March of the Penguins
An Exploration of the Professional Issues Surrounding the Linux Operating System
When it comes to people's operating systems, it seems you can divide the user population into two camps: those who use Mac OS X and those who use some version of Windows. According to NetMarketShare, last month, Windows held 91.98% of the desktop OS market share and Mac owned 6.38%1. A quick bit of math shows that this only adds up to 98.36%, though. Who claimed this unaccounted 1.64% of the desktop OS market share? The answer is Linux. Linux is a free, open-source operating system built around the Linux kernel, which was release 23 years ago by Linus Torvalds2. Linux can be found being used in many environments: household appliances, televisions, supercomputers, and many of the smartphones we own today. If Linux is so prevalent in so many places, why is so underused in the realm of personal computing? Why do people get in heated debates over Windows and Mac, but Linux goes without mention? Why do kids dream of becoming the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs, but fail to idolize Linus Torvalds? Linux is a powerful tool that often is ignored, so let's take this opportunity to explore the world of Linux.
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Interested in operating systems, Linus decided to develop his own kernel. In 1991, the kernel was released with a note encouraging others to help make Linux even better. Eventually, the kernel was published under the GNU GPL. This allowed anyone to view the source code, change if they like, and the distribute their altered version4. Ultimately, this is what lead to Linux going from a esoteric, geeky pursuit to a widespread operating system, not just limited to