HilsoftOS was a virtual operating system developed in Visual Basic .NET by Fabricio Trujillo and 7 other developers belonging to the Hilsoft Community. The first official announcement of HilsoftOS was made on July 26, 2013 via a YouTube video edited with Windows Movie Maker. In the video, we are informed that Hilsoft has a new project in mind, referencing HilsoftOS. At the end of the video, a date is provided: September 5, 2013, as the supposed release date of HilsoftOS.

Versions

HilsoftOS 1.0

The first iteration of HilsoftOS was never publicly presented. In a YouTube video titled 'Introducing Hilsoft OS (in process'), it is mentioned that this initial version had some bugs.

HilsoftOS 2.0

The second version of HilsoftOS was publicly released on February 23, 2014 through a YouTube video titled 'Introducing Hilsoft OS (in progress').

This is an early release of HilsoftOS, specifically version 2.0.4.5.6. In this version, you can see a flat and minimalist interface. HilsoftOS uses the Kristen ITC font as the default for most of its interfaces.

Through the 'Settings' app, users can customize their system by changing their username and wallpaper. However, there are only four background options available. One of the most prominent new features in HilsoftOS is animations. Most interactions with the operating system feature animations, which improves the visual experience.

Another important feature is the 'Hilsoft Store', a store where users can download backgrounds for both Windows and HilsoftOS. It works similarly to a browser and offers categories such as apps, add-ons, and fonts, although these are not explicitly displayed.

In addition, HilsoftOS includes a basic version of Office with applications such as Notes, Calc, Presentation, and Reader. It also has a browser called 'Internet', a basic photo viewer and a video player in beta version.

HilsoftOS 3.0

The third iteration of HilsoftOS marked the last stable version of the operating system. It was presented with great pomp through advertisements and presentations. On November 15, 2014, HilsoftOS 3.0 was shown in a YouTube video titled 'Introducing Our Operating System: "HilsoftOS"(vb), where Fabricio Trujillo and Kevin Gelhorn presented the features of HilsoftOS 3.0.

The third version of HilsoftOS introduced significant changes, especially to the interface. The login screen is now more minimalist and displays the HilsoftOS logo at the top. On desktop, the clock is located in the lower-left corner, similar to the design of version 2.0.

HilsoftOS incorporated a basic notification system. When the system starts, the store informs the user about updates by means of a notification at the top. Although the iconography of HilsoftOS did not change drastically, the web browser did undergo a major change: it is no longer called 'Internet', but 'Clover' or 'Clover Lite'.

More animations were added to the interface, applying them to elements that previously lacked them. The default font for the interface is still Kristen ITC, and most apps have a unified layout.

As for the applications, HilsoftOS 3.0 updated and renamed some of them. For example, 'Internet' is now called 'Clover', and 'Music' is called 'SongTeam'. The 'Office' app was replaced by 'Notes', although there are still ways to access Office from HilsoftOS 3.0. 'Capturer' is not present in this version, but the 'Photos' app uses a similar icon. In addition, the 'Calculator' and 'Sound Recorder' apps were added in the 'More Apps' section of the Start menu, although these are simple and cannot be moved around like the other windows due to their mini-app nature, as mentioned in the video.

HilsoftOS 3.0 introduced a new app called 'Smiles', an online group chat. When logging in for the first time, users must create an account, but they do not need to set a password. The app only asks for the username and second last name as a security question; It is not possible to access anonymously. Once inside, users can chat with people from all over the world who are connected to Smiles. Although it is a simple application with few features, it represents a significant innovation for the HilsoftOS system.

Another prominent feature in HilsoftOS 3.0 is the 'Documents' app. Users can now create text documents from 'Notes' and save them to Windows or the system. When saved to the system, the document is stored in the 'Documents' folder, which is located in the top right corner of the desktop. Although this system could be considered basic, it was an important advancement for HilsoftOS 3.0, as never before had a Hilsoft operating system had a file system. It is only possible to save text documents created in 'Notes'.

In addition, HilsoftOS 3.0 included a maps app, implemented shadows and rounded edges in most windows, improved performance, and offered 10 wallpapers to choose from. The ability to select an image from the computer as the background was also added.

HilsoftOS 4.0

The fourth version of HilsoftOS was never presented via a YouTube video; in fact, this is the second version of HilsoftOS for which there is very little information, the first being HilsoftOS 1.0. On Hilsoft's official Facebook page, a post was published on May 18, 2015 announcing an upcoming version of HilsoftOS, which would be version 4. This ad was promoted with the hashtag #Four.

Through the official Hilsoft Developers website, it was possible to download HilsoftOS 4.0. Unfortunately, however, that page is no longer available, so it is no longer possible to download the operating system.

HilsoftOS 4.0 underwent drastic changes, especially in its interface. For example, the font of the system stopped being Kristen ITC and became Calibri, a more readable and serious font. In addition, the iconography of HilsoftOS 4.0 was simplified: the icons on the desktop no longer had labels indicating their names.

Although the apps retained their shadows and animations, the rounded edges disappeared due to the flat design. Some apps, such as 'Settings', featured notable changes: the left sidebar no longer displayed text buttons, but rather large images indicating functionality. Most apps were affected, though others barely changed.

On the desktop, in the lower right corner of the screen, the text 'Developer Trial Version' appeared, indicating that HilsoftOS 4.0 was not intended for the general public due to its lack of stability and some bugs.

Also, at the top center of the desktop, there was a semi-transparent button with a menu icon. When clicked, a dark cyan panel was displayed with the message 'You have no notifications'. While this could have been an advancement in the notification system, it appears that this feature was in beta and was not used at any time. Another small modification was to the Calculator, which now had the 'CE' button in blue and the equal (=) button in orange.

As for apps like 'Notes', they barely changed, except for the font (which went from Kristen ITC to Calibri). The 'File' button in 'Notes' still retained the Kristen ITC font.

The 'Documents' app also underwent changes: the left panel was replaced with large buttons and images. 'Notes' files now had a white document icon with the letter 'N' for 'Notes', instead of the generic Word file image that was used in HilsoftOS 3.0. In addition, the browser displayed a button for images, which could have indicated the possibility of saving images to the HilsoftOS system, although unfortunately this was never implemented.

One of the most interesting additions in HilsoftOS 4.0 was the new app called 'Gamers', designed specifically for gamers. This suggests that Hilsoft intended to make its operating system suitable for video games. The interface of 'Gamers' resembles that of 'Notes', with buttons such as 'File', 'Options' and 'About'. In the 'Options' button, we found settings such as full screen, volume, back and forward. The 'About' button showed a small welcome window and the 'Gamers' version 1.00.00.00, indicating that it was a beta version.

However, 'Gamers' lacked any real utility, as none of the buttons performed any action. In addition, there were no games available. Interestingly, when browsing the HilsoftOS 4.0 files, a folder called 'games' was found with a file called 'pong.png'. This suggested that we could have played the classic game 'Pong' in 'Gamers', although unfortunately it was never implemented. 'Gamers' replaced 'Presentation' in HilsoftOS 4.0, meaning that it was no longer possible to run Office on this version and the feature was completely removed.

The fourth version of HilsoftOS was primarily a test version that did not introduce any significant changes. However, when exploring the HilsoftOS 4.0 files, we found interesting elements that were never used in practice.

One of these elements is a 'Gamers' icon with the classic style of HilsoftOS 3.0. This suggests that Hilsoft initially intended to continue with the same design as in version 3.0, but then opted for a flatter, minimalist approach to achieve a more modern look. In addition, within the files, there are sounds such as 'Start.wav', 'PLUSDANCE.wav' and 'PLUSDANCE.mp3', which were never implemented in the final version.

There is also a cursor folder that contains two files: 'default.png' and 'hand.png'. It is believed that these cursors were intended to replace the Windows cursor while using HilsoftOS 4.0, although they were not ultimately carried out.

Applications (general)

HilsoftOS introduced new applications in each release, and they stood out for their speed, attractive design, and fluidity. Some of these applications, along with their respective features, include:

Clover Lite

Formerly known as the Internet, Clover Lite or simply Clover, it is the default browser of HilsoftOS since version 3.0. This browser is fast and fluid, as well as having a design that integrates well with the HilsoftOS system. Although it has basic functions such as history, it does not use tabs and only allows you to have one window open at a time. Clover is based on Internet Explorer, but unfortunately nowadays it is difficult to use due to the end of Internet Explorer support by Microsoft.

Photos

The basic photo viewer in HilsoftOS requires you to click on the image to select one from Windows. However, it doesn't offer basic options like zooming.

SongTeam

SongTeam, formerly known as Music, is the default music player in HilsoftOS. It offers basic features like playlists, favorites, and custom lists. Although its design is simple, it provides a quick experience. Also, when you minimize the SongTeam window, you can still play the song from the taskbar. From there, a panel is displayed that allows you to switch to the next song, the previous one, or pause/play. SongTeam supports MP3 and MP4 files.

Notes

Notes is the default text editor in HilsoftOS. It offers a smooth and fast experience, with basic features such as changing the font or color of text, as well as standard cut, paste, and copy operations. In addition, Notes is touchscreen compatible, as it integrates well with the on-screen keyboard. You can save the documents you create to both Windows and the system using the Documents app. It was previously integrated with Hilsoft Office.

Hilsoft Office

Hilsoft Office, also known simply as Office, was an application available in HilsoftOS 2.0. It offered four programs: Notes, Presentation, Calc, and Reader. Although it was intended to be a set of office applications similar to Microsoft Office, its implementation had some peculiarities:

• Notes: It was the most advanced program and was used to create and edit text documents.
• Presentation: Although it was developed, it didn't meet the expectations for creating slideshows. Instead, it was used more for writing letters or presentation documents.
• Calc: Despite the intention to create it, it was never implemented.
• Reader: Although it was mentioned, it was never shown how it worked itself.

Interestingly, Hilsoft Office was subsequently removed, and only the Notes app remained. However, when you opened Notes, the blue loading screen labeled 'Office' still appeared. The reason behind the decision to remove Hilsoft Office was never made public.

Hilsoft Store

The Hilsoft Store, also known as the Hilsoft Store or simply Store, was the HilsoftOS store from version 2.0 to the best of our knowledge. This app had the peculiarity of opening in full screen instead of being displayed in a window like any other app. The store allowed you to download add-ons, fonts, wallpapers, apps, and many other things. However, the promotional videos barely showed any details about the store, apart from sources and funds.

The Hilsoft Store was the only app that could send notifications using the desktop notification system. In addition, it was displayed on the taskbar with an 'H'. Unfortunately, the Hilsoft Store was never fully completed. In addition, when using the Internet Explorer engine, navigation within the store was complicated. In fact, the store's webpage that was supposed to be displayed is no longer available.

Maps

Maps was a HilsoftOS application since version 3.0 that offered us a basic map service. This service was created exclusively for HilsoftOS, although it lacked basic functions such as search and did not allow viewing satellite images. Despite the expectations of updates, many features were left pending. Like the Store, Maps used the Internet Explorer engine, and unfortunately, the page that displayed the maps is no longer available.

Smiles

Smiles was an innovative application for its time, introduced in HilsoftOS 3.0. It was a group chat application that allowed you to chat with people from all over the world who were connected to Smiles. The process was simple: you only needed to create an account to start chatting. There was no field to set a password; you simply had to enter your username and your second surname.

Although there were many expectations for Smiles, such as adding emojis and video calls, unfortunately those features were never implemented. In addition, due to the use of the Internet Explorer engine, it is no longer possible to use Smiles, and the service is also not available at present.

Videos

A simple, generic video app allowed us to select a video to play, adjust the volume, and put it in full screen. Although this application was little talked about, it was the most basic among the core HilsoftOS applications.

Gamers

Gamers was an application that generated a lot of expectations, although its purpose was never clear. It was introduced in version 4.0 of HilsoftOS. Apparently, it was meant to allow us to play a few games, but none of the buttons worked, and there were no games available to select from. However, in the HilsoftOS 4.0 files, there is a folder called 'games' that contains a file called 'pong.png'. This suggests that perhaps we could have played the classic game of Pong on HilsoftOS through Gamers.

Calculator

The calculator was a HilsoftOS mini-application that accompanied us since version 2.0. Apparently, it had a different design than the other apps due to its basic nature and its non-prominent position among the top ones. The calculator window was not moveable and was always centered on the screen. In version 4.0, it received a small update: the 'CE' button changed color to blue and the equals (=) button was transformed into an orange button.

Sound recorder

The most basic application of all HilsoftOS, the sound recorder. It was functional, but you couldn't move the window. It never received an update and was never tested on any video. Like the calculator, it was a mini-app.