Pardus History
Initial efforts for the Pardus project began in 2003 within the framework of the Informatics and Information Security Research Center (BİLGEM) of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK). At the outset, requirements, comparable international initiatives, the country’s human resources in the field of information technologies, the capabilities of the local software industry, and competitive factors were thoroughly examined. In light of the findings, concrete planning activities commenced in the summer of 2003. Existing operating systems, primarily Linux, were analyzed alongside the open-source software methodology and the philosophy of free software. As a result of these evaluations, in the fall of 2003, it was decided to develop a Linux-based, open-source operating system distribution, adopting the GNU General Public License (GPL) licensing model to the greatest extent possible.
The realization of the Pardus project began in early 2004 with the formation of a dedicated team within the National Research Institute of Electronics and Cryptology (UEKAE) of TÜBİTAK BİLGEM. The primary objective was defined as developing an operating system that addresses the fundamental desktop needs of computer users with basic digital literacy. On February 1, 2005, the first product, Pardus Live CD 1.0, was released. Subsequent development efforts focused heavily on innovative, original features. Finally, on December 27, 2005, the first stable release, Pardus 1.0, was officially launched. This date is commemorated as the birthday of Pardus.
As of 2012, the objectives of the Pardus project were revised to prioritize the adoption of open-source and free software within the public sector. The project, which had been managed under the National Research Institute of Electronics and Cryptology (UEKAE) between 2004 and 2011, was transferred to the National Academic Network and Information Center (ULAKBİM). Subsequent analyses highlighted that, in order to ensure the project’s sustainability and effectiveness, it was essential to align with Debian’s guiding principles, as stated in the first clause of its manifesto:
Taking into account these principles, as well as the significant advantages in hardware and software compatibility, it was decided in 2013 that the Pardus operating system would continue as a Debian GNU/Linux–based[1], open-source distribution.
The first Debian-based releases were Pardus 2013 KDE and Pardus 2013 GNOME. Since then, development activities have continued at regular intervals, primarily addressing the needs and expectations of public institutions as well as individual users. New versions are released in accordance with the official Release Management Schedule.
In addition to the operating system itself, the Pardus umbrella also encompasses subprojects developed in line with the requirements of the public sector. Detailed information regarding these subprojects can be accessed through the Projects menu.
As of October 2024, the Pardus Project continues to be developed under the Software Technologies Research Institute (YTE) of TÜBİTAK BİLGEM.
