The Game-changing Operating System…

According to “StatCounter” data, Windows and Mac Operating systems are very huge population around the world. But most people (probably non-tech people) didn’t know that one silent Operating system handles that big population. Because Servers, Supercomputers, smartwatches, social media, Mobile phones, and even Apple Cloud are used by our silent power. That is the king of operating systems, called “Linux.”

What is Linux?

Linux, in simple terms, is a free and open-source operating system. It is similar to Windows and macOS, but it’s different in several ways. Linux is very popular for its stability, security, and flexibility. It can be modified and distributed by anyone, which has led to many different versions, known as “distributions,” and each distribution is tailored for different uses. Its open-source nature means that it has a community of developers and contributors to its development.

Why Learn Linux or its importance?

🐧Widely used in servers and cloud computing

🐧Free software philosophy

🐧Strong command line interface

🐧Faster processing

🐧Enhanced security

🐧Customisation because of the open-source nature

🐧Community support

🐧Understanding of other operating systems

🐧Career opportunities.

History of Linux?

Before Linux: Unix was developed in the 1970s at AT&T’s Bell Labs by Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie. GNU Project was In 1983, Richard Stallman launched the GNU (GNU’s not UNIX) project.

Birth of Linux: A 21-year-old Finnish student named Linus Torvalds announced his project on the Minix newsgroup on August 25, 1991:“I am doing a (free) Operating system (just a hobby, won’t be big and professional like GNU).” He released Version 0.01 in September 1991 and Version 0.02 later in 1991.

Growth and Evolution:

In the early 1990s, Linux rapidly evolved through collaboration over the Internet (Slackware and Debian). And in 1994, Linux 1.0 was released with 176K lines of code. Late Commercial interest in Linux grew (Red Hat and SUSE). In the 2000s, Linux saw significant adoption in the server market.

Today, Linux has grown from a hobbyist’s project to a powerful force in computing, powering everything from mobile devices, personal computers, and servers to mainframes and supercomputers.

Linux vs Unix

Origins and Development:

Unix: Originated in the 1970s at AT&T’s Bell Labs. It was developed by Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, and others

Linux: Created in the early 1990s by Linus Torvalds. It’s free and open-source, meaning its source code can be used, modified, and distributed by anyone

OS Distribution:

Unix: Solaris, HP-UX, AIX. BSD etc.

Linux: Red Hat, CentOS, Fedora, Ubuntu, SUSE, Kali etc.

Licensing and Cost:

Unix: Generally requires a paid license, especially for commercial use.

Linux: Free to use, modify, and distribute.

Community and Development:

Unix: Development and updates are controlled by the owning organization.

Linux: Maintained and developed by a global community of developers.

Hardware Support:

Unix: Traditionally supports less hardware variety compared to Linux

Linux: Known for its broad hardware support, including both traditional PCs and servers as well as embedded devices.

Linux Flavors (Distribution of Linux)

Linux distributions, or distros, are different versions of the Linux operating system built around the same core kernel but designed for different needs and users. Some focus on simplicity, others on stability, security, performance, or customization, which is why Linux offers so many choices. Understanding distributions is the first step to understanding how Linux works in the real world.

Linux Users

Linux is used by a wide range of users and organizations due to its versatility, stability, and open-source nature.

🐧Developers

🐧Educational institutions

🐧Government agencies

🐧Enterprise and businesses

🐧Tech companies

🐧Cloud and web servers

🐧Supercomputers and research facilities

🐧Telecommunications and networking

🐧Media and entertainment