Linux OS Overview

Overview

Linux was created by Linus Torvalds. Based on a UNIX-like core, Linux is unique in that it is open source. Open source code is freely available to the public, meaning that programmers working in their spare time are able to look at and improve the code. Torvalds personally manages the Linux effort, deciding what changes will be made, and what development paths will be pursued. Programmer response to Linux has been overwhelming. Especially within technical circles, anti-Microsoft sentiment is strong. Programmers and developers eagerly volunteered their personal time to an effort designed to create a product that could become a serious threat to Windows. The support that Linux has received means that it is already faster and much more stable than Windows. Bugs, when they exist, are discovered and corrected much more quickly than is the case with Windows. The modular design of Linux also means that bugs are less likely to occur in the first place.

Background

Linux began as a project that Linus Torvalds did for fun in his spare time. He modified UNIX, and opened up the code to the general public. At the time, few people realized the enormous potential that open source code has. As computer users and programmers discovered Linux, they found themselves actively communicating with each other, and improving the code. The Linux movement built momentum, and as more programmers volunteered their time to the Linux development effort, the better Linux became. The better it became, the more seriously it was taken, especially among technically oriented people, and the more programmers it attracted.

As the demand for Linux increased, companies like Corel began to port their application suites to it. Of equal importance, Linux also began to receive support from corporate vendors like Red Hat and Caldera. These companies developed retail versions of Linux. While the Linux code was (and is) freely available, Linux vendors provided technical support, and developed enhancements designed to make Linux easier to install. IBM and Intel have also announced support for Linux.

In the space of just a few years, Linux had transformed itself from a programmer's pet project into a force that is threatening the world's largest company. Linux's open source model means that any programmer can gain access to its code. This simple fact is the reason why Linux will be searched much more thoroughly, and its problems addressed much more efficiently and rapidly, than is the case with most proprietary operating systems. Because of the open source model, Linux became much more stable, more efficient, more easy to administer, and more bug-free, than Windows NT. It is also less expensive. People began searching for ways to migrate from Windows 95/98 and Windows NT to Linux.

Summary

As Linux continues to become easier to use, it will continue its push into the mainstream desktop and workstation markets. From a technical standpoint, it is better than Windows. As it gains acceptance, an increasing number of software vendors should be expected to write versions of their programs that will run on Linux. Even now, there is a wide variety of programs already available for Linux, including Corel WordPerfect. The Linux option is one that deserves serious consideration, and, if you are unfamiliar with Linux, then you may want to get in contact with someone who uses the operating system to give it a try. While Linux is becoming easier to use, some comfort with entering UNIX commands is still needed to use it effectively.