Linux Evolution and Popular Operating Systems

The definition of the word Linux depends on the context in which it is used. Linux means the kernel of the system, which is the central controller of everything that happens on the computer (more on this later). People that say their computer “runs Linux” usually refer to the kernel and suite of tools that come with it (called the distribution). If you have “Linux experience”, you are most likely talking about the programs themselves, though depending on the context, you might be talking about knowing how to fine-tune the kernel. Each of these components will be investigated so that you understand exactly what roles each plays.

Further complicating things is the term UNIX. UNIX was originally an operating system developed at AT&T Bell Labs in the 1970’s. It was modified and forked (that is, people modified it and those modifications served as the basis for other systems) such that at the present time there are many different variants of UNIX. However, UNIX is now both a trademark and a specification, owned by an industry consortium called the Open Group. Only software that has been certified by the Open Group may call itself UNIX. Despite adopting all the requirements of the UNIX specification, Linux has not been certified, so Linux really isn’t UNIX! It’s just… UNIX-like.

Hardware Platforms

Linux started out as something that would only run on a computer like Linus’: a 386 with a specific hard drive controller. The range of support grew, as people built support for other hardware. Eventually, Linux started supporting other chips, including hardware that was made to run competitive operating systems!
The types of hardware grew from the humble Intel chip up to supercomputers. Later, smaller-size, Linux supported, chips were developed to fit in consumer devices, called embedded devices. The support for Linux became ubiquitous such that it is often easier to build hardware to support Linux and then use Linux as a springboard for your custom software, than it is to build the custom hardware and software from scratch.

Eventually, cellular phones and tablets started running Linux. A company, later bought by Google, came up with the Android platform which is a bundle of Linux and the software necessary to run a phone or tablet. This means that the effort to get a phone to market is significantly less, and companies can spend their time innovating on the user facing software rather than reinventing the wheel each time. Android is now one of the market leaders in the space.
Aside from phones and tablets, Linux can be found in many consumer devices. Wireless routers often run Linux because it has a rich set of network features. The TiVo is a consumer digital video recorder built on Linux. Even though these devices have Linux at the core, the end users don’t have to know. The custom software interacts with the user and Linux provides the stable platform.