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The birth of linux
The story of Linux began with the concept of Unix, a powerful and versatile operating system. However, Unix was expensive and proprietary, limiting its accessibility. -
The Year Linux Became Open Source
The early development of the Linux kernel saw its distribution restricted by non-commercial licenses. However, a crucial decision was made to the Linux kernel in 1992 with the release of version 0.12. It was relicensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL), marking a significant shift in Linux evolution. -
Rise of distributions
Debian, Slackware, and Red Hat Linux distributions are created, establishing foundational Linux distros still influential today. -
Linux Kernel 1.0
Linux kernel version 1.0.0 is released with about 176,000 lines of code. Linux starts gaining attention from hobbyists and developers worldwide. -
Linux Mascot (Tux) and Kernel 2.0
Tux the Penguin becomes the official Linux mascot.
June 1996: Linux kernel 2.0 released, supporting SMP (symmetric multiprocessing). -
Enterprise Attention
IBM, Oracle, and other tech giants begin supporting Linux. Netscape releases its browser source code (becomes Mozilla), aligning with open-source movement. -
KERNEL 2.4
Major improvements in hardware support and networking. Linux becomes more widely adopted in servers and embedded systems. -
Kernel 2.6
Enhanced scalability, better performance, and support for a wide range of hardware. Distros like Ubuntu (2004) start gaining popularity with end-users. -
Android Announced
Google announces the Android operating system, based on the Linux kernel. -
20th Anniversary
Linux turns 20.
Linux powers the majority of the world's web servers and is expanding in mobile and embedded systems. -
Kernel 4.x Series
Continued improvement in performance, file systems (like Btrfs), and driver support. Systemd becomes the dominant init system in most major distributions. -
Kernel 5.x Series
Enhancements in ARM support, security features (like lockdown mode), and filesystems. -
WSL2 & Linux on Windows
Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2) brings a real Linux kernel to Windows 10. Microsoft's open-source contributions and support for Linux increase dramatically. -
30th Anniversary
Linux celebrates its 30th birthday. Kernel 5.13+ supports Apple M1 chips and many new hardware architectures. -
Continued Growth 2022-2025
Servers (over 90%) Supercomputers (100%) Smartphones (via Android) Ongoing efforts in security hardening, AI/ML workloads, and cloud-native platforms.