Starting with Linux
Christopher Negus · 2015
Linux development has been a model for how collaborative projects can surpass what single individuals and companies can do alone. The widespread adoption of Linux around the world has created huge demand for Linux expertise. This chapter provides a path for us to become a Linux expert by helping us understand what Linux is, where it came from, and what our opportunities are for becoming proficient in it. It describes the strange and winding path of the free software movement that led to Linux. The history of the Linux operating system can be tracked from early UNIX systems that were distributed free to colleges and improved by initiatives such as the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD). Most Linux software projects are protected by one of a set of licenses that fall under the Open Source Initiative umbrella. The most prominent of these is the GNU Public License (GPL).