JOIN USNiket -a fourth semester student pursuing Electronics and Communication (EC)- and Wasim -who is in the same stage in his pursuit of Information Sciences (IS) from the college- started to work on the OS five months ago, after they didn't have a new system to play latest computer games.
"Through our contacts with several programmers, we have learnt to create the basic framework of the OS and developed drives that allows the system to have almost all kinds of features you might find in popular OS such as Windows XP," Niket told Deccan Herald, demonstrating the software. As they worked on it, the duo also set about correcting some of the nagging issues with OS like Windows XP and Vista.
Besides being light-weight, the software boasts of greater security, optimised bandwidth for downloading files from the internet, and features to change folder settings and customise the way a user wants them.
Niket attributes the faster performance of the OS to the absence of unused pieces of software that invariably stick around in programmes like Windows XP. "Frankly, many of us don't use things like Windows Firewall (that comes with the OS), given that there are several effective virus protection technology. By not adding such unused features, you can keep the system lighter and nimble," he adds.
Currently in the testing stage in their college labs, the Operating System is to undergo further "transformation" before it is released to the public. Niket and Wasim are determined to add "entirely new" features and concepts that would make the OS totally different from those in use now.
"Thanks to great encouragement from our teachers (Prof Aravind and Prof Mani) and also our heads of department (Dr Manjunath and Dr Vijaykumar), we are able to carry on with the OS development," Niket added.