What Is So Good about GNU/Linux?

In recent years GNU/Linux has emerged as a powerful and innovative UNIX work-alike. Its popularity is surpassing that of its UNIX predecessors. Although it mimics UNIX in many ways, the GNU/Linux operating system departs from UNIX in several significant ways: The Linux kernel is implemented independently of both BSD and System V, the continuing development of GNU/Linux is taking place through the combined efforts of many capable individuals throughout the world, and GNU/Linux puts the power of UNIX within easy reach of business and personal computer users. Today, skilled programmers submit, over the Internet, additions and improvements to the operating system to Linus Torvalds, GNU, or one of the other authors of GNU/Linux.

A rich selection of applications is available for GNU/Linux—both free and commercial, as well as a wide variety of tools: graphical, word processing, networking, security, administration, Web server, and many others. Large software companies have recently seen the benefit in supporting GNU/Linux and have programmers on staff whose job it is to design and code the Linux kernel, GNU, KDE, or other software that runs on GNU/Linux. GNU/Linux conforms more and more closely to POSIX standards, and some distributions and parts of others meet this standard. See “Standards” on page 10 and Appendix D on page 1427 for more information. These facts mean that GNU/Linux is becoming more and more mainstream and is respected as an attractive alternative to other popular operating systems.