Established in 2004, Linux Harbour provides technology news, Linux support services, and open source solutions. For inquiries, please email [email protected].

What is Linux ?

Linux is a free and open-source operating system kernel that serves as the foundation for numerous operating systems, commonly referred to as Linux distributions. It was initially developed by Linus Torvalds in 1991 and has since gained popularity due to its stability, security, and flexibility.

Linux distributions are complete operating systems that include the Linux kernel as well as additional software and applications. Examples of popular Linux distributions include Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and CentOS. These distributions often come with a desktop environment, such as GNOME or KDE, which provides a graphical user interface for interacting with the system.

One of the key features of Linux is its open-source nature, which means that its source code is freely available and can be modified and distributed by anyone. This has led to a vibrant and diverse community of developers who contribute to the development and improvement of Linux and its associated software.

Linux is widely used in various contexts, including servers, desktop computers, mobile devices, and embedded systems. It is known for its stability, security, and ability to run on a wide range of hardware architectures. Linux also supports a vast range of software applications, including web servers, databases, programming languages, and productivity tools.

Overall, Linux is a powerful and versatile operating system that has become a popular choice for both individual users and organizations due to its reliability, security, and the freedom it offers.

What is open source ?

Open source refers to a type of software whose source code is freely available and can be accessed, modified, and distributed by anyone. The concept of open source promotes transparency, collaboration, and community-driven development.

In open source software, the source code—the human-readable instructions that make up the program—is made available to the public. This allows individuals or organizations to study how the software works, make changes or improvements to it, and share those modifications with others.

Open source software encourages collaboration and community involvement. Developers from around the world can contribute to the project, review each other’s code, suggest improvements, and fix bugs. This collaborative approach often leads to more robust and reliable software, as it benefits from the collective knowledge, skills, and perspectives of a diverse community.

Open source software is typically distributed under licenses that comply with the principles of open source. These licenses grant users the freedom to use, modify, and distribute the software without excessive restrictions. Some popular open source licenses include the GNU General Public License (GPL), the Apache License, and the MIT License.

Open source software has gained significant popularity and is widely used in various domains, such as operating systems (like Linux), web servers (like Apache), databases (like MySQL), programming languages (like Python), and content management systems (like WordPress). It has also become the foundation for many innovative projects and initiatives, fostering a culture of sharing and collaboration in the software development community.