Ven (operating system)

Ven

Wordmark and logo used since XXXX
Developer	Ortra Inc.
Working state	Current
Source model	Mixed-source
Initial release	December 16, 2008 (2008-12-16)
Marketing target	Smartphones, Tablets, Cars, Smart TVs, Smart Watches
Available in	English
Official website	ven.ortrainc.mk

Ven is a mobile operating system (32-bit and 64-bit) based on a modified version of the [NAME] kernel that is designed primarily for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Ven is developed mainly by Ortra Inc., with them open-sourcing certain parts of the OS and keeping other parts closed-source, which has been denounced by the international community. Ven was an idea conceived by the Makkonian Government in 2005 for a "modern phone" built to do more than just talk and text, in an easy to use interface. They imagined an all-purpose phone that gave you a reason to take it with you on the go. The government approved funding for the experimental idea and opened it up for bidding, which Ortra ultimately won. The company would then go on to develop the OS and partnered with Riduur Corporation to incorporate it in the nations' first internet-connected phone, the Riduur Internet Phone.

When the phone launched, the OS was praised and accepted globally as a technological first, and from there on, Ortra has funded Ven's development itself.

History

The concept of a modern phone came to be in 1998 when Riduur was working on their next phone, the Riduur G1. Riduur had decided to experiment with a device that could text by using the built-in microphone and navigate just the same for people with accessibility needs. These features would be partially implemented on the G1 and then fully implemented on the G3 launched in 2001. The features were highly successful, and Riduur became known as the innovator on that front.

Innovation on the concept slowed after that, and the Makkonian Government believed that more could be done to make phones accessible and multi-purpose, and so Parliament approved funding for the experimental project in June 2005, with a bidding system launched in August that same year. Many companies competed including Anayvaii and Riduur with Ortra coming out on top for an undisclosed amount. Ortra would take the funding and form an internal team nicknamed at the time "X team".

In early 2007, Ortra announced at the annual computing expo the development of "Ven", a planned mobile OS that supported touchscreen navigation, talk-to-text and had built-in apps including a calculator. The inclusion of a calculator app caused a riot among the business computing industry and talks of antitrust suits began to loom. In September 2007, Ortra demoed a concept of Ven for the first time to public appraisal, however the calculator app was noticeably missing. In December 2007, Riduur and Ortra announced a partnership to bring Ven to the next Riduur phone, the Riduur Internet Phone, at the time a product that had everybody's eyes on it.

Photo of the demo Riduur unit

It was revealed in February 2008 that Ortra may break off the partnership after a "refusal to be fluid in development", however a month later Ortra reaffirmed the partnership. The world's first public demo of the Riduur Internet Phone occurred in May 2008, using a development version of the Ven OS. The calculator app was present at the demo, and both Ortra and Riduur refused to comment on its earlier exclusion. The phone according to reviewers at the time was "overhyped and underwhelming", however they did praise the Ven OS for "living up to its moniker". Riduur responded to the criticism by cancelling the partnership and scrapping Ven, however the public backlash and threats of a lawsuit by Ortra for breach of contract quickly reversed that.

In September 2008, two months before launch, the product was sent out to reviewers to demo along with a free month of Bat-Briik's phone service paid for at Riduur's expense. The reviews were much different this time around, with the physical keyboard gone and touchscreen calibration "500% better". It would then launch on December 16th, 2008 to wide critical acclaim including internationally, which hadn't been able to use or demo the product until now. The government deemed the project a success and offered Ortra more money to fund future innovations on that front but they declined stating "We would like to not be limited by government-mandated ideas". The OS would later be partially open-sourced on April 3rd, 2009 to help integration of Ven into more devices and to help innovation prosper.

Etymology

Ven means "Future" in Makuri and is prominently promoted by its mascot.

Mascot

Ven robot logo

The mascot of Ven is an orange extraterrestrial robot, as related to the software's name because of it looking futuristic. The Ven team at Ortra reportedly created the mascot out of a mesh of ideas, and calls it "extraterrestrial" due to its lack of legs.