What is Linux?

Linux is, in simplest terms, an operating system. It is the software on a computer that enables
applications and the computer operator to access the devices on the computer to perform desired
functions. The operating system (OS) relays instructions from an application to, for instance, the
computer's processor. The processor performs the instructed task, then sends the results back to
the application via the operating system.

Explained in these terms, Linux is very similar to other operating systems, such as Windows and
OS X.

But something sets Linux apart from these operating systems. The Linux operating system
represented a $25 billion ecosystem in 2008. Since its inception in 1991, Linux has grown to
become a force in computing, powering everything from the New York Stock Exchange to
mobile phones to supercomputers to consumer devices.

As an open operating system, Linux is developed collaboratively, meaning no one company is

solely responsible for its development or ongoing support. Companies participating in the Linux
economy share research and development costs with their partners and competitors. This
spreading of development burden amongst individuals and companies has resulted in a large and
efficient ecosystem and unheralded software innovation.

Over 1,000 developers, from at least 100 different companies, contribute to every kernel release.
In the past two years alone, over 3,200 developers from 200 companies have contributed to the
kernel--which is just one small piece of a Linux distribution.

This article will explore the various components of the Linux operating system, how they are
created and work together, the communities of Linux, and Linux's incredible impact on the IT
ecosystem.

Section 1: What Is UNIX?

UNIX is an operating system. The job of an operating system is to orchestrate the various parts
of the computer -- the processor, the on-board memory, the disk drives, keyboards, video
monitors, etc. -- to perform useful tasks. The operating system is the master controller of the
computer, the glue that holds together all the components of the system, including the
administrators, programmers, and users. When you want the computer to do something for you,
like start a program, copy a file, or display the contents of a directory, it is the operating system
that must perform those tasks for you.

More than anything else, the operating system gives the computer its recognizable
characteristics. It would be difficult to distinguish between two completely different computers,
if they were running the same operating system. Conversely, two identical computers, running
different operating systems, would appear completely different to the user.
UNIX was created in the late 1960s, in an effort to provide a multiuser, multitasking system for
use by programmers. The philosophy behind the design of UNIX was to provide simple, yet
powerful utilities that could be pieced together in a flexible manner to perform a wide variety of
tasks.

The UNIX operating system comprises three parts: The kernel, the standard utility programs, and
the system configuration files.

The kernel

The kernel is the core of the UNIX operating system. Basically, the kernel is a large program that
is loaded into memory when the machine is turned on, and it controls the allocation of hardware
resources from that point forward. The kernel knows what hardware resources are available (like
the processor(s), the on-board memory, the disk drives, network interfaces, etc.), and it has the
necessary programs to talk to all the devices connected to it.

The standard utility programs

These programs include simple utilities like cp, which copies files, and complex utilities, like the
shell that allows you to issue commands to the operating system.

The system configuration files

The system configuration files are read by the kernel, and some of the standard utilities. The
UNIX kernel and the utilities are flexible programs, and certain aspects of their behavior can be
controlled by changing the standard configuration files. One example of a system configuration
file is the filesystem table "fstab" , which tells the kernel where to find all the files on the disk
drives. Another example is the system log configuration file "syslog.conf", which tells the kernel
how to record the various kinds of events and errors it may encounter.