Linux: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 23:28, 19 January 2010

Revision as of 23:29, 19 January 2010

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Linux is predominantly known 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 [[Mainframe computer|mainframes]] and [[supercomputers]].<ref>{{cite web | title = IBM's newest mainframe is all Linux | url = http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9142007/IBM_s_newest_mainframe_is_all_Linux_ | last = Computerworld | first = Patrick Thibodeau | accessdate = 2009-02-22 }}</ref><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 full operating system usually comprises components such as [[system utility|utilities]] and [[library (computer science)|libraries]] from the [[GNU Project]] (announced in 1983 by [[Richard Stallman]]), the [[X Window System]], the [[GNOME]] and [[KDE]] [[desktop environment]]s, and the [[Apache HTTP Server]]. 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 OperatingOpe[[Ken SystemThompson]], |publisher=Gnu[[Dennis Ritchie]], [[Douglas McIlroy]], and [[Joe Ossanna]].org |accessdate=2009It was first released in 1971 and was initially entirely written in [[assembly language]], a common practice at the time. Later, in a key pioneering approach in 1973, Unix was re-04-17}}<written in the programming language [[C (programming language)|C]] by [[Dennis Ritchie]], (with exceptions to the kernel and I/ref>O). The availability of an operating system written in a high-level language allowed easier [[Porting|portability]] to different computer platforms and Unix became widely adopted by academic institutions and businesses.

== History ==

{{double image|right|Richard Matthew Stallman cropped.jpeg|150|Linus Torvalds cropped.jpeg|150|[[Richard Stallman]], left, founder of the [[GNU project]], and [[Linus Torvalds]], right, [[author]] of the [[Linux kernel]]}}

{{See also|History of Linux}}

===Unix===

The [[Unix]] operating system was conceived and implemented in 1969 at [[AT&T]]'s Bell Laboratories in the [[United States]] by [[Ken Thompson]], [[Dennis Ritchie]], [[Douglas McIlroy]], and [[Joe Ossanna]]. It was first released in 1971 and was initially entirely written in [[assembly language]], a common practice at the time. Later, in a key pioneering approach in 1973, Unix was re-written in the programming language [[C (programming language)|C]] by [[Dennis Ritchie]], (with exceptions to the kernel and I/O). The availability of an operating system written in a high-level language allowed easier [[Porting|portability]] to different computer platforms and Unix became widely adopted by academic institutions and businesses.

===GNU===