Linux's Roots can be Traced Back to UNIX

Way back then around 30 years ago, aside from the computer being as big as houses, every computer has different operating systems. This proved to be rather inefficient, for software would run on this machine but could not run on the other.

With these setbacks, a scientist from Bell Laboratories developed a new operating system that was, simple, written in the C programming language instead of assembly code, and more importantly could recycle codes.

This was UNIX.

The code recycling features of UNIX were very important.  Commercial computers then specifically developed their computer systems for one system. UNIX then needed a small piece of the special code, which is now commonly called as the kernel; this forms the base of the UNIX system. The operating system and all other functions were then built around this kernel, and were written in a higher programming language, C.

Since UNIX did a great job at making an operating system run on different hardware, software vendors adapt quickly. UNIX system then was found only in large establishments, government offices among others and was very expensive. Later, small computers were developed, thus UNIX system was becoming really necessary, but aside from the fact that it ran slow, it was not really free.

This drove Linus Trovalds, a young man studying computer science at the University of Helsinki, to develop a sort of freely available academic version of UNIX.  Linus was asking around for the POSIX standards, it still being the standard for UNIX. Linus’s goal was actually to have a free system that would be compliant to a UNIX system. Thus, LINUX was made, a full clone of UNIX, fit for use in workstations, on middle-range and high-end servers alike.

It was interesting how the “nerds” and the “freaks” worked together, coding and submitting new invented hardware for Linux test. Soon enough, the supported hardware of Linux grew longer and longer. Thus now, Linux is not only ideal to run on new PCs but also very much useful for the old and the exotic hardware.

Now, there are already so many Linux users. All the while hobbyists, staying within the bounds of the POSIX standard, were able to add all the features of UNIX in time, thus resulting in a more mature operating system that has become the Linux of today.

Networking and services were concentrated on in the beginning by the developers of Linux, but now, office applications have been joined in, thus desktop market is penetrated.

On the server side Linux is well-known for its stable and reliable platform. It has provided databases for a lot of big companies and agencies, the Amazon, the well-known online bookshop, US Post Office, among others. Internet service providers find it comfortable with Linux as a firewall, proxy- and web server. Even in movie making, clusters of Linux machines were in the creation of “Titanic” and “Shrek”. The modern Linux, in fact, runs also in PDAs, mobiles and even in experimental wristwatches.

Linux for the programmers is very useful.  Compilers, libraries, development and debugging tools are available for use for every standard Linux distribution. The C-compiler is also freely included. Manuals and documentation are also included as well as some examples to help people get started.

Moreover, Linux probably is one of the most well-known open source leaders.

The idea behind Open-source software is actually simple: programmers can read, distribute and change the code, thus, establishing it. People then can adapt it, fix it, debug it, or anything that could possibly make the software more reliable, efficient and powerful. Definitely, being an open-source has advantages, it is more flexible and more improved since more people have tested it in more different conditions than in the more closed software development. The Open-source community of course has to watch the quality with a guarded eye that would have to result to a more stable and accessible software.

Now, Linux provides more than the operating system that it is so known for. It has become not just the exclusive academic system, now commercial vendors have realized that they too can profit from the open-source. Indeed Linux has accepted the challenge of the fast evolving world.