Pronunciation: LIH-nucks or LIE-nucks
1. A reimplementation of the UNIX operating system kernel, written by Linus Torvalds, and distributed for free on the Internet. Linux has acheived remarkable compatibility with UNIX, from the point of view of a programmer compiling his software from the source code. Software originally written for UNIX can usually be compiled to run on Linux with no modifications. Linux binaries cannot run on UNIX systems that don't have Linux compatibility on purpose. Linux can be made to run binaries from SCO OpenServer via the Intel Binary Compatibility Standard (IBCS).
Linux is more compatible with UNIX systems that descend from UNIX System V than it is with BSD systems such as FreeBSD.
2. The Linux kernel, bundled with application programs like those that come with UNIX. When these applications are products of the Free Software Foundation, the combination is called GNU/Linux (the G in GNU is pronounced).
When the kernel is combined with applications, the result is called a Linux "distribution." Some distributions are commercially sold and have their own brand names.
3. A registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.
4. A religion practiced largely on the USENET newsgroup comp.os.linux.advocacy. The primary ritual of Linux is arguing endlessly with one of two denominations of Linux practitioners: Linux advocates, and Windows advocates, over whether or not Linux is better than Microsoft Windows. The arguments that make up the ritual can be divided into five categories: Linux sucks, Linux rules, Windows sucks, Microsoft sucks and personal insults.
Linux practitioners are even more fervent than computer users who engage in other so-called "religious wars" such as the classic EMACS vs. Vi.
3. A registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.
Linux (the operating system) looks and feels very much like Sun Solaris, despite the fact that it is not based on the original UNIX kernel, and even its shell commands are complete rewrites of the originals.
GNOME, the graphical interface of Solaris, was written for Linux first.
Since its inception in 1991, Linux has become the most popular UNIX-like operating system, beating Solaris, and even UNIX-based Mac OS X.
1. A reimplementation of the UNIX operating system kernel, written by Linus Torvalds, and distributed for free on the Internet. Linux has acheived remarkable compatibility with UNIX, from the point of view of a programmer compiling his software from the source code. Software originally written for UNIX can usually be compiled to run on Linux with no modifications. Linux binaries cannot run on UNIX systems that don't have Linux compatibility on purpose. Linux can be made to run binaries from SCO OpenServer via the Intel Binary Compatibility Standard (IBCS).
Linux is more compatible with UNIX systems that descend from UNIX System V than it is with BSD systems such as FreeBSD.
2. The Linux kernel, bundled with application programs like those that come with UNIX. When these applications are products of the Free Software Foundation, the combination is called GNU/Linux (the G in GNU is pronounced).
When the kernel is combined with applications, the result is called a Linux "distribution." Some distributions are commercially sold and have their own brand names.
3. A registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.
4. A religion practiced largely on the USENET newsgroup comp.os.linux.advocacy. The primary ritual of Linux is arguing endlessly with one of two denominations of Linux practitioners: Linux advocates, and Windows advocates, over whether or not Linux is better than Microsoft Windows. The arguments that make up the ritual can be divided into five categories: Linux sucks, Linux rules, Windows sucks, Microsoft sucks and personal insults.
Linux practitioners are even more fervent than computer users who engage in other so-called "religious wars" such as the classic EMACS vs. Vi.
3. A registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.
Linux (the operating system) looks and feels very much like Sun Solaris, despite the fact that it is not based on the original UNIX kernel, and even its shell commands are complete rewrites of the originals.
GNOME, the graphical interface of Solaris, was written for Linux first.
Since its inception in 1991, Linux has become the most popular UNIX-like operating system, beating Solaris, and even UNIX-based Mac OS X.
by Shaka Zulu September 03, 2004
by Just Another Retarded Anon October 24, 2016
A computer operating system known primarily for its stability and its involvement with the Free Software and Open Source Software movements.
When I ran Windows I had to reboot every day, but since I've switched to Linux I now count my time between reboots in months.
by Anonymous Coward June 21, 2003
NOT AN OPERATING SYSTEM!!!!!!!!
Linux is a KERNEL, NOT AN OPERATING SYSTEM started by Linus Torvalds in 1991 at University of Helsinki in Finland. Linux was at first just a hobby for Linus. Linux is free software.
It just so happened that just when Linux was getting usable, GNU had everything it needed except a kernel. Thus, people started using Linux with GNU to make a completely free UNIX-like operating system called GNU/Linux.
Today Linux and GNU/Linux have come a long way from the early 1990's, although they're still mostly used by geeks.
Linux is a KERNEL, NOT AN OPERATING SYSTEM started by Linus Torvalds in 1991 at University of Helsinki in Finland. Linux was at first just a hobby for Linus. Linux is free software.
It just so happened that just when Linux was getting usable, GNU had everything it needed except a kernel. Thus, people started using Linux with GNU to make a completely free UNIX-like operating system called GNU/Linux.
Today Linux and GNU/Linux have come a long way from the early 1990's, although they're still mostly used by geeks.
by a thing June 12, 2005
An excellent operating system that is more stable than Microsoft's Windows. Good for server use, but not practical for the average (aka home or gamer) user since it isn't compatible with most programs.
Notably used by either people who do know what they're doing, or immature idiots who think they're "l337" because they spited "M$" out of money (and seemingly wrote 90% of the definitions on this word as well).
Notably used by either people who do know what they're doing, or immature idiots who think they're "l337" because they spited "M$" out of money (and seemingly wrote 90% of the definitions on this word as well).
by NeoChaos November 17, 2003
Linux Fanboy: Linux, enough said
Windows Fanboy: MS rules and Linux sucks because no one uses it
Macintosh Fanboy: I'm cooler than the both of you because my OS is shiny
Windows Fanboy: MS rules and Linux sucks because no one uses it
Macintosh Fanboy: I'm cooler than the both of you because my OS is shiny
by everybodyblows April 05, 2009
To break a Linux box, you will have to work at it..
To break a Windows box, you just have to work on it..
To break a Windows box, you just have to work on it..
by Son of Jorel January 03, 2004