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diff --git a/en/welcome/what-is-linux.xml b/en/welcome/what-is-linux.xml new file mode 100644 index 000000000..e1608c090 --- /dev/null +++ b/en/welcome/what-is-linux.xml @@ -0,0 +1,96 @@ +<!-- retain these comments for translator revision tracking --> +<!-- $Id$ --> + + <sect1 id="what-is-linux"> + <title>What is GNU/Linux?</title> +<para> + +Linux is an operating system: a series of programs that let you +interact with your computer and run other programs. + +</para><para> + +An operating system consists of various fundamental programs which are +needed by your computer so that it can communicate and receive +instructions from users; read and write data to hard disks, tapes, and +printers; control the use of memory; and run other software. The most +important part of an operating system is the kernel. In a GNU/Linux +system, Linux is the kernel component. The rest of the system +consists of other programs, many of which were written by or for the +GNU Project. Because the Linux kernel alone does not form a working +operating system, we prefer to use the term <quote>GNU/Linux</quote> +to refer to systems that many people casually refer to as +<quote>Linux</quote>. + +</para><para> + +Linux is modelled on the Unix operating system. From the start, Linux +was designed to be a multi-tasking, multi-user system. These facts are +enough to make Linux different from other well-known operating +systems. However, Linux is even more different than you might +imagine. In contrast to other operating systems, nobody owns +Linux. Much of its development is done by unpaid volunteers. + +</para><para> + +Development of what later became GNU/Linux began in 1984, when the +<ulink url="http://www.gnu.org/">Free Software Foundation</ulink> +began development of a free Unix-like operating system called GNU. + +</para><para> + +The GNU Project has developed a comprehensive set of free software +tools for use with Unix™ and Unix-like operating systems such as +Linux. These tools enable users to perform tasks ranging from the +mundane (such as copying or removing files from the system) to the +arcane (such as writing and compiling programs or doing sophisticated +editing in a variety of document formats). + +</para><para> + +While many groups and individuals have contributed to Linux, the +largest single contributor is still the Free Software Foundation, +which created not only most of the tools used in Linux, but also the +philosophy and the community that made Linux possible. + +</para><para> + +The <ulink url="&url-kernel-org;">Linux kernel</ulink> first +appeared in 1991, when a Finnish computing science student named Linus +Torvalds announced an early version of a replacement kernel for Minix +to the Usenet newsgroup <userinput>comp.os.minix</userinput>. See +Linux International's +<ulink url="&url-linux-history;">Linux History Page</ulink>. + +</para><para> + +Linus Torvalds continues to coordinate the work of several hundred +developers with the help of a few trusty deputies. An excellent +weekly summary of discussions on the +<userinput>linux-kernel</userinput> mailing list is +<ulink url="&url-kernel-traffic;">Kernel Traffic</ulink>. +More information about the <userinput>linux-kernel</userinput> mailing +list can be found on the +<ulink url="&url-linux-kernel-list-faq;">linux-kernel mailing list FAQ</ulink>. + +</para><para> + +Linux users have immense freedom of choice in their software. For +example, Linux users can choose from a dozen different command line +shells and several graphical desktops. This selection is often +bewildering to users of other operating systems, who are not used to +thinking of the command line or desktop as something that they can +change. + +</para><para> + +Linux is also less likely to crash, better able to run more than one +program at the same time, and more secure than many operating +systems. With these advantages, Linux is the fastest growing operating +system in the server market. More recently, Linux has begun to be +popular among home and business users as well. + +</para> + + </sect1> + |