Linux

Linux (IPA pronunciation: /ˈlɪnʊks/) is a Unix-like computer operating system family. Linux is one of the most prominent examples of free software and of open source development; its underlying source code is available for anyone to use, modify, and redistribute freely.[1]

The first Linux systems were completed in 1992 by combining system utilities and libraries from the GNU project with the Linux kernel, which led to the coining of the term GNU/Linux.[2] From the late 1990s onward Linux gained the support of corporations such as IBM,[3] Sun Microsystems,[4] Hewlett-Packard,[5] and Novell.[6]

Predominantly known for its use in servers, Linux is used as an operating system for a wider variety of computer hardware than any other operating system, including desktop computers, supercomputers,[7] mainframes, and embedded devices such as cellphones. Linux is packaged for different uses in Linux distributions, which contain the kernel along with a variety of other software packages tailored to requirements.

In 1983 Richard Stallman started the GNU Project with the goal of creating a UNIX-like, POSIX-compatible operating system composed entirely of free software. Development began in 1984, and a year later he created the Free Software Foundation and wrote the first draft of the GNU General Public License (GPLv1). By the early 1990s, the project had produced or collected many necessary operating system components, including libraries, compilers, text editors, and a Unix shell, and the mid-level portions of the OS were almost complete. The upper level could be supplied by the X Window System, but the lower level which consisted of a kernel, device drivers, and daemons was still incomplete. In 1990 the GNU project began developing the Hurd kernel which was based on the Mach microkernel, but development proved difficult and proceeded slowly.[8]

Linus Torvalds, creator of the Linux kernel.

In 1991, Linus Torvalds began to work on the Linux kernel while he was attending the University of Helsinki.[9] Torvalds originally created the Linux kernel as a non-commercial replacement for the Minix kernel;[10] he later changed his original non-free license to the GPLv2, which differed primarily in that it also allowed for commercial redistribution.[11] Although dependent on the Minix userspace at first, work from both Linux kernel developers and the GNU project allowed Linux to work with GNU components. Thus Linux filled the last major gap in running a complete, fully functional free operating system.[8]

Development milestones

This foundation formed the basis for an operating system which has since been completed by the efforts of numerous members of the free and open source software community. Significant milestones include:
The launch of the KDE desktop environment by Matthias Ettrich in October 1996 followed by the comparable GNOME alternative by Miguel de Icaza in August 1997, both based on the X11 windowing system developed at MIT. GNOME and KDE were the tip of the Linux operating system iceberg that was now in direct contact with end users.
The release of the Netscape browser’s source code on March 31, 1998, which kicked off the Mozilla project that would eventually give birth to the popular Mozilla Firefox browser.

OpenOffice.org 2.0 – Writer : Word processor component of the multi-platform free software office suite.
The release of StarOffice by Sun Microsystems which in June 2000 became the base for the free software OpenOffice.org office suite, a major event in the open source office world. See also: list of free software.
The growth of commercial interest in Linux is similarly marked by notable events: the launch in February 1998 of the Open Source Initiative; the announcement in July 1998 by Oracle Corporation that it would port its well-known database software to Linux and provide support for it; the IPOs of Red Hat on November 11, 1999 and VA Linux the following month which would create a speculative bubble; the wide-scale support of technology giant IBM that would spend millions of dollars on Linux, employing in 2005 close to 300 developers of the Linux kernel, and would organize starting in 2003 the legal defense for the SCO vs. Linux controversy against the attacks of the SCO Group that claimed copyright over the Linux kernel; and finally the acquisition in October and November 2003 of Ximian and then SuSE by the American technology giant

Present day

Today Linux is used in numerous domains, from embedded systems[13] to supercomputers,[14] and has secured a place in server installations with the popular LAMP application stack.[15] Torvalds continues to direct the development of the kernel. Stallman heads the Free Software Foundation, which in turn develops the GNU components. Finally, individuals and corporations develop third-party non-GNU components. These third-party components comprise a vast body of work and may include both kernel modules and user-land applications and libraries. Linux vendors combine and distribute the kernel, GNU components, and non-GNU components with additional package management software in the form of Linux distributions.

Adoption
Main article: Linux adoption

Many quantitative studies of open source software focus on topics including market share and reliability, with many studies specifically examining Linux.[16] The Linux market is rapidly growing and the revenue of servers, desktops, and packaged software running Linux is expected to exceed $35.7 billion by 2008.[17] The actual installed user base may be higher than indicated by this figure, as most Linux distributions and applications are freely available and redistributable.

Desktop adoption is weaker than server adoption, with diverse calculations generally figuring between 0.3% and 3% as a function of the sample set and calculation methods used.[citation needed] According to the market research company IDC, 25% of servers and 2.8% of desktop computers ran Linux as of 2004.[18] The estimation of these numbers is driven by website traffic analysis, which may be complicated by two factors. First, a number of web browsers can modify their identity either by default or at the request of the user, through exploitation of the user agent string, so as not to be blocked by websites that refuse to interact with browsers other than Internet Explorer running under Microsoft Windows. Second, a Linux system may be configured not to communicate this information for privacy and security reasons.

Linux Online alleges that people regard Linux as suitable mostly for computer experts because mainstream computer magazine reporters cannot explain what Linux is in a meaningful way, as they lack real life experience using it.[19] Furthermore, the frictional cost of switching operating systems and lack of support for certain hardware and application programs designed for Microsoft Windows have been two factors that have inhibited adoption. However, as of early 2007, significant progress in hardware compatibility has been made, and it is becoming increasingly common for hardware to work “out of the box” with many Linux distributions. Proponents and analysts attribute the relative success of Linux to its security, reliability,[20] low cost, and freedom from vendor lock-in.[21]

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