linux history?

Question

when/how
advantages/disadvantages of using linux
economical growth in the global market

Answer 1

Here is The Penguins Guide to Linux History..

http://library.thinkquest.org/C003740/history.html

and All About Linux -- extended version. --much more detail fot GNU/Linux

http://linuxhelp.blogspot.com/2005/11/complete-concise-history-of-gnulinux.html

There are many many others.. take the Wiki's with a grain of salt.. some are simply wrong. Just do a search for "the history of linux" on Yahoo or Google and get several more.

Answer 2

Linux (IPA pronunciation: /ˈlɪnʊks/) is a Unix-like computer operating system family, as well as one of the most prominent examples of free software and open source development; its underlying source code can be modified, used, and redistributed by anyone, freely.

After the Linux kernel was released to the public on 17 September 1991, the first Linux systems were completed by combining the kernel with system utilities and libraries from the GNU project, which led to the coining of the term GNU/Linux. From the late 1990s onward Linux gained the support of corporations such as IBM, Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard,and Novell.

Predominantly known for its use in servers, Linux recieves use as an operating system for a wider variety of computer hardware than any other operating system, including desktop computers, supercomputers,mainframes, and embedded devices such as cellphones. Linux is packaged for different uses in Linux distributions, which contain the kernel along with a variety of other software packages tailored to requirements.






Many quantitative studies of open source software focus on topics including market share and reliability, with numerous studies specifically examining Linux. The Linux market is growing rapidly, and the revenue of servers, desktops, and packaged software running Linux is expected to exceed $35.7 billion by 2008. The actual installed user base may be higher than indicated by this figure, as most Linux distributions and applications are freely available and redistributable.

Desktop adoption is weaker than server adoption, with diverse calculations generally figuring between 0.3% and 3% as a function of the sample set and calculation methods used.[citation needed] According to market research company IDC, 25% of servers and 2.8% of desktop computers ran Linux as of 2004.The estimate of these numbers is driven by website traffic analysis, which may be complicated by two factors. First, many web browsers can modify their identity, either by default or via user action, by exploiting the user agent string, so as not to be blocked by websites that refuse to interact with browsers other than Internet Explorer running under Microsoft Windows[citation needed]. Second, a Linux system may be configured not to communicate this information for privacy and security reasons.

It has been alleged that people regard Linux as suitable mostly for computer experts because mainstream computer magazine reporters cannot explain what Linux is in a meaningful way, as they lack real life experience using it. Furthermore, the frictional cost of switching operating systems and lack of support for certain hardware and application programs designed for Microsoft Windows have been two factors that have inhibited adoption. The perceived cost of switching, whether monetary or time-based, prevents widespread adoption of Linux amongst the majority of users who view computing as a commodity, and with Windows being 'good enough'. The value proposition of Linux, bearing these factors in mind, is equal or less than Windows. However, as of early 2007, significant progress in hardware compatibility has been made, and it is becoming increasingly common for hardware to work "out of the box" with many Linux distributions. Proponents and analysts attribute the relative success of Linux to its security, reliability,low cost, and freedom from vendor lock-in.