Linux: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:37, 10 November 2009

Revision as of 10:51, 12 November 2009

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'''Linux''' (commonly {{pron-en|ˈlɪnʌks}}, {{respell|LI|nuks}} in English<ref>{{cite web|url=http://safalra.com/science/linguistics/linux-pronunciation/|title=Pronunciation of ‘Linux’|last=Safalra|date=2007-04-14|work=Safalra’s Website|accessdate=2009-09-15}}</ref><ref name="Foldoc09Jun06"> {{cite web|url = http://foldoc.org/linux|title = Linux|accessdate = 2009-09-15|last = Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing|authorlink = |year = 2006|month = June}}</ref>, also {{pron-en|ˈlɪnʊks}}<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://web.archive.org/web/20080113123140/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, both commercially and non-commercially, by anyone under the terms of the [[GNU GPL license|GNU GPL]].

Linux is predominantly knownhairy gouch for its use in [[server (computing)|server]]s, although can be installed on a wide variety of computer [[hardware]], ranging from [[embedded devices]], mobile phones and even some watches<ref name="IBMLinuxWatch"> {{cite web|url = http://www.trl.ibm.com/projects/ngm/wp10_e.htm|title = Linux Watch|accessdate = 2009-09-29|last = [[IBM]]|authorlink = |year = 2001|month = October}}</ref> 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 and laptop computers, have become increasingly commonplace in recent years, partly owing to the popular [[Ubuntu (operating system)|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 National Capital FreeNet]|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>

The name "Linux" comes from the Linux kernel, originally written in 1991 by [[Linus Torvalds]]. The rest of the system usually comprises components such as the [[Apache HTTP Server]], the [[X Window System]], the [[GNOME]] and [[KDE]] [[desktop environment]]s, and [[system utility|utilities]] and [[library (computer science)|libraries]] from the [[GNU Project]] (announced in 1983 by [[Richard Stallman]]). Commonly-used applications with desktop Linux systems include the [[Mozilla Firefox]] web-browser and the [[OpenOffice.org]] office application suite. The GNU contribution is the basis for the [[Free Software Foundation]]'s preferred name ''[[GNU/Linux naming controversy|GNU/Linux]]''.<ref name="lsag">{{ cite book | url = http://www.tldp.org/LDP/sag/html/sag.html#GNU-OR-NOT | title = Linux System Administrator's Guide | chapter = 1.1 | edition = version 0.9 | date = 2004 | accessdate = 2007-01-18 | first = Alex | last = Weeks }}</ref><ref name="gnu_homepage">{{cite web|url=http://www.gnu.org/ |title=The GNU Operating System |publisher=Gnu.org |accessdate=2009-04-17}}</ref>