What is Linux ?

[usalug]

I wrote this awhile back, hoping it would explain some things to someone that didn't even know what Linux was.

What is Linux ?
Linux is actually an Open Source implementation of a Unix-like kernel. A kernel is the low level core of an operating system. It was developed by Linus Torvalds at the University of Helsinki, and he was helped by many Unix programmers across the Internet. Linux began mostly as a hobby, which has now grown into a full fledged operating system. The Linux kernel doesn't use any proprietary source code from any other system. The term "Linux" however is most often used to describe an operating system that includes the Linux kernel. There are many of these available. The different ones are referred to as "distros", short for distributions.

What are Distributions ?
As stated above, Linux is technically just the kernel. To have a complete operating system you need many programs to interact with the kernel. Creating a complete Linux based operating system includes packaging many programs together and including a way to install those programs. These complete systems are called distributions. You could of course create your own distribution of a Linux system. This is not an easy or simple undertaking and most people use a well known distribution to help simplify the installation process. Some of the better known versions include, but are not limited too, Mandrake, Red Hat, Debian, Slackware, Gentoo, and SuSe. Each offer their own specific benefits. Many people feel that for those new to Linux, Mandrake or Red Hat are the easiest choices to get started with. The installers for many many of these have made installing and using Linux easier than ever.

What is GNU and the Free Software Foundation ?
Linux is available mostly because a large group of people and their cooperation have supported the concept of free software. Software that is free from restrictions and subject to the GNU General Public License. GNU stands for "GNU is NOT UNIX". The GNU's General Public License (GPL) covers much of the software found in a Linux distrobution. The GPL is designed to prevent others from placing restrictions on the use of free software. You can find out more information by visiting http://www.gnu.org

The Free Software Foundation was set up by Richard Stallman. Richard Stallman is the author of GNU Emacs, a well known editor for Linux and other Unix based systems. Here is a quote from the Free Software Foundation's website that is a glimmering of the philosophy behind them "Free software is a matter of freedom: people should be free to use software in all the ways that are socially useful. Software differs from material objects--such as chairs, sandwiches, and gasoline--in that it can be copied and changed much more easily. These possibilities make software as useful as it is; we believe software users should be able to make use of them. " You can find out more about the Free Software Foundation by visiting http://www.fsf.org

Who is Tux ?
Tux is Linux's official mascot. Selected by Linus Torvalds, Tux represents the image he associates with the operating system he helped to created. Tux is a cool bird, and Linux is a cool operating system !! .

Who is this usalug guy ?
He's Crouse, from www.usalug.org Shamelessly promoting the use of Linux as an alternative to that OTHER operating system

 

[muckshifter]

Thanks for that ... greatly appreciated.

 

[usalug]

Another VERY informative, although somewhat lengthy article is here:
http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html
Entitled: Why Open Source Software / Free Software (OSS/FS, FLOSS, or FOSS)?

This paper provides quantitative data that, in many cases, using open source software / free software (abbreviated as OSS/FS, FLOSS, or FOSS) is a reasonable or even superior approach to using their proprietary competition according to various measures. This paper’s goal is to show that you should consider using OSS/FS when acquiring software. This paper examines market share, reliability, performance, scalability, security, and total cost of ownership. It also has sections on non-quantitative issues, unnecessary fears, OSS/FS on the desktop, usage reports, governments and OSS/FS, other sites providing related information, and ends with some conclusions. An appendix gives more background information about OSS/FS. You can view this paper at http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html (HTML format). Palm PDA users may wish to use Plucker to view this. A short briefing based on this paper is also available in PDF and OpenOffice.org Impress formats (for the latter, use OpenOffice.org Impress). Old archived copies and a list of changes are also available.

again......it is VERY lengthy..... but EXTREMELY informative. Well worth the time to read.

 

[Quadophile]

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Microsoft gives you a dear but ugly ball-point-pen, Apple gives you a designer fountain-pen, both allowyou to write letters and draw doodles.

Linux gives you a plain ball-point pen for free, a plain fountain-pen, a ton of paper, an easel, a palette of 256 colours, a collection of brushes and craft-knives; and it expects you to make something good of those gifts.

-Tinkster (Moderator of Linux Questions Org)

To know why Linux is not same as Windows read the article Linux is not Windows


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[muckshifter]

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To know why Linux is not same as Windows read the article Linux is not Windows


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Now that was a good read ... and I learnt a few things too.

 

[Quadophile]

Now don't you go on saying "I learnt a few things", you are being humble, some do not want to accept the fact and never acknowledge it. We all learn new things on a daily basis, we just need to learn to share it

 

[muckshifter]

They don't realise that all their knowledge is working against them, causing them to have more problems than the less knowledgeable users

Took me a little time to "learn" to stop "thinking" and to start from the beginning to learn the right knowledge.

Linux is actually blissfully easy to use. Genuinely. It is really easy to use. The reason it isn't perceived this way? Because the term "ease of use" has been so badly distorted. In common usage, "easy to use" now means "easy to do something without knowing beforehand how to do it". But that's not really "easy to use", is it? That's "easy to figure out".

And the "ease of use" is what I am starting to learn AND making me more aware of the power that Linux possesses.

Linux wants users who want Linux. And that doesn't mean just the name. It means everything: The free, open-source software; the ability to tinker with your software; the position of being in the driver's seat, in total control.

The more I learn, the more I know I will not be returning to Windows.

My frustrations and tantrums were of my own doing and not of Linux's inability ... It has not been easy for me to "un-learn" and re-learn, one can get too set in your ways and is hard to sometimes think outside the box ... I'm now like a kid with a new toy, learning new tricks and skills. Learning where and what does what actually feeds you to wan't to more, and is good fun.

 

[Taino]

Remember the ancient ones

When Linus Torvalds began to work on the Linux kernel it was dependent on the MINIX user space.
Minix was developed by Dr. Andrew Stuart "Andy" Tanenbaum a professor of Torvalds, and ex-New yorker.
Richard Matthew Stallman launched the GNU Project to create a free Unix-like operating system; he also developed the original Emacs, the GNU C Compiler, and the GNU Debugger.

It takes an OLD OLD geek to remember the ancient ones

slainte