What is Linux?

Question

Is it it's own operating system like Windows or Mac OS X? Can you only download it? If Mac is for simplisity, graphical work and Windows is for compatibility and games then what purpose does Linux serve?

Answer 1

Linux is an operating system that was created by Linus Torvalds back in the mid 90s. Yes you can download but you can also get in on CD Rom as well. Linux serves a purpose as being an alternative operating system to Microsoft's Windows and is preferred by most people.

Answer 2

First, you need to know that Linux in itself, is technically NOT an Operating System, it is a kernel (core for an OS, technically the most important part).

Is it it's own operating system like Windows or Mac OS X?
No, as I've preciously said, after it is packed with various things would then it could be called an OS.

Can you only download it?
Depending on the distros, most distros also offers their distros on CD for shipment cost only, sometimes it's even free.

If Mac is for simplisity, graphical work and Windows is for compatibility and games then what purpose does Linux serve?
Multipurpose. Linux is a kernel not an OS, some of its distros are inclined for server, some are for desktops, some are for heavy computing, etc
Because of it's stability, Linux used to reside mostly on a webservers, supercomputers, special need computers, etc. (FYI most web server in the world is Linux based, I can't get the real figures though) However, with its vast improvement of user friendliness in the past few years, Linux started to find its way to personal computers.
FYI several distros is made for mobile phone, PDAs, or other portable electronic.

Answer 3

Linux is an OS more stabil then Windows, but with other options. Linux is also freeware/open-source. There are a lot of distributions of Linux, all based on the Unix operating system. The most common Linux distributions are : Fedore Core, Mandriva (once Mandrake), Lincoris, linwire (once Lindows). The most common Desktop Enviroments for Linux are: Uboontu and KDE.
Linux has its own File System. Therefore windows applications can't run on Linux, but Because linux is more and more used, all big commpanies beggin to make applications compatible with linux too.

Answer 4

You can download or use CDs to install it, but the thing is which distribution (distro) do you want to use?

I personally Suggest Ubuntu, as its ease of use will not scare Windows users away.

You're asking about the purpose, well if you want an operating system that is extremely modifyable, and has little to no security holes (unlike Windows or Macs) then Linux is for you. Plus, pretty much anything you can do on Windows or Mac you can do on Linux with appropriate apps.

Answer 5

Linux is a FREE alternative to windows or OS X. It is it's own operating system.

Answer 6

Linux is an operating system. It is free and one can customize the OS as much as he likes. It is very good for preventing your PC being infected by malware.

Answer 7

Some guy awhile back named Linus something "Torvalds" maybe did not like the limitations Microsoft was imposing on us invented his own operating system. I tried it several times, liked the smooth free simplicity of it when it worked but couldn't handle the technical minefields when it didn't. Its a good operating system for really smart nerds who like solving computer issues and have lots of time. Its easier and cheaper to pay Microsoft, unfortunately for us all.

Answer 8

its a operating system just like windows and its good.

Answer 9

Linux is another operative system for your computer and its free :)
http://www.linux.org/info/index.html

Answer 10

linux is similar to unix.
it is easier to automate functions using the scripting languges.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LINUX