GNU / Linux, inspired by UNIX, has become the most common server operating system. Linux fans include tech giants like Google, Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, Amazon, and the list goes on and on. The level of Linux adoption in the desktop market cannot be accurately calculated, because, unlike proprietary software, the sources from which people get their copies are countless and varied (therefore, getting a true estimate is really difficult). Learning and learning things on Linux is pretty fun and entertaining. Thanks to the painstaking work of millions of developers who have contributed to the development of Linux and made it what it is today.
In this post, I will discuss some amazing Linux facts that are less known to most of its users.
- “LINUX” is the name of the directory on the FUNET FTP server (ftp://ftp.funet.fi/)
Yes, you understood correctly! Linux Torvalds wanted to name its kernel “Freax”. Well, the name is a combination of the words “freak” and “free,” and then the final X to denote its resemblance to the Unix operating system.
When the source code was uploaded to the FTP server (ftp://ftp.funet.fi/), the server administrator (Ari Lemke) did not like the name Freax, and he suggested the name Linux and gave the directory to the FTP server. You can access this directory itself here: ftp://ftp.funet.fi/pub/linux/
And if you need the first initial kernel package that was available to the public, follow this link: ftp://ftp.funet.fi/pub/linux/kernel/Historic/
“Linux” is just the kernel, not the complete system that you use
Well, Linux is only part of the whole system. This is a program that allocates resources that other programs need while they work. Thus, the system used is usually a combination of the GNU system and Linux. Since 1984, GNU has been working to create a full-fledged operating system, which was to become a free operating system similar to Unix.
In fact, by the beginning of the 90s, the complete GNU operating system was ready, except for the kernel. A complete operating system requires compilers, text editors, and X Windows systems.
The GNU project even had its own kernel called “GNU Hurd,” but it was not yet completely ready. This main gap was filled by the Linux kernel (from Torvalds) in 1992.
For more information on the GNU / Linux system from Richard Stallman (the person behind the free software movement), follow the link below.
Read: Richard Stallman on Linux and GNU
- More than 90% of the current Linux source code is written by other developers (and not by Linus Torvalds himself)
The Linux project was accepted by many programmers, and after 1996 this project developed very quickly. The initial release of Torvalds contained 10,000 lines of code, and now its total has reached many millions.
According to rough estimates, more than 10,000 developers from different countries and companies have contributed to its development to date. And rapidly increasing in quantity. More and more features are added on a regular basis. And most of this encoding is from the authors.
Even Microsoft is contributing to the development of the Linux kernel!
Yes, a company whose core philosophy is proprietary software development also contributes to Linux. He even outperformed Canonical in the number of lines of code contributed to the kernel. The top list of participants includes Red Hat, Intel, and others.
Do not think that Microsoft is contributing to the development of the kernel to improve it. This is for better support for the Hyper-V hypervisor on Linux.
Most supercomputers use Linux. And the numbers are growing annually
GNU / Linux, inspired by UNIX, has become the most common server operating system. Linux giants include tech giants such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, Amazon, and the list goes on and on. The level of distribution of Linux on the desktop market cannot be accurately calculated, because, unlike proprietary software, the sources from which people get their copies are countless and different (therefore, it is very difficult to get a true estimate). Learning and learning things on Linux is pretty fun and entertaining. Thanks to the painstaking work of millions of developers who have contributed to the development of Linux and made it what it is today.
In this article, I will talk about some amazing Linux facts that are less known to most of its users.
Yes, you understood correctly! Linux Torvalds wanted to name its kernel “Freax”. Well, the name is a combination of the words “freak” and “free,” and then the final X to show its resemblance to the Unix operating system.