@nForce and other linux supporters here...
This OS we are discussing here is not for general mass use, its for military use. The only concern here is to make it tightly plugged against the cyber attacks that we saw in last few months and hearing on a daily basis.
They are not going the Linux or Open source way rather designing everything from scratch.
For non secure systems I guess there is a distro by foss.in named BOSS, which is nothing but a replica of ubuntu again
Well at first let me apologize for going a bit off topic.
Actually I wanted to focus more upon the cost involved and got carried away.U see developing an entire new OS from the scratch will be quite costly and will involve much R & D as well as a sizable amount of quality manpower.But if we use the Linux kernel and build a system upon that then we can avoid a major part of the costs involved.
Now let us move our focus to the technical issues that might arise.If we develop an entire new OS like Windows,Linux,Unix,BSD etc then I think the biggest problem we may face is with compatibility.We will have to develop entire set of drivers to make different hardware components compatible with the OS.Also,developing the OS will only be the tip of the iceberg so far as the problems involved are concerned.We will have to develop entire new set of softwares for the new OS,as u cannot expect softwares compatible with Windows or Linux to run on the new OS.Also software development is done by many different entities world over.So we have many options/solutions available.This system,being a closed system,we will have to develop entirely new packages for even most common utilities like a mail client or a net browser.Thats really a massive chunk of logistical nightmare in my opinion.
Now let us come to the most important part,Security..Yes,idea of developing a new OS comes up because we don't want to compromise in the field of Security...Let me bust a myth.Using a Linux Kernel which is freely available doesnt mean that u r compromising security.We can build a system based on Linux and we can tweak it,provide security features to it and it'll perform just fine.Besides the platform is a tested and trusted one.Big companies like IBM and Google run their servers on Linux(highly modified versions).Their servers do need a high level of data security,firewall protection etc etc,as these are all knowledge driven companies predominantly.its just an example that shows that Linux can be used and trusted.Whether a systems is meant for military or for a company,the biggest threat comes from hackers.If the servers of these companies can be protected then so can be those of the military installations..
A little summery of advantages of Linux::
1.Low cost: You dont need to spend time and money to obtain licenses since Linux and much of its software come with the GNU General Public License. You can start to work immediately without worrying that your software may stop working anytime because the free trial version expires. Additionally, there are large repositories from which you can freely download high quality software for almost any task you can think of.
2.Stability: Linux doesnt need to be rebooted periodically to maintain performance levels. It doesnt freeze up or slow down over time due to memory leaks and such. Continuous up-times of hundreds of days (up to a year or more) are not uncommon.
3.Performance: Linux provides persistent high performance on workstations and on networks. It can handle unusually large numbers of users simultaneously, and can make old computers sufficiently responsive to be useful again.
4.Network friendliness: Linux was developed by a group of programmers over the Internet and has therefore strong support for network functionality; client and server systems can be easily set up on any computer running Linux. It can perform tasks such as network backups faster and more reliably than alternative systems.
5.Flexibility: Linux can be used for high performance server applications, desktop applications, and embedded systems. You can save disk space by only installing the components needed for a particular use. You can restrict the use of specific computers by installing for example only selected office applications instead of the whole suite.
6.Compatibility: It runs all common Unix software packages and can process all common file formats.
7.Choice: The large number of Linux distributions gives you a choice. Each distribution is developed and supported by a different organization. You can pick the one you like best; the core functionalities are the same; most software runs on most distributions.
8.Fast and easy installation: Most Linux distributions come with user-friendly installation and setup programs. Popular Linux distributions come with tools that make installation of additional software very user friendly as well.
9.Full use of hard disk: Linux continues work well even when the hard disk is almost full.
10.Multitasking: Linux is designed to do many things at the same time; e.g., a large printing job in the background wont slow down your other work.
11.Security: Linux is one of the most secure operating systems. "Walls" and flexible file access permission systems prevent access by unwanted visitors or viruses. Linux users have to option to select and safely download software, free of charge, from online repositories containing thousands of high quality packages. No purchase transactions requiring credit card numbers or other sensitive personal information are necessary.
12.Open Source: If you develop software that requires knowledge or modification of the operating system code, Linux's source code is at your fingertips. Most Linux applications are Open Source as well.
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),but once u get used to it u ll find out that the package packs a hell lot of punch...Help the open source community to help urself....I am a big supporter and fan of it myself..I like using Mandriva as OS,OpenOffice as Office suit,pidgin to stay connected with my friends,Eclipse to 'write once run anywhere'...and they r just great !!
