Linux is a derivative of UNIX which is much more flexible than its predecessor. It is based on the same basic architecture, and tends to be very stable and secure. Linux can be run on a large variety of hardware, and is constantly being developed and improved. There are many distributions available, most of which can freely be downloaded from the Internet at no charge. PHP, one of the main staples of Internet Programming at this time, is currently best suited for the Linux platform.

    Linux is an operating system that was initially created as a hobby by a young student, Linus Torvalds, at the University of Helsinki in Finland. Linus had an interest in Minix, a small UNIX system, and decided to develop a system that exceeded the Minix standards. He began his work in 1991 when he released version 0.02 and worked steadily until 1994 when version 1.0 of the Linux Kernel was released. The kernel, at the heart of all Linux systems, is developed and released under the GNU General Public License and its source code is freely available to everyone. It is this kernel that forms the base around which a Linux operating system is developed. There are now literally hundreds of companies and organizations and an equal number of individuals that have released their own versions of operating systems based on the Linux kernel. The current full-featured version is 2.6.29.1 (released April 2009) and development continues.

    Apart from the fact that it's freely distributed, Linux's functionality, adaptability and robustness, has made it the main alternative for proprietary Unix and Microsoft operating systems. IBM, Hewlett-Packard and other giants of the computing world have embraced Linux and support its ongoing development. More than a decade after its initial release, Linux is being adopted worldwide as a server platform primarily. Its use as a home and office desktop operating system is also on the rise.

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