BharOS is a free and open-source operating system developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) in India. It is based on the Linux kernel and is designed to meet the needs of the Indian government and citizens. It includes features such as support for Indian languages, compliance with Indian laws and regulations, and support for Indian government-approved encryption algorithms. BharOS is intended to be used in government and other critical infrastructure systems, as well as for personal use.
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| BharOS Software ║ Operating Systems ║ Function of Operating System. |
Recently, an IIT Madras-incubated company has developed the BharOS. It is an indigenous mobile operating system (OS), like Android or iOS. It is focused on
privacy and security.
A mobile operating system is a software that is the core interface on a smartphone like Android by Google and iOS by Apple, which help smartphone users interact with their device and access its features, while ensuring safety.
BharOS is a contribution towards the idea of a self-reliant India or ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ by creating a secure OS environment for India-based users.
BharOS Services are currently being provided to organisations that have stringent privacy and security requirements and whose users handle sensitive information that requires confidential communications on restricted apps on mobiles.
Such users require access to private cloud services through private 5G networks.
Features:
Native Over the Air: BharOS would offer Native Over the Air (NOTA) updates, meaning that security updates and bug fixes will be automatically installed rather than users having to check for updates and implementing them on their own.
No Default Apps: No Default Apps (NDA) setting, means that users do not have to keep or use pre- installed apps in this mobile operating system.
NDA is key as many pre-installed apps that currently ship with other smartphones can slow down the device or take a toll on battery life by acting as bloatware.
Going with an NDA design for BharOS was intentional as it will let users have more control over the apps on their mobile phones based on the user’s trust in the app and the kind of data they store on their phone.
Private App Store Services:
It will use a system known as Private App Store Services (PASS), which will examine and curate the apps that are safe for the users.
Users will be able to use other apps, as long as they meet BharOS’ PASS standards.
Significance:
The project aims to reduce the dependence on foreign OS in smartphones and promote the use of locally developed technology.
It is a huge leap forward to create an indigenous ecosystem and a self-reliant future.
It aspires to put India on par with those few countries that currently possess such capabilities.
How BharOS is Different from Google Android?
BharOS is based on Android Open-Source Project (AOSP) and is somewhat similar to Google Android. However, it does not come preloaded with Google services like in regular Google Android phones. So BharOS users are free to download only those apps that they like or prefer rather than being forced.
Android phone with stock OS usually have Chrome set up as default browser. BharOS makers are looking to partner with DuckDuck Go for its default browser.
DuckDuck Go is a privacy-focused browser with several privacy-centric features
like anonymous browsing mode and Privacy Grade.
C-DAC
The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) is an Indian government research and development organization that focuses on the development of advanced technology in the areas of high performance computing, multimedia, and software technology. It was established in 1988 by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), with the goal of developing a world-class supercomputing infrastructure for the country. C-DAC also develops software and systems for various domains, such as e-Governance, health, education, agriculture, and finance. Additionally, C-DAC provides various services like technical consulting, training, and support to the Indian industry and government organizations.
What is Operating System?
An operating system (OS) is a software program that manages the hardware and software resources of a computer. It acts as an intermediary between the computer's user and the hardware, providing a consistent way for applications to interact with the various components of the system. Operating systems are responsible for tasks such as memory management, process management, and input/output operations. They also provide a user interface, such as a command line interface or a graphical user interface, that allows users to interact with the computer. Some examples of popular operating systems include Windows, MacOS, Linux, and iOS.
Functions of Operating System
The main functions of an operating system (OS) include:
Memory management: The OS manages the computer's memory, ensuring that each program has enough memory to run and that no program takes up more than its fair share.
Process management: The OS controls the execution of various programs and processes, by creating, scheduling, and terminating processes.
Input/output management: The OS manages the communication between the computer and its input and output devices, such as keyboard, mouse, monitor, disk drives, etc.
File management: The OS manages the organization, storage, retrieval and protection of files on disk or other storage devices.
Security: The OS provides a set of security mechanisms to protect the system and user's data against unauthorized access, viruses, and other security threats.
Networking: The OS allows the computer to connect to other computers over a network, and manage the communication between them.
Resource allocation: The OS ensures that system resources, such as CPU time, memory, and disk space, are allocated fairly and efficiently among the various programs and processes.
Error detection and recovery: The OS detects and handles errors that occur in the system, such as a program crashing or a disk error, and takes appropriate actions to recover from them.
Types of Operating Systems
There are several types of operating systems, including:
Single-user, single-tasking: These are the most basic type of operating systems, designed to run on a single computer and support only one user at a time.
Single-user, multi-tasking: These operating systems allow a single user to run multiple programs or tasks simultaneously.
Multi-user: These operating systems allow multiple users to access the computer's resources simultaneously.
Real-time: These operating systems are designed to process data as it is received, with a very strict response time. They are commonly used in industrial control systems, process control, and robotics.
Embedded: These operating systems are designed to run on devices with limited resources, such as mobile phones, routers, and IoT devices.
Server: These operating systems are designed to handle the demands of networked environments, providing services to multiple clients and managing shared resources.
Mobile: These operating systems are designed for mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Examples include Android, iOS and Windows Mobile.
Hybrid: This type of operating systems combine the features of two or more of the above types of operating systems.
32-bit OS versus 64-bit OS
A 32-bit operating system (OS) and a 64-bit OS are both types of operating systems, but they differ in terms of their memory management capabilities.
A 32-bit OS can only address up to 4GB of memory, meaning that it can only utilize 4GB of RAM at most. This can be limiting for some applications or tasks that require more memory, such as running multiple high-resource programs simultaneously or running high-end games.
On the other hand, a 64-bit OS can address much more memory, typically up to several terabytes. This means that a 64-bit system can utilize more RAM, which can lead to better performance for memory-intensive tasks. This is especially beneficial for running high-end applications and games, scientific simulations, and large databases.
Another difference between 32-bit and 64-bit OS is that the former is limited to 32-bit CPU instructions, while the latter is capable of executing 64-bit CPU instructions. This means that a 64-bit processor can process more data per clock cycle than a 32-bit processor, which can result in faster performance.
t's worth noting that 64-bit OS can run 32-bit applications, but 32-bit OS cannot run 64-bit applications.
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