A publisher of magazines focusing on the Linux computer operating system has launched its North American headquarters in downtown Lawrence.

Linux New Media AG, based in Germany, officially opened its U.S. affiliate at 719 Mass. earlier this year.

The Lawrence office will take over publication of Linux Pro Magazine, the North American edition of the magazine known overseas as Linux Magazine.

“We have been gradually assembling a team in Lawrence for the past two years,” Brian Osborn, chief executive officer of Linux New Media USA and a Kansas University graduate, said in a statement.

“With the phenomenal growth of our English editions, we felt it was time to officially launch our North American presence.”

Osborn works in Germany.

Linux, a freely available operating system, was created and developed collectively by an international community of programmers.

“Linux is an operating system the whole world is working on,” said Joe Casad, editor-in-chief of Linux Pro and a KU graduate. “Programmers make changes to it, and the changes are shared with other users around the world.”

Casad and Rikki Kite, managing editor, work in Lawrence. Two local contract workers handle proofreading and advertising sales.