The Hindu Business Line : India Softima offers Linux-based products

THE search for a practical solution to the problem of developing real time operating system to monitor pre-launch manoeuvres for the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, has resulted in an interesting spin- off development for the Hyderabad-based, India Softima Services Pvt Ltd.

Using the open source Linux operating platform, the company's research and development group has developed IndoOS-Desktop, a cost-effective, one-stop software solution, which can meet the personal computer (PC) user's needs such as office, Internet, e-mail and multimedia.

What Softima has done is develop a `Smart Installer', which has a user-friendly menu to help even a beginner make best use of the PC. Further, IndoOS is compatible with Windows and easily recognises the Windows partitions to ensure integration into the network, explained Wg Cdr (Retd) Mr K.V.G.K. Sastry, Director and Commander (Retd) R. Dasari, Project Manager.

They said IndoOS-Desktop also integrates well with a variety of PC motherboards, scanners, printers and peripherals. The product would be offered at affordable costs so that a large number of common PC users could benefit. Since Linux is virus-free, "we see potential opportunities for the use of the product at cyber cafes, schools and educational institutions, homes, organisations with data management etc," they told Business Line.

The IndoOS packs a browser, an operating system, office applications, games etc in one CD. The user can work with MS-Office applications of Word, Excel and Power Point. The package, which includes applications for graphics, flow and organisation charts, was launched today.

As for the original challenge, Softima has developed a Real Time Linux Operating System on a modified Linux platform and offered it to the Thiruvananthapuram-based, VSSC, a research institute under ISRO, they said.