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Introduction
BOSS OS is an Indian Operating System based on GNU/Linux developed by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing(C-DAC), Chennai. It is developed to provide the benefit of using Free/Open source software to users across India.
This blog will discuss the topic of the BOSS OS in detail. To know more, let's move into the blog.
What is the Boss Operating System?
The first question that arises after hearing the name is, what does BOSS mean? So, the full form of BOSS is Bharat Operating System Solutions. The developer of this OS is the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC). This operating system is mainly based on Linux.
The latest version of this OS is released early this year in the month of February. The latest version's code name is Urja, with the Kernal version 5.0. However, the first version of BOSS OS was released in 2006.
History of BOSS OS
Let's look at the version history of the BOSS OS from 2006 to 2023.
The first version (1.0) was released in January 2006 with the code name Tarang.
The next version, i.e., version 2.0, was released in the month of September 2007. The code name of version 2.0 was Anant.
The new version of the BOSS OS, i.e., version 3.0, was released in September 2008. The code name of version 3.0 was Tejas.
The next version, i.e., version 4.0, took over two years and was released in April 2011 with the code name Savir.
In September 2013, version 5.0 was released, and the code name of this version was Anokha.
In August 2015, version 6.0 was released with the code name Anoop.
The next version came with more glossy UI themes and the latest version of applications. This version (7.0) was released in August 2018 with the code name Drishti. This was the last update that had the GNOME as a desktop environment.
In the new release, the desktop environment is changed to Cinnamon. This was version 8.0. The release date of this version was on 11 July 2019, and the code name given to this version was Unnati.
This is the latest version as of now, i.e., version 9.0. In this release, the Kernal version of Linux was updated from 5.2 to 5.10. This version was released on 19 February 2021 with the code name Urja.
Features of BOSS OS
We will now discuss the features of BOSS OS, which are as follows:
BOSS OS has a very user-friendly graphical installer.
It has an Indian version of OpenOffice with the name Bharatheeya OO.
It supports multimedia as well.
It can auto-detect the devices.
It also supports hardware such as printers, Wifi, Bluetooth, Digital cameras, Scanners, etc.
Variants of BOSS OS
There are mainly four types of variants in the BOSS OS. The list of these variants is as follows:
Desktop Version
Education Version
Server Version
Notebooks Version
How to Install the BOSS Operating System?
To install the BOSS Operating System, follow these steps:
1. Create a Bootable USB or DVD: If using a USB storage device, first make it bootable. Although the provided guide is for Ubuntu, the process to make the USB bootable for BOSS OS should be similar.'
2. Insert the Bootable Media: Insert the BOSS bootable DVD or USB drive into your computer, and configure your computer to boot from that drive through the BIOS settings.'
3. Select Installation Type: Once the system boots from the drive, navigate to 'Graphical install' using the keyboard and press Enter. Now, the mouse can be used for navigation.'
4. Choose Language: Select the language for installation from the available options, which include 10 Indian languages alongside English, and click on ‘Continue.’
5. Select Location: Choose your location to set the time zone, and click ‘Continue.’
6. Keyboard Configuration: Select the keyboard configuration and click 'Continue'.
7. Enter Hostname: After some additional tasks, enter the hostname for the system and click 'Continue.'
8. (Optional) Domain Name: Assign a domain name to the system or leave it blank, and click 'Continue.'
9. User Credentials: Set up the usernames and passwords or leave them blank, and click ‘Continue.’
10. Partition Disks: Partition the disks according to your preference. You can use the entire disk or create partitions. Select the disk partitioning scheme and click ‘Continue.’
11. Select Disk: Choose the disk for installation, and click ‘Continue.’
12. Partition Scheme: Choose a partition scheme. For new users, it's recommended to choose 'All files in one partition' and then click ‘Continue.’
How to Use the Boss Operating System?
This operating system can be used as any other Linux-based operating system. We start with user login then BOSS OS desktop is displayed which has some icons. Desktop background color can be changed by right click option and then choosing the change background option. Inside the all-setting option, under the system menu, we can view the details of the computer system as well as user information.
Additionally, the BOSS operating system comes with pre-installed web browsers that make visiting the internet easier, such as Mozilla Firefox and Chrome. With this it also has LibreOffice that has various features for editing and reading documents. Maps as a feature is an additional feature of the BOSS operating system.
BOSS vs Windows
Let's look at some comparisons based on the apps available in the BOSS OS and Windows.
Features
BOSS OS
Windows
Browser
Iceweasel
Internet Explorer
Email
Icedove
Outlook
Office Suit
Bharatheeya OO
Microsoft Office
PDF Viewer
Evince
Adobe PDF Reader
Media Player
Totem
Windows Media Player
Audio Player
Banshee
Winamp
Designing
GIMP
Adobe Photoshop
Instant Messaging
Pidgin
Windows Messanger
Advantages of BOSS OS
There are many pros to using the BOSS OS. Some of them are mentioned below.
It is an open-source operating system and is available for free.
It comes with a wide range of language settings, including regional languages like Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, etc.
The BOSS OS is based on Linux and is a very stable operating system.
This OS was mainly made to provide a secure system to the government of India. Hence it is secure as well.
It is easier to shift from Windows to the BOSS OS as it offers a wide range in the field of education.
This OS does not need any system reboot after installing software like Windows.
Disadvantages of BOSS OS
If there are pros to something, there must be some cons also. So, let's look at some cons of BOSS OS.
The variety of applications in the BOSS OS is less as compared to Windows.
It is completely different from other operating systems, so if a user wants to use this OS, then then they have to learn the BOSS OS.
There is one more issue with this OS, which is the driver's issue. The company generally make drivers for Windows and Mac OS, not for Linux.
There is no application store for the BOSS OS. So, the new user may face difficulties while using the BOSS OS for the first time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the boss operating system?
BOSS OS is an Indian Operating system based on GNU/Linux developed by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) in Chennai. It is provides a Free/Open source software all over India.
What is the difference between Windows and BOSS OS?
BOSS is based on the Linux kernel, while Windows is based on the Windows NT kernel. This fundamental difference in the underlying architecture leads to functionality, software compatibility, and user experience variations.
Who developed BOSS OS?
The creator of BOSS OS is C-DAC which means the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing.
What is the full form of boss Linux?
The full form of BOSS is Bharat Operating System Solutions.
Is Boss Linux free?
Boss Linux is an open-source, free application. It was made available to users under various types of open-source licenses, including the GNU General Public License (GPL), which permits unlimited usage, alterations, and sharing.
Which OS is made by India?
Boss operating system is made by India. Boss is Bharat Operating System Solutions. It is developed by the National Resource Centre for Free and Open Source Software (NRCFOSS) of India's Department of Information Technology (now known as the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology).
Conclusion
This article discusses the topic of the BOSS OS in detail. We have seen the definition, usages, working, pros and cons of the CQRS Design Pattern.
We hope this blog has helped you enhance your knowledge of the BOSS OS. If you want to learn more, then check out our articles.
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