Revenge of the clone operating system - Product Information

Communications News, August, 1999 by Geir Aasarmoen

Has collaboration over the Internet created the killer OS?

Linus Torvalds created Linux, a relative newcomer to the operating system scene, in 1991 when he was a computer-science student in Finland. Since then, hundreds of independent programmers across the Internet have contributed to the development of the Unix-like software. This is possible because the Linux source code--the computer instructions in the original form--is freely available to anyone who cares to download or modify it.

Linux is a freeware OS (operating system) that can be downloaded from the Internet, or you can buy a CD from several software distribution companies; well-known Linux distributors are RedHat, Caldera, and S.U.S.E. (RedHat and Caldera are U.S-based, while S.U.S.E. is based in Germany). These companies take the Linux source and add an application to run with Linux. The price for the CD is less than $100.

WHAT IS LINUX?

Linux is a free Unix clone written from scratch by Linus Torvalds and a team of programmers over the Internet. Linux aims toward POSIX compliance (a set of standards that show what a Unix should be). It contains all of the features that you would expect in not only a Unix but in any operating system. Some of the features included are true multitasking, virtual memory, the world's fastest TCP/IP drivers, shared libraries, and--of course--multiuser capabilities (this means hundreds of people can use the one computer at the same time, either over a network, the Internet, or on laptops/computers or terminals connected to the serial ports of those computers). Linux runs fully in protected mode (unlike Windows) and supports fully fledged 32-bit and 64-bit multitasking.

Linux also has a completely free X Windows implementation conforming to the X/Open standard. Most existing X-based programs will run under Linux without any modification. X Windows, for the uninitiated, is a GUI similar to Microsoft Windows, but it is feature packed (and rather large, consuming around 15-20 Mb). Most Linux distributions come completely preconfigured to a factory configuration, and distributions such as RedHat Linux also have graphical-based configuration utilities and installers (not unlike the Windows' Control Panel).

In addition, programs intended for SCO and SVR4 will run on most Linux systems unaltered (this is due to the assistance of a driver called IBCS), for example Corel Draw for SCO and the Dataflex database system. The Linux DOS emulator (DOSEMU) will run packets of MS-DOS applications, including some that require VGA or SVGA graphics capabilities. Windows programs can also be run inside of X Windows with the help of an emulator called WINE. Usually, Windows programs can run up to 10 times faster than on a native system, due to Linux's buffering capabilities.

As can be expected from a Unix progeny, Linux includes advanced networking capabilities. Since the people developing Linux collaborated and used the Internet for their development efforts, networking support came early in Linux's development stage. Networking support in Linux is superior to most other OSs. Linux supports connection to the Internet or any other network using TCP/IP or IPX via Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, ATM (in Alpha development), modem, HAM/packet radio (X.25 protocol), ISDN, token ring, or PLIP (modified printer cable to another computer). As an Internet/WWW server, Linux is a very good choice, often out-performing Windows NT, Novell, and most Unix systems on the same hardware. Linux has been chosen by hundreds of thousands of ISPs, by many university computer labs, and, surprisingly, many businesses--all people that need reliable server and network performance in many different situations.

Linux supports all of the most common Internet protocols, including Electronic Mail, UseNet News, Gopher, Telnet, Web, FTP, Talk, POP, NTP, IRC, NFS, DNS, NIS, SNMP, Kerberos, WAIS, and many more. Linux can operate as a client or as a server for all of the above and has already been widely used and tested in the above roles.

Linux also fits easily and tightly into your local area network, no matter what combination of systems you might be running. Full and seamless support is included for Macintosh, DOS, Windows, Windows NT, Windows 95, Novell, and OS/2, all using their own native protocols. Linux can do all of this in just 16 Mb of memory or less (with swap space). Typically, you could have all of the above running in 8 Mb with 16 Mb swap (a total of 24 Mb RAM).

Linux is developing at a blindingly fast speed; we already have 2.0.31 kernel, and ports exist to PowerPC, Macintosh, Amiga, and some Atari. However, there has been an amazing blow to Linux's future. The head maintainer, Linus Torvalds, has left the University of Helsinki and moved to Santa Clara, Calif., to work for a company called Transmeta (he hasn't released many more details). He will probably continue developing the Linux kernel, though some people are skeptical. However, if he does decide to abandon the project, he has the full source code freely available and can just assign somebody else to take his place. So, despite what some people are saying, the Linux kernel development will still continue, no matter what happens to its author. Somebody else will just continue with it.