Linux. To some, it sounds like a character on Charlie Brown. To others, it's a detergent or an asteroid. But to those in the computer world, Linux is a versatile alternative to the Windows and Mac operating systems, complete with a variety of features and advantages over these traditional solutions. Furthermore, it is available under an "open source" license just like Mozilla's FireFox browser - in other words, it's free.
The parent of Linux, Unix, traces its roots to the 1970s. A robust, non user-friendly operating system, it was commercialized in the 1980s for use in supercomputers and workstations. It was at this point that the development of operating systems spiraled radically in all different directions. Derivations include Sun's popular Solaris operating system, used in many technical industries today; the consumer driven and simple MacOS; and the prize of the geeks, Linux.
Linux itself is not a complete operating system; it is a part of a full system called a kernel. The kernel is the link between running programs and the physical computer that runs it - obviously the most essential part of any operating system. It was developed by a Finnish university student named Linus Torvald, who chose the penguin Tux to be its mascot. Although he started it merely as a hobby, it quickly grew in popularity. Because it was an open source project, the source code was available to the computer community to improve upon it and make their own additions. Torvald hadn't merely created a kernel, he created a community.
The community thrives today. Between Torvald and his fellow programmers, complete Linux operating systems are available with many features. Since many people are interested in creating a customized, alternative operating system, Linux receives significant donations of money and assistance from programmers.
Now this sounds like a great story, but what is the impact of Linux on our Microsoft Windows dominated lives? In some ways, it impacts us in ways we don't realize. Many of the powerful machines that run the Internet run on Linux. Blue Gene/L (developed by IBM), the most powerful supercomputer in the world, runs Linux. And versions are available to users to run on their personal computers as well. A free operating system, complete with free software. Well just how free is it?
The distributions are just that, completely free. One can download them from the Internet, burn them to a CD, and install them - no questions asked. Completely free. Many commercial applications have open source alternatives that run on Linux as well. For example, OpenOffice is a popular free alternative to Microsoft Office which is available in Linux and Windows distributions. It has all the same functions that Microsoft's Office packs (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) with different names - it can even read the same files. Alternatives to Adobe's Photoshop abound as well; almost any application can be found in some sort of open source release, and they're available to anyone at a moments notice by doing a search online. Using these versions can lead to tremendous savings in cost, but there are significant disadvantages as well.
Since there isn't a company releasing these products for sale, there is rarely an official place to go for help when things go wrong. Online communities and forums can be very helpful in fixing problems, but the responsibility is on the user to seek out information to fix problems. And although some distributions are created to be user friendly, Linux on the whole tends to be more complex than using commercially available systems like Windows or MacOS. In addition, it isn't as popular - the average person, even if computer literate, tends to know little about Linux. As people become disenfranchised with Windows and its continuous security problems and MacOS stays a very expensive alternative, Linux and its economic draw will become more and more popular. Though it may seem scary because of its difference from "traditional" operating systems, those who are willing to experiment may find Linux a valuable change of pace.
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