As technology competition intensifies, each country and region securing unique technological characteristics and competitiveness becomes essential rather than optional. As Kylin OS’s 24-year journey demonstrates, genuine technological independence and innovation can be achieved through sustained investment, clear vision, and open yet original technology development. 🙂

 

 


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