Linux: The name of an unrestricted freedom in the prison of technology

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Linux

Many of us have heard of an operating system called Linux. Many of us also know that this Linux has given birth to the most widely used Android operating system today. Honestly, Linux is everywhere. Starting from your mobile phone to laptop, desktop, server, and even supercomputer it has an important role. Today we will learn about this Linux based operating system. 

Before learning about Linux, we need to have a basic idea about computer operating systems. We computer users never think about how computers work. We just go to work with the computer and instead the computer completes our work. 

But the computer has to complete many processes to do every task given to us. Programs that allow us to perform various tasks on a computer, such as playing music videos, creating documents, email, etc. are basically called applications. And the place where all these applications run or run is called the operating system.

Basically, the operating system performs all the basic tasks of the computer. As we give instructions to the computer, the computer does our work. Also, when the computer's processor heats up at different times, the automatic cooling fan is turned on, and these tasks are mainly performed by the operating system. Applications basically work by following our instructions and making connections to different types of hardware by forcing work on the operating system.

There are many operating systems in the world today. Such as- Android, Windows, Mac-OS, iOS, etc. Linux is just like that.

Linus Torvalds

The father of Linux is Linus Torvalds. In fact, Linux itself is not an operating system. This is basically a kernel. A kernel is a specialized program that basically integrates hardware and software. The kernel is a very important part of any operating system. All operating systems have kernels. For example, Windows NT kernel is used in Windows, XNU / Darwin kernel in Mac OS. The Linux kernel, along with GNU and other software programs, is a complete operating system.

Richard Stallman

GNU is basically an open-source project or the result of the so-called open-source movement, initiated by Richard Stallman. These two generous giants of the technology world made their great deeds open to all, as a result of which the world got a unique creation, which is called GNU / Linux. This GNU / Linux is basically a complete Linux operating system. 

But in the general sense, Linux does not mean a kernel or a single operating system, but all Linux-based operating systems. So if someone says that he is using Linux on his computer, it means that he is using Linux kernel and running applications/packages written on that kernel on PC.

As we learned a little earlier, the kernel is a very important part of any operating system. It is at the core of the operating system. It can also be called the lifeblood of the operating system. So creating this kernel is not an easy task at all. 

Not all operating system kernels are open-source; Rather they are closed-source and are stored with extreme security. So anyone who wants to work with all the kernels can not create a new operating system. For example, even if you try a thousand times and pay billions, you will never see the kernel source of Windows. 

But it is here that Linux sets itself apart from the rest. Because Linux is completely open-source, anyone can not only view its kernel source, but also work with it; They can even build their own operating system based on that kernel. If you want you can build your own operating system based on Linux, no one will stop you.

Because of the generosity and independence of Linux, we can see a lot of Linux based operating systems. There are currently thousands of Linux-based operating systems in the world.

Since all of these operating systems are based on Linux, they are often referred to as Linux 'distros' rather than separate operating systems. Those who use Linux and are familiar with Linux enjoy this distro. Some of these operating systems or distros are very popular. Such as Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Fedora, Arch-Linux, etc.

[Honestly, the world today only understands Linux as Linux. But GNU should have meant Linux. Because Linux is all GNU except for the kernel. Without Richard Stallman, the world would not have access to today's open-source software.]

Ubuntu and Linux Mint are two of the most popular user-friendly distros in Linux

Most of the people who first entered the world of Linux started with Ubuntu or Linux Mint. Ubuntu or Linux Mint is extremely user-friendly and good for beginners, especially for those who have used Windows before. If you ask any computer expert in the world today, what is Microsoft's biggest nightmare? The answer is Linux Mint or Ubuntu - one of the two names.

History of GNU / GNU / Linux

The time was around 1971.

The tide of free software has started in the world today for a man named Richard Stallman who started his career in MIT's Artificial Intelligence Lab. In the early eighties, commercial software companies began to hire brilliant programmers in the Artificial Intelligence Lab with large sums of money. 

They also began to hide the source code of their software. In short, ordinary people like you and me have no right to know how software was created. If anyone wants to know that, they will fall into the trap of law; Because they are again under copyright. If you have enough money, you can buy and use the software, otherwise the software is not for you.

But Richard Stallman's point of view was different. According to him, blocking software management with these rigid rules is completely inappropriate and unethical. He wanted the software to be free, so that anyone could customize the software so that the development of software would be faster. 

He began the idea of free software movement, then he built an organization, called the 'gnu' ( terms of the GNU ). The work of writing free software started. But a free operating system was needed to accelerate this movement. But that requires more software, especially a compiler.

To that end, Stallman began writing C compilers. With his legendary programming skills, he soon completed the task of writing a compiler, named GNU C Compiler or GCC. GCC is considered to be one of the most powerful and efficient compilers. Then Gnu started writing the operating system. 

There are also plans to create a kernel called GNU 'Hard'. But that fails to attract developers. As a result, GNU remains incomplete without an operating system. GNU needs a free operating system to complete it, and a free kernel before that. Otherwise, the whole movement of free software is going to stop!

The time is 1991.

Linus was then a second-year student at the University of Helsinki. At that time he bought a personal computer with IBM's Intel 36 processor. This processor was much more advanced than previous Intel processors. 

At that time MSDs operating system was available with IBM. Linus was completely disappointed with the use of MSDs because it could not fully utilize Intel's 36 processors. Linus wanted to use a more powerful Unix operating system. But he gave up trying to get Unix, when he saw that Unix cost  $5,000.

He then read Minix. Minix was an operating system similar to Unix, written by Dutch professor Andrew Tanenbaum. Minix is ​​basically a minor clone of Unix, but not a complete clone. The professor used Minix to explain the ins and outs of the operating system to his students while taking classes about the operating system. 

Minix's code was somewhat open. But the problem was that Minix did not have the license to change the code at will. Moreover, it was just a tool to teach students, not what is meant by a complete operating system. However, while working on the Minix, Linus realized that it was not suitable for his needs.

Then he made a decision to make an operating system himself. Again, from scratch, a completely new operating system, like Minix and Unix. Did he realize before making this decision that his decision would change not only his IBM PC but also his life and the whole world?

Linus began working on its operating system in April 1991. By setting up a rough structure, he informed everyone on the Minix team about his new operating system. Gradually others began to gather. 

They downloaded the OST and sent the modified version to Linus at their convenience. Linus's new operating system is being developed. The first official release version 0.02 was released on October 5. Version 0.03 came out in a few weeks. Version 0.10 was released in December of that year. In this way, Linux continues to move faster.

This time it is 2004.

Mark Shuttleworth, who was born in the home of a surgeon's father and a schoolteacher's mother, all thought at the time that it was nothing but madness. Because, with his money, Mark started a company called Canonical in England to spread Linux to the world of desktops. 

The incident was quite ridiculous at that time. Because many companies have tried to create a Linux based operating system for the desktop. But even though he was able to create many operating systems, he could not make them popular in that sense. Now it's Mark's turn. Mark Canonical went on to create a new operating system called Ubuntu.

'Ubuntu' is a South African word meaning ' Humanity to Others '. Operating system Ubuntu's goal is to allow people to use the computer operating system for free. Not only that, but Ubuntu, inspired by the mantra of open source, believes that computer software cannot be owned by anyone, everyone has the right to use it freely. 

That's why you don't have to pay to use or license Ubuntu and using this free Ubuntu is perfectly legal. Ubuntu's slogan is ' Linux for Human Beings '; Which translates to 'Linux for everyone'. That is, removing Linux from the cluttered world of computer operators to make it more accessible to ordinary computer users.

After monopolizing the world of supercomputers and servers, Linux also entered the world of desktops through Ubuntu. That being said, if there is anyone to carry the Linux flag, it is Ubuntu. Ubuntu has made desktop much easier for desktop users to get a taste of open source free software. 

Anyone who has no knowledge of computers can use Ubuntu quite easily. And once you install Ubuntu, all the necessary software is installed, starting from the office, including the audio-video player. And for a typical desktop user, his PC is perfectly usable.

Should you use Linux?

The answer is, of course, and of course!

Even if you are a regular computer user, you should try using Linux at least once, you should visit the huge world of Linux at least once. And if you are a person who is aware of the security of your personal information, then Linux should be your first choice. On the other hand, if you are a student of this subject, then you must have a good idea about Linux. Because 

Linux gives a student a realistic idea about the open-source world. Linux users can learn and understand many important things about a computer. Linux is a great help to students, especially those studying science, technology, and computer science.

Most of us who run Windows actually steal it illegally. The actual price of a Windows is around $139.00(Windows 10 Home), so there are enough reasons to think of yourself as a thief when using Windows illegally. Interestingly, Microsoft itself supports the use of pirated or stolen Windows by people in less developed countries like ours! If you think that Microsoft is too generous, then you will make a big mistake! In fact, many big business plans and strategies work behind it. 

Developed or middle-income countries also have strict laws on the use of pirated Windows, and in most cases, the software we use for free has to be bought and used, and they cost a lot more. In the case of least developed countries, the law is not so strict as to allow them to use pirated software. 

So that they become accustomed to using it. Because of this habit, they do not want to go beyond that. As a result, they are stuck in a particular product or system, from which the company makes a profit in various ways and acquires a single dominance in the market. As a result, it has no competitors in that market

In our country too, Windows has built its exclusive network and the common people have become accustomed to it, so they do not want to accept anything new, and anyway, they prefer to stay in that familiar network. 

That's why people use Windows, even though Linux is better than Windows in many ways. Unfortunately, Windows is also used in educational institutions in our country, but educational institutions should always make students interested in using free software.

Come back to the discussion on why you should use Linux. Take a look-

Linux is completely free and open-source again. This means that if anyone wants, he can also contribute to it again. And everything that can be done in Windows can be done in Linux; The added benefit is that here you will find greater freedom and security. You can start with Linux Mint or Ubuntu if you want. 

Another great advantage of Linux is that everything here is free except for a few applications. Maximum Linux applications are open-source, meaning they are built with the contribution of skilled and helpful people, where Windows software is managed by multi-billionaires and data-hungry organizations.

Linux can be customized and configured. This is one of the biggest strengths of Linux. You can customize the desktop to your liking. There is no specific pattern like Windows here. If you're tired of the monotonous look of Windows, then Linux is waiting for you. You can give Linux any look. Some of the distros in Linux are similar to Windows, which is perfect for new users.

Linux distributions are made for absolutely everything. Popular open-source software for editing images immediately after installation, Inkscape for vector graphic editing, LibreOffice or OpenOffice as an office suite, Firefox as a browser, Excellent as an email client, Torrent Client, as well as popular OpenSource. The command-line editor is available in Vim, Emax, or Nano. This means that everything a normal user needs is built-in with Linux.

Linux is a very lightweight system. If you set it up 15 years ago with a Pentium 4 processor and 512 MB of RAM or even a low-configuration computer, it will work well there. Linux will never slow down your computer unless you do something very heavy with it. Linux is very stable, like Windows does not crash or crash at all. 

Boot-up time is also comparatively much less. Linux's maintenance and customization options are hundreds of times better than Windows, so setting up your own workspace is much more comfortable.

* If you want to use Windows software exclusively, you can easily use Windows applications on Linux using Vine. Some Linux distros have built-in wine facilities, in those distros, you can use Windows software just like Windows.

You can also use dual-boot Windows as well as Linux on your computer. This process will not have the slightest effect on the performance of your computer. In other words, to use Linux, you never have to skip Windows. I use both Linux and Windows in dual-boot.

Linux is very secure. This means that by using it you will get rid of viruses, Trojans, etc. There is no virus in Linux. Linux protects your system from the kernel level. The Linux firewall works at the kernel level. As a result, if there is an attack, it cannot reach other programs, it is already blocked. 

Also with SELinux, you can turn your system into the most impregnable fortress in the world. The program is executed by double-clicking on Windows, so if someone sends you a virus with the appearance of an image, you will be infected if you open it. In Linux, the system will show that,

"This file does not have permissions to execute. Are you sure this file is safe?"

Understand then, why there is no virus in Linux?

On top of that Linux never interferes with your personal security. Linux never collects your personal information like Windows does and makes you an advertising product.

Open-source software is fast patching. It is always true that 'ten sticks is a burden', the same is true of software. If an error occurs in Linux, community members immediately report the bug. As a result, a large community of experienced volunteer programmers work together to fix bugs and release new security patches in a very short time.

Linux has a live USB facility. You don't even have to install it to run Linux on your computer. Just download an ISO of Linux from the Internet and boot to a pen drive. Then plug that pen drive into your machine and you can use it when you play. 

Later, if you want, you can permanently set up Linux on your computer. Linux never imposed an installation obligation. Linux has several distros, so you can choose your favorite distro. But Windows will never give you such benefits.

Linux can be customized

In fact, there are not many reasons to use Linux. The unlimited freedom and convenience that Linux will give you, you will not find anywhere else. If you've been using Linux for a while now and understand the real fun of Linux, you won't want to miss out on Linux anymore! And there is no need to think of Linux as an alternative to Windows. Linux itself is an autonomous operating system that has no conflict with Windows. No problem if you use Linux and Windows side by side.

Linux is an outstanding gift from many liberal people to the world. All of us who use computers or Windows should use Linux at least once or get out of the world of Linux.

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