Thiruvananthapuram: The state-run Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) has released a new customised Free and Open Source Software (FOSS)based Operating System, the KITE GNU-Linux Lite 2020, for the benefits of computer users in the state.

The same Operating System (OS) suit would feature in lakhs of the student laptops that are being provided as part of the Vidyasree project of the state government, an official statement said here.

Completely based on an Ubuntu free software platform, the new version of the OS comes pre-loaded with a bunch of software ranging from office packages, language input tools, Database applications to DTP- Graphics Image Editing software and so on.

In addition to internationally acclaimed educational software such as GeoGebra, PhEt and GCompris, the OS suit also features several utility packages like G-Image reader which provides the image to text conversion, it said.

Further, to boost Malayalam Computing, a vast collection of Malayalam Unicode Fonts and a dedicated English-Malayalam dictionary is also included in the lite version.

"Unlike commonly seen Ubuntu-based packages, the new LIiteversion OS has been developed in such a way that it can be even installed in computers with less computing power by effectively utilizing its storage space and thereby providing all packages integrated with it," said K Anvar Sadath, CEO, KITE.

The KITE GNU LINUX LITE-2020 can be freely downloaded from the website www.kite.kerala.gov.in, he added.

The availability of a variety of educational and utility-based software in the Operating System makes it useful not for the students but for DTP centres, Common Service Centers (CSC), software developers, college students and the general public as it is freely downloaded and can be shared without any restrictions.

By having installed the FOSS based Operating System in over 2 lakh Laptops deployed in state schools as part of the Hi-Tech projects, KITE had earlier provided an estimated savings of Rs 3000 crore for the state exchequer.

More than the financial savings part, the adoption of Free Software proved as a crucial element to strengthen digital education in the State.

All the First Bell Digital Classes broadcast through the KITE VICTERS channel, throughout the Covid-19 pandemic period and which is still continuing, used the FOSS based video-editing applications even at KITEs District Offices as part of the regional content development process.

All these facilities are now being extended to the general public free of cost through KITE GNU-Linux Lite 2020, the statement added.