Linux
You may have heard of Linux before and may have no real idea what it really is. Linux is an operating system based on the Unix operating system. Linux was developed in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s by a student named Linus Torvald. Torvald developed Linux after studying a variant of the Unix operating system.
Linux is based on the GNU general public license, which means that the source code is open and available for anyone to view and modify or use. This flexibility and freedom have allowed Linux to become extremely popular and useful in many different situations.
Linux is common as a server system, as well as in many other applications. The availability of a cost free operating system built on a very stable platform has also made Linux more common on home computers in recent years.
Due to the open source basis of Linux, many different distributions of Linux have been developed. A distribution is a package of the Linux Kernel along with certain suites of software made available by individuals or companies for the purpose of providing a working operating system for end users. Many of these distributions are offered free of charge to the user.
