The Evolution of Linux Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Evolution of Linux - Research Paper Example This document focuses on the evolution of Linux since its establishment to the present version. The main reason for discussing the development of Linux is to understand various changes that have occurred in Linux. In addition, studying the evolution of Linux is of importance to planning for future development of the computer system. The origin of Linux can be traced back to the establishment of UNIX in 1969. UNIX was developed and created at Bell Labs in the process of developing a simple system with recyclable code. However, the primary development of Linux occurred in 1991. Linux was initially developed as a self-contained kernel by Linus Toverlds with a goal of enhancing UNIX compatibility. Development and evaluation of Linux have extensively relied on user collaboration and experience with the operating system from many parts of the world. The system is designed to operate reliably and efficiently on common personal computer hardware although it can also run on other platforms (Silberschatz, 2002). Linux has undergone evolution from one version to the other since it was developed. The first version of the Linux Kernel is Linux version 0.01. The version was developed in May 1991 by the Linux developer Linus Toverlds. Linux version 0.01 had limited features and was limited to specific processors and hardware. The version was only operating on PC hardware and 80386-compatible Intel processors. In addition, Linux version 0.01 was only supported by the Minx file system. It was also difficult to network with the Linux version 0.01 because it had no networking capability (Silberschatz, 2002). On October 5th, 1991, Torvalds released a better version of Linux known as Linux version 0.02 that required Minix to run. However, it received more attention than Linux version 0.01. The kernel improved rapidly within the year, and large number of users and volunteers communicated through social media on the internet. In December 1991, an operational,