Technology
 

Linux

From Linux Wiki

This page doubles as the corresponding article on the Programmer's Wiki.

A rather basic description or definition of Linux would be that it is a free and open-source operating system kernel written by Linus Torvalds. Technically true, but it leaves out a lot of what people have come to expect of it.

Historically it had a strictly text based user interface which is still accessible for those accustomed to it. Indeed there are still some functions that are best handled that way. However, nowadays, modern versions of Linux are expected to come with a Graphical User Interface. Exactly what Graphical Interface you get, however, depends on the distribution that you get. Distributions are packages put together by distributors that include at their core the following:

  • A Linux kernel
  • A Graphical User Interface (such as KDE or Gnome)
  • A browser for interfacing with the internet
  • Other basic utilities

While not all distributions include applications, most do include a few basic applications that vary in accord with whatever philosophy happens to be driving the distribution in question.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://linux.wikia.com/wiki/Linux"