The ButtonOS Project was thought up by Ryan and Joe at Curly Cloud, a small group of designers and developers in Chicago. Joe and Ryan met in early 2009 and have been working together ever since.
We built ButtonOS because, as the unofficial technical support for friends and family, we always got the phone calls when something went wrong with a computer. One day a printer worked fine, but the next refused to print that oh so important term paper. Whatever the problem, we got the call...and when we asked around, we found we were not the only developers that are part-time computer support agents.
After hearing of the many pop-ups, error messages, and virus troubles, we knew something had to be done. Since most of our friends and family use the computer for simple tasks, like a Google search or typing up a letter, we knew it was time to go back to basics.
Built from the ground up, ButtonOS includes only the necessities. Because of this, older PCs can run faster and continue to be used for years to come. Best of all, it doesn't require another purchase (like a pricey iPad). Just insert the ButtonOS CD, reboot, and you'll hit the ground running.
The name "ButtonOS" bridges the gap between the web and simplicity. Clicking a button on the web is as easy (if not easier) than buttoning a shirt. Plus, a button (on a shirt) has many threads going through it, and we found that pretty "punny."
ButtonOS is now open-source, and we look forward to transforming the way many people think of computers and the web. We see a world where computers are more of an asset than a liability. ButtonOS is just the first step in chaging the world for the better.
You sure can! No matter what your talent, from artist to Linux guru, you can help out ButtonOS. The ButtonOS code is open source, and we try to be as responsive and helpful as possible. So if you have any questions, comments, or issues, get in touch and we'll try to help out!
