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Help me understand what IS Linux?

silvinodino
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Roughly speaking , it is a Operative System. It is unix-BASED, but it runs its own kernel (known as Linux Kernel).

GNU is the OS linux is based on, and it carries the name as such, GNU/Linux.

 

http://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.en.html#why

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Okay, I have searched the internet vaguely but it seems like everyone has mixed opinions about Linux. What is Linux and what is Linux/GNU? Is Linux a kernel? Is Linux derived from UNIX? Does it RUN on UNIX? Etc. I have a lot of questions and need some solid answers. If you can, please reply with a creditble source. When I do a basic google search I find one website saying one thing and the other saying another thing and then theres comments from people saying its different and blah blah blah. So, I thought I would ask here. thanks guys for helping me understand. 

"Ravioli Ravioli give me the Formuoli"

 

 

 

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Roughly speaking , it is a Operative System. It is unix-BASED, but it runs its own kernel (known as Linux Kernel).

GNU is the OS linux is based on, and it carries the name as such, GNU/Linux.

 

http://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.en.html#why

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This road map might actually help you out.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix#/media/File:Unix_history-simple.svg

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the correct designation is GNU/Linux, but it's most commonly used as just Linux

 

GNU is the project that sought to bring a UNIX like OS, but comprised entirely of free software

Independently, Linus Torvalds, released the 1st version of the Linux kernel - developers merged the GNU code onto the Linux kernel, thus creating GNU/Linux OS

 

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Did you watch the FAP?

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18 minutes ago, Xaring said:

Roughly speaking , it is a Operative System. It is unix-BASED, but it runs its own kernel (known as Linux Kernel).

GNU is the OS linux is based on, and it carries the name as such, GNU/Linux.

 

http://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.en.html#why

Thanks for this link. This is answering every question im having!!!

"Ravioli Ravioli give me the Formuoli"

 

 

 

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2 minutes ago, silvinodino said:

Thanks for this link. This is answering every question im having!!!

NP, google does magic :P

Planning on trying StarCitizen (Highly recommended)? STAR-NR5P-CJFR is my referal link 

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4 minutes ago, silvinodino said:

yeah but everyone is arguing in the comments so its confusing.

this happens any time you talk about linux. Other linux users give you a big long list on why the disto you oivled is the wrong one while the windows users sit and talk about hardware and software compatibility and "all the games are on windows".

 

which then turns into a fight about steamOS and the adaption of Linux for gaming and how linux is more secure.

 

trust me when I say that its a fight best staying out of no body wins because they aren't directly comparable.

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What is Linux and what is Linux/GNU?

Insistently it's GNU/Linux. GNU/Linux refers to an entire package of the Linux OS kernel, which manages hardware resources and provides services to other programs (this is the general definition of a kernel, by the way), and the GNU applications that run on top of Linux.

 

You can have an operating system environment without the GNU components. Your router for example, may be running Linux but not the GNU components or maybe some GNU components. I would also say Android, but there's probably enough GNU components to make it GNU/Linux.

 

Is Linux a kernel?

Yes, Linux is an OS kernel

 

Is Linux derived from UNIX? Does it RUN on UNIX?

Not directly. Linux was derived from MINIX. Linus wanted to work on an OS and started with MINIX, but felt its licensing was too restrictive (at the time, MINIX was licensed only for educational use). MINIX is UNIX-like, meaning it implements many, if not all, of the POSIX standard and/or not is certified to meet the POSIX standard. An OS that is considered UNIX has to meet the POSIX standard.

 

Just to clarify, Linux is UNIX-like, but not all UNIX-like OSes are Linux.

 

(I kind of felt like answering so take this how you will)

Edited by M.Yurizaki
I forgot a negative (MINIX is not certified haha)

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7 minutes ago, M.Yurizaki said:

What is Linux and what is Linux/GNU?

Insistently it's GNU/Linux. GNU/Linux refers to an entire package of the Linux OS kernel, which manages hardware resources and provides services to other programs (this is the general definition of a kernel, by the way), and the GNU applications that run on top of Linux.

 

You can have an operating system environment without the GNU components. Your router for example, may be running Linux but not the GNU components or maybe some GNU components. I would also say Android, but there's probably enough GNU components to make it GNU/Linux.

 

Is Linux a kernel?

Yes, Linux is an OS kernel

 

Is Linux derived from UNIX? Does it RUN on UNIX?

Not directly. Linux was derived from MINIX. Linus wanted to work on an OS and started with MINIX, but felt its licensing was too restrictive (at the time, MINIX was licensed only for educational use). MINIX is UNIX-like, meaning it implements many, if not all, of the POSIX standard and/or is certified to meet the POSIX standard. An OS that is considered UNIX has to meet the POSIX standard.

 

Just to clarify, Linux is UNIX-like, but not all UNIX-like OSes are Linux.

 

(I kind of felt like answering so take this how you will)

Ahh okay, thanks for your answers, this too is very helpful!!

"Ravioli Ravioli give me the Formuoli"

 

 

 

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It's a kernel.

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Linux is me!

Thy hath sinneth, and in thy life thou hast fallen to an unholy, unspeakable level of humanity. Thou hast given into your basest needs. And suffered many years under thine Satan-box. However, if thine be willing, as thy hast show yourself to be, thy can ascendeth into thy glorious fold of the glorious church. Go well, my brother, may your temps be low and your frames high. ~ MrDynamicMan

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11 hours ago, silvinodino said:

yeah but everyone is arguing in the comments so its confusing.

I think the reason you are seeing a bunch of conflicting answers is because people of varying levels of hardcore are arguing over the amount of detail to give.  The super simple answer that's good enough for 99% of people is that Linux is an operating system, like Mac OS or Windows.  You can get deeper into GNU, UNIX, kernels, Window Systems like X, desktop environments like GNOME, KDE, etc., - it's never ending :P

 

The main difference you will probably discover first is that unlike Windows, Linux systems (at least graphical ones) are actually two parts (and I'm going to keep this simple as well) - the actual operating system itself, which has only a command line interface like DOS, and the graphical environment that runs on it.  There are many benefits to having these be separate entities, and it's unfortunate (imo) that Microsoft decided to fuse Windows and DOS (in the early days, Windows was a graphical system like X that ran on DOS).

Solve your own audio issues  |  First Steps with RPi 3  |  Humidity & Condensation  |  Sleep & Hibernation  |  Overclocking RAM  |  Making Backups  |  Displays  |  4K / 8K / 16K / etc.  |  Do I need 80+ Platinum?

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12 hours ago, silvinodino said:

Okay, I have searched the internet vaguely but it seems like everyone has mixed opinions about Linux. What is Linux and what is Linux/GNU? Is Linux a kernel? Is Linux derived from UNIX? Does it RUN on UNIX? Etc. I have a lot of questions and need some solid answers. If you can, please reply with a creditble source. When I do a basic google search I find one website saying one thing and the other saying another thing and then theres comments from people saying its different and blah blah blah. So, I thought I would ask here. thanks guys for helping me understand. 

Linus literally just made a TechQuicke video about this

Roses are red

My name is Roy

We caught the alligator that ate the De Luca boy

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