Linux Information Page
What
is Linux???
Linux
is an Open Source operating
system that can be obtained for low and no cost and run on virtually
every computing platform, from Mainframe computers to personal
computers
to hand-held and embeded devices.
Who
created
Linux???
Linux
is the brain-child of a
programmer named Linus Torvalds, who first started the Linux project in
1991. Since then, thousands of programmers around the world contribute
to various Linux projects.
What
can Linux
do???
Linux
can do anything that a computer
can do. Linux can act as the underlying operating system for a server,
a
desktop workstation, a gaming computer, a dedicated entertainment
device, you name it.
Can
I operate
Linux with desktop icons and a mouse or trackball???
Of
course. Linux today looks as modern
and works as convenient as the other leading operating systems. See
screenshots here.
Can
I run my
exisiting software on Linux???
Sometimes
you can run exisiting
software through emulation. Sometimes you can run Linux versions of
your
software. Sometimes you can run Linux equivalents of your existing
software.
How
can I get
Linux???
You
can download copies and burn your
own installation disks. You can buy a distribution made by
manufacturers
such as Red Hat, SuSE, Mandrake or others. Or you can get a friend to
make you a copy of installation disks.
Is
Linux free???
Linux
is free in the concept of free
speech. That is, you are free to look at the "guts" of the Linux
operating system and upgrade or fail to upgrade at your heart's
content,
without paying license fees. Additionally, some distributions are free
as in "free beer" and you need only download and use them on however
many computers you wish,... from one to one million.
How
do Linux
developers make money then???
Linux
developers develop traditional
software for a fee that can be run in Linux (games, accounting and
point
of sale software for large businesses, etc.). Additionally, many sell
service rather than a product (such as the fee charged for putting a
distribution together, and tech support). Others still are attached to
non-profit foundations that recieve grants and donate software to the
public for the purpose of bettering society.
Can
I play
games on Linux???
Yes.
Look here for the
commercial and
open source games that are available in Linux, and here
for games that
run on that other major operating system that can be run in Linux
through emulation at acceptable performance.
I heard that Linux is being sued
because it stole other ideas???
Linux is not an entity, and so cannot be sued by anyone. You are
probably refering to the lawsuit that SCO filed against computing giant
IBM. Most in the Linux community believe the lawsuit to be without
merit
and feel that the courts will adequately vindicate the integrity of the
developers who are involved in bringning Linux to you. For the time
being, the prevailing opinion is that Linux does not step on anyone
else's copyrights or patents, and that no payments of license fees are
required.
What's the deal with the Penguin???
Oh, that's just Tux. He's harmless and wont show up in your word
processor to annoy you either.
Copyright
(c) Jason Powlette, 2003, Nazareth, PA. All
rights reserved.