What is Linux?

Linux is a type of operating system, which is developed by Linus Torvalds. Linus made it, during his college life when he studied as a student at the University of Helsinki. Linux was made and meant to be accessed as a choice or substitute to the other operating systems being used by computer users, like MS-DOS, Mac OSX, Windows, etc. Linux is not any program or a set of programs same as a word processor of an office suite.

A Brief History

Linus Torvalds invented Linux at the time of studying at the Helsinki University. He used a version of the UNIX operating system named 'Minix'. Numerous requests for variations and improvements to the operating system were being sent by Linus and other users to Andrew Tanenbaum, Minix's inventor, but he thought that they were not essential. Therefore, Linus decided to make his own OS; one that would take into accounts the user's suggestions and comments for the upgrading.

A kernel" is the focus of any operating system. Without going into immense detail, the kernel shows the CPU to do what you need the program or application that you are accessing to do. An OS would not exist without a kernel. Though, a kernel is also worthless without any applications or programs.

In the year 1991, two serious situations developed that would serve up as the beginning point for Linux. A kernel was already developed by Linus, but he had no programs to access; some programs were accessible from Richard Stallman and GNU, but they had no working kernel. So, Linux was born by blending the programs from the GNU and Richard in Massachusetts, Cambridge, with the kernel offered by Linus in Helsinki, Finland. It was much ground to cover and distance to travel, so the Internet became the main method of getting Linus' kernel together along with the GNU programs. It can almost be said that Linux is an operating system that arrived into life on the web.

• Not For Everybody at First

Other software companies will sell the software contained in a set of floppies or a CD, together with a brief detail booklet; you could set up a fully functional OS on your PC. You only required to know how to study and follow the instructions in terms to install it. This was what those software companies had in mind when they evolved their operating systems. However, when Linux was created by Linus, this factor was not initially measured. Later on, Red Hat and other like-minded companies created it, their purpose to evolve Linux to the point where it could be simply installed just like any other operating system in the market, by anyone who can chase easy instructions, and today we can certainly say that they have succeeded in this exacting purpose.

• Linux Today

Nowadays, there is a big deal of compatible reactions from computer users concerning Linux. The fact that Linux has proven to be remarkably versatile and stable, especially as a network server, certainly has played an immense part in this popularity. Down-time is minor or unimportant when Linux is set up and accessed as a web server or in business networks. Several cases have been reported wherein Linux-powered servers have been performing efficiently for even more than a year without requiring rebooting, and when it had to be taken down, it was only for a concise period for maintenance reasons. Its cost-effectiveness has become to be one of its powerful selling points.

Linux can be set up and run on either a home computer or a network server, without having to give as much as it would be for other software packages. More dependability and fewer prices - it's perfect. Linux is very alike to the other operating systems in implementation, but its function is much better in many ways if it is compared with its similar platforms. It is obtainable as an open-source that serves you the freedom to use, update, redistribute and examine. It does not only provide you economical advantages as well as robust security and stability. Because rebooting may be a daunting task and it may create frustration.

It is equally useful for tech and non-tech users. It overcomes the limitations of other platforms such as their price, security factor, etc. that too without keeping its capability at stake. The attack of snoopers is one of the major concerns for computer devices and it is very much secure from that. Along with that, there are lots of software downloads obtainable for this platform that may serve the users in a variety of ways.

It has certain features which are explicated below

• Open Source and Free

The open-source operating system Linux keeps your system secured from many kinds of viruses and malware. It is very reasonable and efficient and arrives with various useful applications. You can hit on the option of source code to be acquainted with more on your devices. It is reasonable as far as the rate is anxious and programmers can study, modify, learn, and reallocate their own documents, apps, and files on the web. Compatible with a lot of hardware platforms and does not need the recent hardware. Users favor it, because of its speed and stability.

• Flexibility

It is the major advantage that it creates users capable to vary their desktop and make it as per their convenience and choice. It is far more bent than its counterparts. It needs minimal hardware configuration. Its pace does not get concessions and performs well when the hard disk of the system is completely loaded. It can execute without rebooting so it very steady. This operating system and its applications obtain very little time in debugging. Most of the internet servers are this platform relied on and you can execute it on your computer.

• Multiple Applications

As it is an open-source OS, so a large number of developers are working on it to make more add-ons, features, functions, and applications so that they can serve its users a better experience all the time. It contains the applications like office, video and audio player, database, graphic designing, CD burning, social programs, web browsing, anti-virus, etc.

• Secure and Well Documented

It is not vulnerable to malware infestation and cyber threats, which signifies safer than other OS platforms. You do not require scanning your PC constantly and updating your anti-virus package every so often. It includes the aspects like root account security measurements, advanced data verification, enhanced file accessing choices, storage encryptions, and much more.

• Source Code

This feature also displays free source code and you do not require paying royalties at run time. It is preferred because it is trustworthy, robust, and has multiple drivers, networking support, programming familiar language. It permits the users to develop their own commands and acts as a mediator between computer hardware and multiple programs. To support various types of file systems it accesses an advanced memory management loom.

In the end, we can say that Linux is a tremendous operating system, which is packed with an abundance of software downloads and advantages. It has an edge over rate, flexibility, security, etc. if it is compared with its similar operating systems. It does not cater the freedom to unauthorized users by marking the essential permissions into the documents. In fact, its gratis software downloads are much protected.