Linux: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 15:20, 23 July 2009

Revision as of 15:21, 23 July 2009

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'''Linux''' (commonly {{pron-en|freetard OSˈlɪnəks}}<!--NOTE: Please do NOT change the pronunciation. While /ˈlɪnʊks/ is Torvalds' pronunciation, /ˈlɪnəks/ is by far the most common pronunciation among English speakers and Wikipedia uses the most common pronunciation, it doesn't try to establish which one is the "correct" one--><ref>Torvalds used {{IPA|/ˈlɪnʊks/}} in English.<br/>{{ cite newsgroup | newsgroups = comp.os.linux | title = Re: How to pronounce "Linux"? | id = [e-mail] | date = 23 April 1992 | accessdate = 2007-01-09 }}<br/> Torvalds has made available an audio sample with his pronunciation in English ({{IPA|/ˈlɪnʊks/}}: {{cite web | url = http://www.paul.sladen.org/pronunciation/ | title = How to pronounce Linux? | accessdate = 2006-12-17 }}) and in Swedish ({{IPA|/ˈlɪːnɤks/}}: {{cite web | url = http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/SillySounds/ | title = Linus pronouncing Linux in English and Swedish | accessdate = 2007-01-20 }}</ref>) is a generic term referring to [[Unix-like]] computer [[operating system]]s based on the [[Linux kernel]]. Their development is one of the most prominent examples of [[free and open source software]] collaboration; typically all the underlying [[source code]] can be used, freely modified, and redistributed by anyone under the terms of the [[GNU GPL license|GNU GPL]]<ref>{{cite web | title = Linux Online ─ About the Linux Operating System | url = http://www.linux.org/info/index.html | publisher = Linux.org | accessdate = 2007-07-06 }}</ref> and other free licenses.

Linux is predominantly known for its use in [[server (computing)|server]]s, although it is installed on a wide variety of computer [[hardware]], ranging from [[embedded devices]] and [[mobile phones]] to [[supercomputers]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Linux rules supercomputers | url = http://www.forbes.com/home/enterprisetech/2005/03/15/cz_dl_0315linux.html | last = Lyons | first = Daniel | accessdate = 2007-02-22 }}</ref> [[Linux distribution]]s, installed on both [[Desktop computer|desktop]] and [[laptop]] computers, have become increasingly commonplace in recent years, partly owing to the popular [[Ubuntu]] distribution<ref name="Economist"> {{cite web|url = http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10410912|title = Technology in 2008|accessdate = 2008-04-01 (publicly available Dec 2007-May 2009, rendered members only in May 2009, quoted at http://web.ncf.ca/fn352/ubuntu.html#Economist)|last = The Economist|authorlink = |year = 2007|month = December}}</ref> and the emergence of [[netbook]]s.<ref name="Economist04Dec08">{{cite news|url = http://www.economist.com/science/tq/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12673233|title = Small is beautiful|accessdate = 2008-12-21|last = [[The Economist]]|authorlink = |year = 2008|month = December}}</ref>