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| {{two other uses|the operating system which uses the Linux kernel|the kernel itself|Linux (kernel)}} | |||
| {{infobox OS | |||
| | name = Linux | |||
| | screenshot = ] | |||
| | caption = ] the penguin, based on an image created by ] in 1996, is the logo and mascot of Linux. | |||
| | family = ] | |||
| | latest_release_version = 2.6.18.1 (]) | |||
| | latest_release_date = ] ] | |||
| | kernel_type = ] | |||
| | license = ] | |||
| | working_state = Current | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Linux''' (also known as '''GNU/Linux''') is a ] computer ]. It is one of the most prominent examples of ] development and ]; unlike ] operating systems such as ] or ], its underlying ] is available for anyone to use, modify, and redistribute freely. | |||
| Initially developed and used primarily by individual enthusiasts on ]s, Linux has since gained the support of corporations such as ], ], ], and ], and has risen to prominence as an operating system for ]s; eight of the ten most reliable internet hosting companies now run Linux on their ]s.<ref>{{ cite web | url = http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2006/10/07/rackspace_most_reliable_hoster_in_september.html | title = Rackspace Most Reliable Hoster in September | publisher = Netcraft | date = ] ] |accessdate = 2006-11-01 }}</ref> | |||
| Linux has been more widely ]ed to different computing platforms than any other operating system. It is used in devices ranging from ]s to ]s, and is gaining popularity in the personal computer market.<ref>{{ cite news | url = http://www.cmpnetasia.com/oct3_nw_viewart.cfm?Artid=28468&Catid=8&subcat=79§ion=News | title = Red Hat looks to boost channel sales | first = Steven| last = Burke | publisher = CRN | date = ] | accessdate = 2006-04-01 }}</ref> | |||
| == History == | |||
| === Early === | |||
| ], creator of the Linux kernel.]] | |||
| In 1983, ] founded the ], with the goal of developing a complete Unix-like operating system composed entirely of free software. By the beginning of the 1990s, GNU had produced or collected most of the necessary components of this system — ], ]s, ]s, a ] — except for the core component, the ]. The GNU project began developing a kernel, the ], in 1990, based on the ], but the development of this Mach-based design proved difficult and proceeded slowly. | |||
| Meanwhile, in 1991, another kernel was begun as a hobby by Finnish university student ] while attending the ].<ref>Torvalds, Linux. "What would you like to see most in minix?". ]: comp.os.minix. Retrieved 2006-09-09 from </ref> Torvalds originally used ] on his own computer, a simplified Unix-like system written by ] for teaching operating system design. However, Tanenbaum did not permit others to extend his operating system, leading Torvalds to create a replacement for Minix. | |||
| Originally, Torvalds called his kernel "Freax" for "free" and "freak" and with the often-used X in the names of Unix-like systems. The name "Linux" was coined by ], who administered an ] server belonging to the ]; he invented the name ''Linux'' for the directory from which Torvalds' project was first available for download.<ref name="naming">Torvalds, Linus. "How to pronounce "Linux"?". ]: comp.os.linux. Retrieved 2006-08-08 from </ref> | |||
| ] systems. Linux is a Unix-type system but its source code does not descend from the original Unix.]] | |||
| At first a computer running Minix was necessary in order to configure and install Linux. Initial versions of Linux also required another operating system to be present in order to boot from a hard disk, but soon there were independent boot loaders such as ]. The Linux system quickly surpassed Minix in functionality; Torvalds and other early Linux kernel developers adapted their work for the GNU components and user-space programs to create a complete, fully functional, and free operating system. | |||
| Today, Torvalds continues to direct the development of the kernel, while other subsystems such as the GNU components continue to be developed separately (Linux kernel development is not part of the GNU Project). Other groups and companies combine and distribute these components with additional application software in the form of Linux ''distributions''. | |||
| === Linux and the GNU Project === | |||
| ], founder of the GNU project for a free operating system.]] | |||
| {{main|GNU/Linux naming controversy}} | |||
| The goal of the GNU project is to produce a Unix-compatible operating system consisting entirely of free software, and most general-purpose Linux distributions rely on GNU libraries and tools written to that effect. The ] views these Linux distributions as "variants" of the GNU system, and asks that such operating systems be referred to as ''GNU/Linux'' or ''a Linux-based GNU system''. While some distributions make a point of using the combined form - notably '']'' - its use outside of the enthusiast community is limited, and Linus Torvalds has said that he finds calling Linux in general ''GNU/Linux'' "just ridiculous" <ref>{{cite video|people=Moore, J.T.S. (Produced, Written, and Directed)|title=]|medium=DVD|date=2001}}</ref>. The distinction between the Linux kernel and distributions based on it is a source of confusion to many newcomers, and the naming remains controversial. | |||
| === SCO litigation === | |||
| {{main|SCO-Linux controversies}} | |||
| In March 2003, the ] filed a ] against IBM, claiming that IBM had contributed portions of SCO's copyrighted code to the Linux kernel in violation of IBM's license to use Unix. Additionally, SCO sent letters to a number of companies warning that their use of Linux without a license from SCO may be actionable, and claimed in the press that they would be suing individual Linux users. This controversy has involved lawsuits by SCO against ] (dismissed in 2004), and ], and by ] and others against SCO. Furthermore, whether SCO even owns the relevant Unix copyrights is currently ]. | |||
| As per the Utah District Court ruling on July 3, 2006; 182 claims out of 294 claims made by ] against ] have been dismissed.<ref>{{ cite web | url= http://www.idm.net.au/story.asp?id=7297 | title = SCO Losing Linux Battle With IBM }}</ref> | |||
| SCO's claims have varied widely. ], no proof of SCO's claims of copied code in Linux has been provided. | |||
| == Portability == | |||
| ''see also:'' ] | |||
| The Linux kernel was originally designed only for ] ]s, but now supports a wide variety of ]s. Linux is one of the most widely ] operating systems, running on a diverse range of systems from the hand-held ]-based ] to the mainframe IBM ]. Specialized distributions exist for less mainstream architectures. | |||
| == Copyright, licensing, and the Linux trademark == | |||
| The Linux kernel and most GNU software are licensed under the ]. The GPL requires that all distributed source code modifications and derived works also be licensed under the GPL, and is sometimes referred to as a "share and share-alike" or "]" license. In 1997, Linus Torvalds stated, "Making Linux GPL'd was definitely the best thing I ever did."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kde.sw.com.sg/food/linus.html|title=Linus Torvalds interview|accessdate=2006-05-08}}</ref> Other software may use other licenses; many libraries use the ] (LGPL), a more permissive variant of the GPL, and the ] uses the ]. | |||
| In the United States, the name ''Linux'' is a ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://assignments.uspto.gov/assignments/q?db=tm&qt=rno&reel=&frame=&sno=&rno=1916230|title=U.S. Reg No: 1916230|accessdate=2006-04-01}}</ref> registered to Linus Torvalds. | |||
| Initially, nobody registered it, but on August 15, 1994, William R. Della Croce, Jr. filed for the trademark ''Linux'', and then demanded royalties from Linux distributors. In 1996, Torvalds and some affected organizations sued to have the trademark assigned to Torvalds, and in 1997 the case was settled<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/9065|title=Linux Journal, 2006-06-31, Linux Timeline}}</ref>. The licensing of the trademark is now handled by the ]. Torvalds has stated that he only trademarked the name to prevent someone else from using it, but was bound in 2005 by ] to take active measures to enforce the trademark. As a result, the LMI sent out a number of letters to distribution vendors requesting that a fee be paid for the use of the name, and a number of companies have complied.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/09/05/36OPopenent_1.html|title=Linus gets tough on Linux trademark|accessdte=20060-09-04}}</ref> | |||
| ==Pronunciation== | |||
| In 1992, Torvalds explained how he pronounces the word ''Linux'':<ref>See also an of Torvalds saying "Hello, this is Linus Torvalds, and I pronounce Linux as ''Linux''". Note that in English, "Linux" and "Minix" are usually pronounced with a short ''i'' (]: /ɪ/) sound that is different from Torvalds' ] pronunciation of these words, similar to the difference between the Finland-Swedish and English pronunciations of "Linus."</ref> | |||
| {{Cquotetxt | 'li' is pronounced with a short sound: compare prInt, mInImal etc. 'nux' is also short, non-diphthong, like in pUt {IPA /ʊ/}. It's partly due to minix: linux was just my working name for the thing, and as I wrote it to replace minix on my system, the result is what it is... linus' minix became linux. | Linus Torvalds | comp.os.linux newsgroup<ref name="naming" /> }} | |||
| <!-- The above is an exact quote from the Usenet post. Do not copyedit it. --> | |||
| == Development == | |||
| ''More Than a Gigabuck: Estimating GNU/Linux's Size'', a 2001 study of ] 7.1, found that this distribution contained 30 million ].<ref>{{cite web|first=David A|last=Wheeler|date=2002-07-29|url=http://www.dwheeler.com/sloc/redhat71-v1/redhat71sloc.html|title=More Than a Gigabuck: Estimating GNU/Linux's Size|accessdate=2006-05-11}}</ref> Using the ], the study estimated that this distribution required about eight thousand man-years of development time. According to the study, if all this software had been developed by conventional ] means, it would have cost about 1.08 billion dollars (year 2000 U.S. dollars) to develop in the United States. | |||
| The majority of the code (71%) was written in the ], but many other languages were used, including ], ], ], ], ], ] and various ]ing languages. Slightly over half of all lines of code were licensed under the GPL. The Linux kernel was 2.4 million lines of code, or 8% of the total. | |||
| In a later study, ''Counting potatoes: The size of Debian 2.2'', the same analysis was performed for Debian GNU/Linux version 2.2.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jesús M|last=González-Barahona|coauthors=et al.|date=2002-01-03|url=http://people.debian.org/~jgb/debian-counting/counting-potatoes/|title=Counting potatoes: The size of Debian 2.2|accessdate=2006-05-11}}</ref> This distribution contained over fifty-five million source lines of code, and the study estimated that it would have cost 1.9 billion dollars (year 2000 U.S. dollars) to develop by conventional means. | |||
| == Applications == | |||
| ] desktop on the ] distribution.]] | |||
| Linux has historically been used mainly as a ] operating system, but its low cost, flexibility, and Unix background make it suitable for a wide range of applications. | |||
| <!--Add more about traditional (non internet) server usage.---> | |||
| Linux is the cornerstone of the "]" server-software combination ''(Linux, Apache, MySQL, Perl/PHP/Python)'' which has achieved popularity among developers, and which is one of the more common platforms for website hosting. | |||
| Due to its low cost and its high configurability, Linux is often used in ] such as television ]es, ]s, and ]s. Linux has become a major competitor to the proprietary ] found in many mobile phones, and it is an alternative to the dominant ] and ] operating systems on ]s. The popular ] digital video recorder uses a customized version of Linux. Several network ] and ] standalone products, including several from ], use Linux internally, using its advanced firewalling and routing capabilities. | |||
| Linux is increasingly common as an operating system for ]s. In the November 2005 ] list of supercomputers, the two fastest supercomputers in the world ran Linux. Of the 500 systems, 371 (74.2%) ran some version of Linux, including seven of the top ten. | |||
| The Sony ] ], scheduled to be released in November 2006, will run Linux by default. Sony has previously released a ] do-it-yourself kit for their ] video game console. Game developers like ] and ] have released titles to the Linux desktop. ] also produces games for Linux, licensing and ] them from their ] source code. | |||
| The ] project, which aims to provide computing devices to all children in developing nations, uses Linux as the devices' operating system. | |||
| === Distributions === | |||
| {{details|Linux distribution}} | |||
| Linux is predominantly used as part of a Linux distribution (commonly called a "distro"). These are ] by individuals, loose-knit teams, and commercial and volunteer organizations. They commonly include additional system and ] software, an installer system to ease initial system setup, and integrated management of software installation and upgrading. Distributions are created for many different purposes, including ] support, localization to a specific region or language, ] applications, and ], and many deliberately include only ]. Currently, over three hundred distributions are actively developed, with about a dozen distributions being most popular for general-purpose use.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lwn.net/Distributions/|title=The LWN.net Linux Distribution List|accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref> | |||
| A typical general-purpose distribution includes the ], some GNU ] and tools, command-line ]s, the graphical ] and an accompanying ] such as ] or ], together with thousands of application software packages, from ]s to ]s, ]s, and scientific tools. | |||
| === Desktop usage === | |||
| ] desktop running from the GNOME LiveCD.]] | |||
| {{See also|Comparison of Windows and Linux}} | |||
| The high level of access granted to Linux's internals has led to Linux users traditionally tending to be more technologically oriented than users of Microsoft Windows and Mac OS, sometimes revelling in the tag of "]" or "]". Linux and other free software projects have been frequently criticized for not going far enough to ensure ease of use.{{cn}} | |||
| This stereotype has begun to be dispelled in recent years. Linux may now be used with a user interface that is very similar to those running on other operating systems. Users may have to switch application software, and there are often fewer "known" options (as in the case of ]s) but there exist replacements for all general-purpose software, and general applications like spreadsheets, word processors, and browsers are available for Linux in profusion. Additionally, a growing number of proprietary software vendors are supporting Linux,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.iist.unu.edu/globaldesktop/ | title = The Global Desktop Project, Building Technology and Communities | accessdate = 2006-05-07 }}</ref> and compatibility layers such as the ] system allow some Windows application software and drivers to be used on Linux without requiring the vendor to adapt them. | |||
| Linux's roots in the Unix operating system mean that in addition to graphical configuration tools and control panels available for many system settings and services, plain-text configuration files are still commonly used to configure the OS and can readily be made accesible (or not) to users, at the administrator's will. | |||
| The Berlin-based organization ] concluded in 2003 that the usability of Linux for a set of desktop-related tasks was "nearly equal to ]."<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.relevantive.de/Linux-Usabilitystudy_e.html | title = Relevantive Linux usability study | accessdate = 2006-04-03 }}</ref> Since then, there have been numerous independent studies and articles which indicate that a modern Linux desktop using either GNOME or KDE is on par with Microsoft Windows in a business setting.<ref>{{ cite web | first = Emmett | last = Dulaney | date = June 2005 | url = http://redmondmag.com/features/article.asp?editorialsid=485 | title = Desktop Linux: Ready for Prime Time? | accessdate=2006-06-19 }}</ref> | |||
| === Market share and uptake === | |||
| {{See|Linux adoption}} | |||
| According to the market research company ], 25% of servers and 2.8% of desktop computers ran Linux as of 2004.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/main.jhtml?xml=/connected/2004/02/04/ecnconc04.xml | title = Microsoft eyes up a new kid on the block | publisher = The Daily Telegraph | first = Dominic | last = White | date = 2004-04-02 | accessdate = 2006-09-09 }}</ref> Proponents and analysts attribute the success of Linux to its security, reliability,<ref>{{ cite web | url = http://www-306.ibm.com/software/info/features/feb152005/ | title = Why customers are flocking to Linux }}</ref> low cost, and freedom from ],<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ca.com/za/news/2005/20051010_linux.htm | title = The rise and rise of Linux }}</ref>. The frictional cost of switching and lack of support for some hardware and many application programs designed for ], especially ] or uncommon business software,<!--Canonical examples?--> are two important factors inhibiting adoption. | |||
| The Linux market is rapidly growing and the revenue of servers, desktops, and packaged software running Linux is expected to exceed $35.7 billion by 2008.<ref>{{ cite web | url = http://www.techweb.com/wire/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=55800522 | title = Linux To Ring Up $35 Billion By 2008 | accessdate = 2006-04-01 }}</ref> The actual installed user base may be higher than indicated by this figure, as most Linux distributions and applications are freely available and redistributable. | |||
| The paper ''Why Open Source Software / Free Software (OSS/FS)? Look at the Numbers!''<ref>{{ cite web | first = David A | last = Wheeler | url = http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html | title = Why Open Source Software / Free Software (OSS/FS)? Look at the Numbers! | accessdate = 2006-04-01 }}</ref> identifies many quantitative studies of open source software, on topics including market share and reliability, with many studies specifically examining Linux. <!-- does this need to look so much like an advert? --> | |||
| == Installation == | |||
| The most common method of installing Linux on a personal computer is by booting from a ] that contains the installation program and installable software. Such a CD can be burned from a downloaded ], purchased alone for a low price, can be obtained as part of a box set that may also include manuals and additional commercial software and in a few cases shipped for free by request. ] images allow Linux to be installed from a disk with a ]. | |||
| As with ], ]s that come with Linux already installed are available from vendors including ] and ], although generally only for their business desktop line. | |||
| Alternatives to traditional desktop installation include ] installation, where the operating system is loaded and run from a centralised machine over a network connection; and running from a ], where the computer boots the entire operating system from CD without first installing it on the computer's hard disk. | |||
| On embedded devices, Linux is typically held in the device's ] and may or may not be consumer-accessible. | |||
| == Programming on Linux == | |||
| The ] (GCC) is the standard compiler family for most Linux systems. Amongst others, GCC provides frontends for ], ] and ]. Most distributions come installed with interpreters for ], ] and other ]s, and several now include ] via the ] project. | |||
| There are a number of ]s available including ], ], ], and ] while the traditional editors ] and ] remain popular.{{cn}} | |||
| The two main ]s used for contemporary ] programming are ] and the Gimp Toolkit, known as ]. | |||
| As well as these free and open source options, there are proprietary compilers and tools available from a range of companies such as ],<ref>http://www.intel.com/cd/software/products/asmo-na/eng/linux/index.htm</ref> PathScale<ref>http://www.pathscale.com/ekopath.html</ref> and the Portland Group.<ref>http://www.pgroup.com/</ref> | |||
| == Support == | |||
| Technical support is provided by commercial suppliers and by other Linux users, usually in ], ], ], and ]. ]s have traditionally been organized to provide support for Linux in specific cities and regions. | |||
| The business model of commercial suppliers is generally dependent on charging for support, especially for business users. A number of companies offer a specialized business version of their distribution, which adds proprietary support packages and tools to administer higher numbers of installations or to simplify administrative tasks. | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| {{portalpar|Free software|Floss draft.png}} | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| == References == | |||
| <div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;"> | |||
| * {{cite book|first=Linus, and David Diamond|last=Torvalds|title=]|publisher=Harper-Collins Business|ISBN=}} | |||
| * {{cite book|first=Glyn|last=Moody|title=Rebel Code: Linux and the Open Source Revolution|publisher=Perseus Publishing|id=ISBN 0-713-99520-3}} | |||
| * {{cite web|first=R|last=Gedda|date=2004|url=http://www.linuxworld.com.au/index.php?id=568003838&fp=16&fpid=0|title=Linux breaks desktop barrier in 2004: Torvalds|accessdate=2004-01-16}} | |||
| * {{cite web|first=K|last=Mackenzie|url=http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,8407881%5E15841%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html|title=Linux Torvalds Q&A|date=2004|accessdate=2004-01-19}} | |||
| * {{cite web|first=Thomas C|last=Greene|url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/12/18/mandrake_8_1_easier_than/|title=Mandrake 8.1 easier than Win-XP|publisher=The Register|accessdate=2005-12-22}} | |||
| <references/> | |||
| </div> | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| {{Sisterlinks|Linux}} | |||
| * — contains comprehensive information and resources about Linux. | |||
| * — Linux kernel website | |||
| * — ]s, ]s and other guides. | |||
| * — distributions and FTP sites (sortable by categories). | |||
| * — distribution information and announcements. | |||
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