How Linux Operating System came into existence ?
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Reanimation
Feb 23, 2011, 11:44:24 PM2/23/11
to Linux Power User group
To understand that first we have to know the history of Unix Operating
system.
======================================================================================================================================================================
Unix History
========================
* 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,
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 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 portability to different computer platforms.
* Unix quickly grew and became widely adopted by academic institutions
and businesses.
GNU Project
======================
* The GNU Project, started in 1983 by Richard Stallman, had the goal
of creating a "complete Unix- compatible software system" composed
entirely of free software.
* Work began in 1984.
* Later, in 1985, Stallman started the Free Software Foundation and
wrote the GNU General Public License (GNU GPL) in 1989.
* By the early 1990s, many of the programs required in an operating
system (such as libraries, compilers, text editors, a Unix shell, and
a windowing system) were completed,
* Although low-level elements such as device drivers, daemons, and the
kernel were stalled and incomplete.
MINIX
=====================
* MINIX is an inexpensive minimal Unix-like operating system, designed
for education in computer science, written by Andrew S. Tanenbaum.
* In 1991 while attending the University of Helsinki, Torvalds,
curious about the operating systems and frustrated by the licensing
of MINIX limiting it to educational use only (which prevented any
commercial use), began to work on his own operating system which
eventually became the Linux kernel.
* Torvalds began the development of the Linux kernel on MINIX, and
applications written for MINIX were also used on Linux. Later Linux
matured and it became possible for Linux to be developed under itself.
* Also GNU applications replaced all MINIX ones, because with code
from the GNU system freely available, it was advantageous if this
could be used with the fledgling operating system. Code licensed under
the GNU GPL can be used in other projects, so long as they also are
released under the same or a compatible license.
* In order to make the Linux available for commercial use, Torvalds
initiated a switch from his original license (which prohibited
commercial redistribution) to the GNU GPL.
* Developers worked to integrate GNU components with Linux to make a
fully functional and free operating system.
* The source code of linux version is uploaded on internet by Linus so
that the developers all around the world can
download that code , use & modify that code.
======================================================================================================================================================================
* Today, Linux distributions are used in every domain, from embedded
systems to supercomputers.
* Use of Linux distributions in home and enterprise desktops has been
growing.
* The primary difference between Linux and many other popular
contemporary operating systems is that the Linux kernel and other
components are free and open source software.
* Linux is not the only such operating system, although it is by far
the most widely used. Some free and open source software licenses are
based on the principle of copyleft, a kind of reciprocity: any work
derived from a copyleft piece of software must also be copyleft
itself.
* The most common free software license, the GNU GPL, is a form of
copyleft, and is used for the Linux kernel and many of the
components from the GNU project.
======================================================================================================================================================================
Linux Distributions:
=================
* A distribution is largely driven by its developer and user
communities. Some vendors develop and fund their distributions on a
volunteer basis, Debian being a well-known example.
* Others maintain a community version of their commercial
distributions, as Red Hat does with Fedora.
Community & Linux user Groups
=========================
* In many cities and regions, local associations known as Linux User
Groups (LUGs) seek to promote their preferred distribution and by
extension free software.
* They hold meetings and provide free demonstrations, training,
technical support, and operating system installation to new users.
* Many Internet communities also provide support to Linux users and
developers. Most distributions and free
software / open source projects have IRC chatrooms or
newsgroups.Online forums are another means for support.
* Although Linux distributions are generally available without charge,
several large corporations sell,support, and contribute to the
development of the components of the system and of free software.
* An analysis of the Linux kernel showed 75 percent of the code from
December 2008 to January 2010 was developed by programmers working for
corporations, leaving about 18 percent to the traditional, opensource
community.
* Some of the major corporations that contribute include Dell, IBM,
HP, Oracle, Sun Microsystems (now part of Oracle), Novell, and Nokia.
* A number of corporations, notably Red Hat, have built their entire
business around Linux distributions.
* Linux distributions have long been used as server operating systems,
and have risen to prominence in that area;
* Linux distributions have become increasingly popular on mainframes
in the last decade due to pricing,
compared to other mainframe operating systems.
* In December 2009, computer giant IBM reported that it would
predominantly market and sell mainframe-based Enterprise Linux
Server.
* Linux distributions are also commonly used as operating systems for
supercomputers:
* since November 2010, out of the top 500 systems, 459 (91.8%) run a
Linux distribution.
* Linux was also selected as the operating system for the world's most
powerful supercomputer, IBM's Sequoia which will become operational
in 2011.
system.
======================================================================================================================================================================
Unix History
========================
* 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,
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 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 portability to different computer platforms.
* Unix quickly grew and became widely adopted by academic institutions
and businesses.
GNU Project
======================
* The GNU Project, started in 1983 by Richard Stallman, had the goal
of creating a "complete Unix- compatible software system" composed
entirely of free software.
* Work began in 1984.
* Later, in 1985, Stallman started the Free Software Foundation and
wrote the GNU General Public License (GNU GPL) in 1989.
* By the early 1990s, many of the programs required in an operating
system (such as libraries, compilers, text editors, a Unix shell, and
a windowing system) were completed,
* Although low-level elements such as device drivers, daemons, and the
kernel were stalled and incomplete.
MINIX
=====================
* MINIX is an inexpensive minimal Unix-like operating system, designed
for education in computer science, written by Andrew S. Tanenbaum.
* In 1991 while attending the University of Helsinki, Torvalds,
curious about the operating systems and frustrated by the licensing
of MINIX limiting it to educational use only (which prevented any
commercial use), began to work on his own operating system which
eventually became the Linux kernel.
* Torvalds began the development of the Linux kernel on MINIX, and
applications written for MINIX were also used on Linux. Later Linux
matured and it became possible for Linux to be developed under itself.
* Also GNU applications replaced all MINIX ones, because with code
from the GNU system freely available, it was advantageous if this
could be used with the fledgling operating system. Code licensed under
the GNU GPL can be used in other projects, so long as they also are
released under the same or a compatible license.
* In order to make the Linux available for commercial use, Torvalds
initiated a switch from his original license (which prohibited
commercial redistribution) to the GNU GPL.
* Developers worked to integrate GNU components with Linux to make a
fully functional and free operating system.
* The source code of linux version is uploaded on internet by Linus so
that the developers all around the world can
download that code , use & modify that code.
======================================================================================================================================================================
* Today, Linux distributions are used in every domain, from embedded
systems to supercomputers.
* Use of Linux distributions in home and enterprise desktops has been
growing.
* The primary difference between Linux and many other popular
contemporary operating systems is that the Linux kernel and other
components are free and open source software.
* Linux is not the only such operating system, although it is by far
the most widely used. Some free and open source software licenses are
based on the principle of copyleft, a kind of reciprocity: any work
derived from a copyleft piece of software must also be copyleft
itself.
* The most common free software license, the GNU GPL, is a form of
copyleft, and is used for the Linux kernel and many of the
components from the GNU project.
======================================================================================================================================================================
Linux Distributions:
=================
* A distribution is largely driven by its developer and user
communities. Some vendors develop and fund their distributions on a
volunteer basis, Debian being a well-known example.
* Others maintain a community version of their commercial
distributions, as Red Hat does with Fedora.
Community & Linux user Groups
=========================
* In many cities and regions, local associations known as Linux User
Groups (LUGs) seek to promote their preferred distribution and by
extension free software.
* They hold meetings and provide free demonstrations, training,
technical support, and operating system installation to new users.
* Many Internet communities also provide support to Linux users and
developers. Most distributions and free
software / open source projects have IRC chatrooms or
newsgroups.Online forums are another means for support.
* Although Linux distributions are generally available without charge,
several large corporations sell,support, and contribute to the
development of the components of the system and of free software.
* An analysis of the Linux kernel showed 75 percent of the code from
December 2008 to January 2010 was developed by programmers working for
corporations, leaving about 18 percent to the traditional, opensource
community.
* Some of the major corporations that contribute include Dell, IBM,
HP, Oracle, Sun Microsystems (now part of Oracle), Novell, and Nokia.
* A number of corporations, notably Red Hat, have built their entire
business around Linux distributions.
* Linux distributions have long been used as server operating systems,
and have risen to prominence in that area;
* Linux distributions have become increasingly popular on mainframes
in the last decade due to pricing,
compared to other mainframe operating systems.
* In December 2009, computer giant IBM reported that it would
predominantly market and sell mainframe-based Enterprise Linux
Server.
* Linux distributions are also commonly used as operating systems for
supercomputers:
* since November 2010, out of the top 500 systems, 459 (91.8%) run a
Linux distribution.
* Linux was also selected as the operating system for the world's most
powerful supercomputer, IBM's Sequoia which will become operational
in 2011.
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