Linux

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About

Linux is a free and open-source Unix-like operating system based around the Linux kernel. Often depicted as a more complex alternative to mainstream operating systems Windows and Mac, it is notable for prioritizing utility over aesthetic appeal. Its primary market is on servers and embedded devices, but desktop use has increased in recent years.

History

The first version of Linux was released on October 5th, 1991 by Finnish software engineer Linus Torvalds.^[2] The creation of Linux was heavily inspired by MINIX, another operating system created by professor Andrew S. Tanenbaum as a teaching tool.

The Linux Kernel

Distributions

Android

Online Presence

Tux

Tux is the official mascot of Linux. Although most commonly depicted as a sitting penguin, different distributions of Linux often feature their own unique stylistic versions.^[1]

Related Memes

Richard Stallman

Richard Stallman is the head and founder of the GNU Project, an online mass collaboration from which most Linux distributions draw their userspace from. Stallman is known for his fanatical dedication to free software, to the point that he accuses other contributors of being “traitorous”.^[3] Because of this, in many online communities, Stallman is often depicted as having a personality similar to a drug addict or a conspiracy theorist.

Install Gentoo

On 4chan’s /g/ board and elsewhere, Install Gentoo is a sarcastic phrase used to mock inexperienced users into replacing their current operating system with Gentoo Linux, a distribution known for being newbie-unfriendly. The meme can be seen as analogous in usage to Alt+F4 and Delete System32.

Sudo Apt Get

Search Interest

External References