Linux is the colloquial name for an operating system.
Linux is the colloquial name for a free operating system . Technically, Linux is called the core or kernel of the system, whose correct name is GNU/Linux .
The Finnish engineer Linus Torvalds is the creator and person responsible for the development of the Linux kernel, although Richard Stallman previously promoted the GNU project.
As an operating system , Linux is multitasking (allows the simultaneous execution of various processes), multiuser (provides service to many users at the same time), and cross-platform (can be deployed on different platforms).
As free software , meanwhile, the Linux source code is available to anyone. Thus, all users are enabled to modify and redistribute the program freely, although taking into account what its license establishes. Linux distributions , in this framework, are systems with added applications and functions.
Linux Features
In addition to everything stated above, we cannot ignore the existence of another series of interesting data about Linux, such as the following:
- It has its origins in Unix , which was born in the 1960s and was developed by Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie .
- The first version of Linux appeared on October 5, 1991.
- Some of the most used Linux distributions are Canaima , Fedora , Dragora , Trisquel and Puppy Linux , among others.
- Currently, Linux has become the main basis for many home automation systems in homes, offices or apartment blocks.
Ubuntu
One of the most popular distributions is Ubuntu , which is based on the Debian architecture and is sponsored by the company Canonical .
Ubuntu aims to satisfy the needs of the average user, focusing on simplicity and a satisfactory experience.
It is possible to use Linux in a graphical environment.
Linux uses
It should be noted that Linux is the most used operating system on supercomputers and servers . It is also used, although in a more limited way, in home computers, laptops, video game consoles, cell phones (mobile phones) and other devices and terminals .
Although it can work in console mode, end users usually use Linux in a graphical environment. This graphical user interface (GUI) makes it easy to use through icons and a window system.
Among the most used desktop environments, we can name Cinnamon , MATE , XFCE , KDE Plasma , LXDE and GNOME .
Advantages and disadvantages
Linux is widely used by many people in the world. And that is because it brings with it benefits such as that it is free, it offers great freedom in terms of system management, it is very rarely compromised by cybercriminals and it is a great tool for cooperative work. Not to mention its few hardware requirements or the fact that it has few security bugs.
On the contrary, among its disadvantages are that system administration with Linux is quite complex; Sometimes updates turn out to be very complicated; or that there are professional programs that do not work with it. Likewise, Linux also has its disadvantages that its base is in English, that there are programs that can only be installed by an administrator and that not all existing versions of it have long-term support.
It is important to note that numerous programs can be installed and run on computers that have Linux . In this way it is possible to do without operating systems whose open source is not accessible, as is the case of Microsoft Windows , the best known worldwide.
Linux security is highly valued.
Linux on mobile devices
Beyond the popularity of iOS and Android on phones, the use of Linux on mobile devices is an alternative valued by many users. There are Linux distributions (or distros) available for cell phones such as Ubuntu Touch , which even allow you to run Google applications.
However, the difficulty in porting the system to Android phones threatens its use. Specialists, in this framework, allude to the lack of controllers as one of the main difficulties.
Maemo Leste, postmarketOS yLineageOS son otras distribuciones que pueden aprovecharse en distintos modelos de teléfonos.
The programming
Development on Linux is possible thanks, above all, to the GNU programming utilities, which can compile source code from multiple programming languages (such as Pascal , Java , C++ , Ada and C ).
Eclipse, NetBeans IDE, Ultimate++, Lazarus, KDevelop y Aniuta están entre los entornos de desarrollo integrados que pueden aprovecharse en GNU/Linux. Lenguajes de programación de shell, lenguajes de script y editores extensibles son otras de las capacidades deGNU/Linux, cuyas distribuciones suelen contar con Ruby,PHP,perl, Python y otros lenguajes ya instalados.
The adoption of Linux
The use of Linux can occur through migration or directly through the adoption of the system. The advantages already listed, such as security in Linux and lower costs, lead many users and entities to opt for this option.
Linux servers , for example, are increasingly popular. In public administration, Linux is already used in agencies in the United States, China, Germany, Russia, Spain and other countries. In any case, large companies such as Google , Peugeot and McDonald's have also released implementations of the system.