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All issuesVolume 316, Issue 5IT NewsLinux

Linux Evolution: A Comprehensive Timeline

Security Boulevard, Monday, July 29th, 2024

Since its inception as a one-man project in the early 1990s, the Linux operating system has undergone significant expansion. From powering web servers to running supercomputers, its impact is undeniable. But how did this open-source phenomenon come to be? Let's dive into the key milestones in the journey of Linux evolution from a student project to a dominant operating system.

The story of Linux began with the concept of Unix, a powerful and versatile operating system. However, Unix was expensive and proprietary, limiting its accessibility. In 1984, a simpler Unix-like system called Minix emerged, sparking the interest of a young Finnish student named Linus Torvalds.

August 25th, 1991: Linus Torvalds made a now-famous post to the MINIX newsgroup announcing his work on a free operating system for 386(486) AT clones. He stated it was 'just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu.' Little did he know, this 'hobby' would revolutionize the tech world.

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