Snapshot of this Topic
01. Introduction
02. History
03. Advantages
04. Disadvantages
Linux is an operating system that was initially created as a hobby by a young student, Linux Torvalds, at the University of Helsinki in Finland. Linux had an interest in Minix, a small UNIX system, and decided to develop a system that exceeded the Minix standards. He began his work in 1991 when he released version 0.02 and worked steadily until 1994 when version 1.0 was released.
The kernel, at the heart of all Linux systems, is developed and released under the GNU General public license and its source code is freely available to everyone. It is this kernel that forms the base around which a Linux operating system is developed. There are now literally hundreds of companies and organizations and an equal number of individuals that have released their own versions of operating systems based on the Linux kernel
The main system libraries of LINUX were originally started by the GNU project, but much effort was expended by the LINUX community in improving the libraries to address omissions, inefficiencies, and bugs. Other components such as the GUN C compiler, gcc, were already of sufficiently high quality to be used directly in LINUX
History
The UNIX operating system was conceived and implemented in the 1960s and first released in 1970. Its wide availability and portability meant that it was widely adopted, copied and modified by academic institutions and businesses, with its design being influential on authors of other systems.
The GNU project, in 1984 by Richard Stallman, had the goal of creating a "complete Unix-compatible software system”. Made entirely of free software are the next years Stallman created the free software foundation and wrote the GNU General public license (GNU GPL) in 1989. By the early 1990s, many of the programs required in an operating system (such as libraries, compilers, text editors, a Unix shell, and a windowing system) were completed, although low-level elements such as device drivers, daemons, and the kernel were stalled and incomplete. Linus Torvalds has said that if the GNU kernel had been available at the time (1991), he would not have decided to write his own.
Uses:Distributions may be specialized for different purposes including: computer architecture support, embedded systems, stability, security, localization to a specific region or language, targeting of specific user groups, support for real-time applications, or commitment to a given desktop environment. Furthermore, some distributions deliberately include only free software. Currently, over three hundred distributions are actively developed, with about a dozen distributions being most popular for general-purpose use.
Linux is a widely ported operating system. The Linux kernel runs on the most diverse range of computer architecture in the hand-held ARM-based iPAO and the mainframe IBM system z9, in devices ranging from mobile phones to super computers. Specialized distributions exist for less mainstream architectures
The kernel also runs on architectures that were only ever intended to use a manufacturer-created operating system, such as Macintosh computers, PDAS, video game consoles, portable music players, and mobile phones.
Stability
If you have used other operating systems, once you have made the switch to Linux, you will notice that Linux has an edge over Windows here. (Rebooting Windows many times over the years, because an application crashed, and I couldn't continue working). Linux can crash also, but it is much harder to do. If an application crashes in Linux, it will usually not harm the kernel or other processes.
Free Software
Most software can be obtained without cost for Linux. For example, one thing that has kept people from Linux is the lack of office software. That has changed with open office, and now you can edit documents and presentations from the popular Microsoft software. The conversion isn't 100% perfect, but it has worked remarkably well in allowing me to correspond and use documents that people send me via e-mail or the web.
Runs on old hardware
If you have an old 386 or 486 lying around collecting dust, you can use this to run Linux. (Running Linux just fine on a Pentium 100 with a 1 GB disk drive, and 16 MB of memory). One use of an old machine like that could be a file server. Just go to your computer store, buy a large hard disk (as long as your old stuff can support it), and you can make a great storage server. With all the digital pictures and movies around today, this could be a great use for Linux. Look into using Samba, a server application for Linux that allows you to make your machine share the disk as a Windows share.
Security
Linux has the advantage of the code being in the public domain. This can be a double-edged sword, while you can look at the code, and developers can fix holes rapidly, it also means hackers can find bad code, and the programs that run on it. Linux gives you this flexibility.
Learning curve
Linux is going to take some time to learn. Not a user friendly, need training. If you are contemplating this for your company, you will need to budget some money for training and learning time.
Equivalent programs
You will want to think carefully when you switch to Linux about what programs you currently use, and if they have Linux support for them. It may not make sense for you to switch if you are going to spend tons of time converting databases and application data.
More technical ability needed
A good Linux administrator needs to be on hand as you start to transfer your systems over. This is a disadvantage financially, at least in the beginning. You may find over time, however, that you only need a temporary administrator to handle the routine tasks. So it is more technical ability needed.
Not all hardware compatible
Some of the latest and greatest hardware that is being produced is not compatible with Linux. The people that contribute program code and drivers to the Linux kernel are great at including support fairly quickly. Until that time, not everything you buy for hardware in your system may work
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