What the fsck is Linux (Part 1)

July 21st, 2006

a.k.a. Linux, FOSS, and other geeky things

Last year, circa December 2005, I got acquainted with a computer entity known as Linux. This entity comes in different shapes and forms, but it mostly prefers to take the likeness of a shiny penguin named Tux, although it has also been known to appear as a scarlet pointed hat or a green lizard. Ever since I have been introduced to this creature, I have not looked elsewhere since, although I have, on various occasions, glanced over at the quad-colored butterfly fluttering about.

OK, enough of the chit-chat. I’m here to talk about Linux, the computer operating system that has been giving the guys over at Microsoft and Apple a run for their money.

How I met Tux

Unlike most Linux users, my introduction to Linux did not come from frustration with spyware, malware, and viruses (I’m quite capable of keeping my system immaculately clean, until my sister uses it :D ) nor from a disgust of the business practices of Microsoft (which I didn’t know about until after I started learning about Linux). I have also never heard/encountered the word Linux until that fateful day of our meeting (so fateful that I forgot the exact date).

I have been, shamefully, a user of some pirated software, most notably 3D modeling/animation software such as Lightwave and 3D Studio Max (never got the chance to try out Maya). After some time, I realized that if I were to pursue a career in 3D computer graphics or even just post my soon-to-be-created-but-still-not-yet-even-thought-of artwork, I can’t say with any dignity that I used legit software to make those. However, I could not afford those big 3D software, so I began to search for cheaper (read: free) alternatives. That’s when I discovered Blender. I was really amazed that such a kind software exists, one that is just as powerful as your big 3D apps, but totally free. I then wondered if a totally free operating system existed. That’s when I found out about Linux.

So what is Linux, anyway?
Please read My Great Disclaimer
Please also note that I will be sprinkling some links to Wikipedia.org for some definitions. Although I can’t say that information on Wikipedia is alwasys 100% accurate, I find that it explains some things quite well, specially for people who are not very literate when it comes to computer jargon. Don’t worry, I will be giving more “authoritative” links at the end.

In the simplest possible way, you could consider Linux as an operating system, similar to Windows or Mac OS.

Side Notes: An operating system is a piece of software (a big piece) that manages and operates your computer system (probably why they called it an operating system?) according to what you, the user, tell it to do. When you direct the computer to do something, such as running a program, opening a file, saving a document, playing music, etc., the operating makes sure that these commands are executed. In short, an operating system makes sure that you have computer that you can work with. It does this by managing your hardware (devices) and software (programs), managing your files, doing input/output work, etc. Of course, how it does this is a bit more complicated than how I described it, but I think that’s a topic reserved for a more advanced discussion.

However, Linux’s “real” definition is more than just that. According to the Linux FAQ, Linux refers to three things, although I only consider the first two to be “real” definitions of Linux (I consider defining Linux as a Linux distribution as quite circular).

1. Linux – the kernel

Probably the most technically accurate definition of Linux is that it is an operating system kernel.

Side Notes: The kernel is the core and most basic component of an operating system. The kernel is basically in charge of making sure that the hardware and software of a computer communicate and play nice with each other. It is charge of managing computer resources such as your CPU (which runs/executes commands/programs), memory or RAM (which is a space used to run programs and access files), input/output devices (hard disks, keyboards, mice, etc.), and other more technical stuff. If you noticed, most of the operating system’s functions are carried out by the kernel. However, an operating system needs more than just a kernel, as we shall soon see.

The Linux kernel is an OS (which means operating system) kernel based on UNIX (another OS. Windows and Mac weren’t the only operating systems in the world). It was started as a personal project in 1991 by Linus Torvalds, a Finnish student from the University of Helsinki. It was originally based on an OS called Minix, which, in turn, was based on UNIX. After a few months of working alone on that project, Linus turned to the MINIX mailing list (which was an older way of communicating between people of similar interests, much like groups and forums of today) to ask for feedback. Soon, this “hobby” kernel that Linus started grew in size and in fame, thanks from the free contributions of numerous programmers from around the world (thanks to the miracle of the internet). Eventually, this kernel was called Linux, after Linus’ name. It has an “x” at the end to follow the naming convention of UNIX-based/like systems (for example, Minix). Linus’ goal of making an OS based on UNIX was slowly becoming a reality.

However, an operating system needs more than just a kernel. It needs tools to facilitate its operations. It needs an interface to be able to communicate with the user. Without instructions from a user, an operating system is just a piece of software that knows how to do everything but doesn’t know what to do. Linus’ kernel is still far from being a complete operating system. It still needs a lot more.

This is where an older project from the Free Software Foundation (FSF) comes in to make one of the cheapest AND most powerful operating system in the world.

Up Next: The Penguin meets the GNU

References:

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Last edited: Aug 03, 2006 07:05 UTC

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