What is Linux?
In real open source, you have the right to control your own destiny.
-Linus Torvalds
Whether you are a beginner tech student, dork or just curious in IT you might be hearing people which some are 30 years old typical nerds in naruto pajamas saying “Unix”,”Linux”,”Ubuntu” and “Arch btw” and having a bad fomo(fear of missing out) but Cyberic is here to dumb down Linux to you.
What’is a LinuX?
Linux, just like any other existing operating systems is an operating system designed to be lightweight,fast and free. Yes, Linux is free and most others are not but paying for using Windows is not very a common practice in here and most do not even realise about Windows is actually not free.
“Operating systems are like underwear — nobody really wants to look at them.”
-Bill Joy
Before going too deep into operating systems I would first like to explain about what the junks are operating systems(for some reasons I will be abbreviating as OS).
OS is not something complicated to get an understanding because we are simply using it everyday in our lives. Most common OS(es) we use are Windows for computers ,Android for most phones, ios for IPhones and yes, Linux for some computers and most electronics devices including your Smart TV, Fridge and Car TV. Each OS(es) has their unique functions and advantages. So, what an OS does is it powers up your device’s hardwares to utilise the hardware’s resources so that your device can act on the any commands you give. Think of OS as a spraying bottle, the bottle acts as hardware, water inside of it acts as your intended command, the sprayer head is the OS and finally you, who is going to spray into your plant is the user. Bottle and Water alone are not going to function as a spraying bottle without the head which will pass down your command to the container below.
The rise of personal computers in late 20th century ignited the competition between tech manufacturers which resulted in advancements of computer operating systems but most of the softwares and OS(es) big tech companies created are needed to pay for using. This led into many people pirating softwares and OS(es) to avoid payment. But in September 1st of 1991 a new OS was created by Linus Torvalds, freely available for everyone which is known as Linux. Linux became well-known after people had problems with using Microsoft windows as their OS in the early days of personal computers. After getting a lot of attention and audience, Linus Torvalds invited computer programmers to help innovate in the development of Linux to maintain it free and open-source.
evolution Of Linux
Popularity started to gain within a year of release and Linus himself started organising Linux Expo which are Linux Exhibitions across the globe. Windows started to compete and expel Linux from the industry after it’s success but it never stopped Linux from gaining popularity. Linux the same like rest of the other OS(es), it got evolved by new technology, visuals, functionalities and graphics. When smartphones were invented, google created an OS with Linux for smartphones which is known as Android. Basically, the phone you use to watch tiktok is also Linux.
Linux Distros
One thing different from conventional OS(es) is that Linux being an open source which means you can modify, edit or enhance the OS by editing the code which is publicly available. Everyone can just copy the Linux source code and makes new Linuxes contrary to the original Linux. This makes Linux Operating System a diverse OS with plenty of options to choose a Distro and run it on your computer.
Which Linux Distro Is For You?
There is something we all need to accept. No distro is created equal and not every distro is meant for you. You got that correct every distro has its own targeted audience which in this case means some of the distros are for professional usages like running servers, hacking or network system administrations. But here are some of the most popular distros for you-
- Ubuntu(Best Pick)
Ubuntu is designed for running internet servers because of being stable and lightweight but it can also be used as a regular OS. Ubuntu is easy to use for linux beginners,lightweight and able to run on outdated devices.
2. Pop! OS(Pick this if you do not know anything about Linux)
Pop! OS is a newly released distro,created for regular purposes and has a user-friendly graphical interface. It is very fast and visually similar to Windows.
3. Kali Linux
Kali Linux is one of the most popular distro across Linux community and hackers because it is pre-loaded with tools and softwares for hacking. Kali is created by Offensive Security and currently the best choice to run on your computer if you are interested in Hacking and Security like us! But Kali Linux is very unstable and sometimes causes errors and bugs while using it because it is not designed for everyday-uses. Some hackers run Kali Linux on usb stick or by using a Virtual Machine.
4. Arch Linux (Advanced)
Arch Linux is another lightweight distro designed for everyday-uses. Arch can be also used as multi-purpose distro being a lightweight and fast but Arch needs intensive manual installations before you can boot it up. Choose Arch Linux if you have free time to install it manually for 6 hours straight.
To wrap it all about Linux, Linux has it own perks and downs. Some perks of using Linux is that it is completely free,extremely fast and lightweight and you can install most of the softwares by just typing a few words in Terminal. Plus, you can safely use the Linux because there not a lot of viruses created for Linux. On the other hands, by using Linux you might need to give up some of the Games you are playing from Steam, All Adobe softwares(Photoshop, Lightroom..etc) and Microsoft Office apps. While you can still run most of Windows’ softwares and apps on Linux by using softwares like WINE, you will sometimes face bugs and errors. So, calculate your risks before switching to Linux or you can always install Virtual Machine if you want to run Linux on your current OS and don’t want to risk your productivity.
“Linux is only free if your time has no value.”
-Jamie Zawinski
This is the end of the “What is Linux”, I hope you all enjoyed the article. I would like to thank each of you for reading it.
References
-Wikipedia contributors. (2001, November 20). Linux. Wikipedia. Retrieved 24 October 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux
-HowStuffWorks.com Contributors. (2022, September 13). What is Linux and why is it so popular? HowStuffWorks. Retrieved 24 October 2022, from https://computer.howstuffworks.com/question246.htm
HowStuffWorks.com. (Accessed at 1 April 2000)
-The Evolution Of Linux Operating System — Osstory. (2021, July 4). Osstory — Learn With Ease. Retrieved 24 October 2022, from https://osstory.com/the-journey-of-linux/
