QandAs: Tech

What is Linux?

Answer:
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system

which runs various computer hardware components such as the early Intel x86 PCs, as well as Alpha, IBM, and PowerPC hardware. Linux is open-source software, and individual modifications and redistribution are available for anyone to alter, rewrite or otherwise work with as they see fit.

The Linux kernel was written by Linus Torvalds, inspired by the then popular Minix microkernel architecture (originated in free and open source for educational purposes by Andrew Tanenbaum in 1987). Linux was first released in the early 1990's for Intel's x86 chipset, and was bolstered with libraries, utilities etc. from the GNU project. This became known as GNU/Linux, and decendants of that operating system are popular today (mostly in servers) with such computer industry giants as IBM, Dell, Novell, HP, Oracle, Sun, and others.

Linux's place in the O/S world may be limited from monopolizing desktops and all the other (now mostly Windows based) devices around the world, because Linux focuses more on being able to operate with other operating systems and not so much on trying to control operations.

Linux is not the kind of system which is owned by anyone; no corporate giants, no marketing and sales and legal and executive and manufacturing. Linux is not for sale; Linux is free, and will likely remain free. As one source explains it, Linux was created by geeks, for geeks; it just might be a little too geeky for most PC users anyway, now that Microsoft has the World hooked; after all, doesn't everyone do Windows these days?

On the other hand, if Linux or some future evolutionary version of it designed by the host of geeks around the world contributing input and modifications should one day become THE platform and architecture of all things computing, I, for one, would not be overly surprised.

SOMEHOW all the networks and web-based and cellular and satellite and GPS and radio and cable and HDTV and Wii and PlayStation and, and, and.........
SOME DAY people may want all these things to talk with each other and work with each other in some ways.

Or, perhaps all these things will one day be packaged in tidy little multi-functional devices which will communicate with any and all other devices without the proprietary barriers getting in the way. Sorta like having the whole world speak just one language. Might not be so bad after all, huh?