What is Linux?
Linux is an open source operating system kernel, that was originally created by Linus Torvalds. The operating system is the system software that is responsible for translating to/from computer language, from/to a meaningful language to you. A simple example of this is you typing something on your keyboard and characters appearing on the screen. Since computers operate with 1s and 0s, this helps the computer user immensely, because the user does not have to type 1s and 0s into the computer.
Linux nowadays is maintained by a whole lot of volunteer coders. This type of software is called open source software. The code is open (anyone can read it, and change it) and depending on the license under which the software is distributed, anyone can use it without paying any fees.
Linux, technically speaking, is just one piece of the operating system. It is the “heart” of the operating system. Other parts of the operating system talk to it if they need something displayed, printed or processed. Generally speaking Linux is paired with the GNU programs to create the operating system as a whole. GNU is a recursive acronym for GNU’s Not Unix, and was created by the Free Software Foundation.
A personal note on GNU/Linux vs Linux
Going down the rabbit hole of GNU/Linux vs Linux as a naming convention, can easily take hours and hours to explain. In plain simple English: trying to convert people to free and open source software and confusing them with these naming mix-ups isn’t doing any good for the community. I understand the need for recognition by both parties, but if that sticks, then “I’m using Linux-with-GNU-utilities-on-KDE-desktop” is also an easy name, isn’t it? No it is not. Most people get lost after the first name, myself included, and will not show any more interest.
For years and years I have seen the “is XXXX the year of Linux on the desktop?”. In my not so humble opinion, if we (as a community) can’t even agree on a name, then the year will never come. I personally use just “Linux” as the name for the operating system to keep things simple.
Why do I personally use it and where?
I started using Linux circa 1997. I’m old enough to remember loading floppies in to the drive, waiting for minutes for them to load and then waiting for more minutes as things started to chug along. What started as an interesting-thing-to-look-into, turned into the operating system that I use exclusively on hardware that I use, be it laptops, tablets, phones or servers. As an interesting note, most things around you right now are running on Linux, from industrial hardware, to probably your TV.
I personally chose Linux because:
- it is free
- it is open source
- it does not force me into constantly fighting with the hardware to make it work
Closing remarks
I hope this post sparked a slight interest in checking Linux out. That is how I started looking into it as well, and look where that lead me 25 years down the road.