Linux (commonly pronounced IPAEng: ˈlɪnəks

Predominantly known for its use in servers, it is installed on a wide variety of computer hardware, ranging from embedded devices and mobile phones to supercomputers.

The name "Linux" comes from the Linux kernel, originally written in 1991 by Linus Torvalds. The system's utilities and libraries usually come from the GNU operating system, announced in 1983 by Richard Stallman. The GNU contribution is the basis for the alternative name GNU/Linux.

History

main: History of Linux

The creation of the Linux kernel

In 1991, Torvalds began to work on a non-commercial replacement for MINIX while he was attending the University of Helsinki, which would eventually become the Linux kernel.

Contributions from GNU

Linux was originally dependent on the MINIX user space and had a license that prohibited commercial distribution. In 1992, with version 0.12 of the Linux kernel, Torvalds initiated a switch from his original license to the GNU General Public License. Various Linux distributions (Slackware, Debian, Red Hat, and others) combined Linux and GNU code to make a fully functional and free operating system.Overview of the GNU System

Commercial and popular uptake

main: Linux adoption Today Linux is used in numerous domains, from embedded systems to supercomputers, and has secured a place in server installations with the popular LAMP application stack. Linux use in home desktop and enterprise desktop has been rapidly expanding and now claims a significant share of the desktop market.

Linux has also become popular with the newly founded netbook market, with many devices such as the ASUS Eee PC and Acer Aspire One shipping with customized Linux distributions pre-installed.

Current Development

Torvalds continues to direct the development of the kernel. Stallman heads the Free Software Foundation, which in turn supports the GNU components. Finally, individuals and corporations develop third-party non-GNU components. These third-party components comprise a vast body of work including kernel modules, libraries, and user applications. Linux vendors and communities combine and distribute the kernel, GNU components, and other components in the form of Linux distributions.

Design

Linux is a modular Unix-like operating system. It derives much of its basic design from principles established in Unix during the 1970s and 1980s. Linux uses a monolithic kernel, the Linux kernel, which handles process control, networking, and peripheral and file system access. Device drivers are integrated directly with the kernel.