Linus Torvalds released the first Linux operating system kernel on Oct. 5, 1991. On Oct. 6, 1991, Torvalds began arguing with volunteer developers who would go on to make Linux an open-source powerhouse and eventually a household name. Today the Linux community is upwards of 86 million users strong.
As part of celebrations to mark Linux’s 25th birthday the Linux Foundation has published its annual Linux Kernel Development Report (PDF reg required). According to the Register, the report concludes that Linux is in great shape, “There may be no other examples of such a large, common resource being supported by such a large group of independent actors in such a collaborative way.”
The independent actors have a lot to collaborate on. The report notes that the first versions of the Linux kernel comprised about 10,000 lines of code. Now it’s nearing 22 million and growing at a rate of 4,600 lines a day.
While Linux may have started out as a hobby OS, that changed in the early 2000s. At the turn of the century, Wall Street banks demanded Linux support for their enterprise application servers says Tech News World.
“That was a moment that broke down resistance to Linux in the big IT vendors like BEA, IBM, and Oracle (ORCL). That hole in the dam was the start of a flood,” said Cloud Foundry CEO Sam Ramji. “Today Linux is the home of operating system innovation.”
Aporeto Virtualization Expert Stefano Stabellini, who has been a Linux user and open source advocate since the 1990s explained the transition. “… back when I started with Linux in the ’90s … [companies] did not understand it. They thought that open source was unsustainable, and Linux was niche and hobbyist.” He says that now everything has changed. Every company has an open source strategy now. “Microsoft (MSFT) was the biggest foe and now is a strong ally. Linux is the most widely adopted operating system of all times.”
Dice points out that the most active contributors to the growth of Linux have included (in descending order) Intel (INTC), Red Hat, Linaro, Samsung (005930), SUSE, IBM (IBM), and various corporate consultants. Google (GOOG), AMD (AMD), and Texas Instruments (TXN) also ranked in the top 15.
rb-
So my first pass at Linux was Red Hat Linux 5.0. when Novell bought into Linux. Yeap I was a Novell CNE 5 way back in the day.
The last couple of projects I have been involved with have used Linux and not Windows, CMS, IVR, PAFW’s, and storage.
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Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.