FOS CHAPTER 01

What does Open-source mean?

● The term Open-source is closely related to Open-source software (OSS).

● Open-source software is a type of computer software that is released under a
license, but the source code is made available to all the users.
● The copyright holders of such software allow the users to use it and do some
valuable modifications in its source code to add some new features, to
improve the existing features, and to fix bugs if there are any.
● Because of this reason only Open-source software is mostly developed
collaboratively.

● The term "open source" refers to computer software or applications where the
owners or copyright holders enable the users or third parties to use, see, and
edit the product's source code.
● The source code of an open-source OS is publicly visible and editable.
● The usually operating systems such as Apple's iOS, Microsoft's Windows, and
Apple's Mac OS are closed source operating systems.
● Open-Source Software is licensed in such a way that it is permissible to
produce as many copies as you want and to use them wherever you like.
● It generally uses fewer resources than its commercial counterpart because it
lacks any code for licensing, promoting other products, authentication,
attaching advertisements, etc.
● The open-source operating system allows the use of code that is freely
distributed and available to anyone and for commercial purposes.
● Being an open-source application or program, the program source code of an
open-source OS is available.
● The user may modify or change those codes and develop new applications
according to the user requirement.
● Some basic examples of the open-source operating systems are Linux, Open
Solaris, Free RTOS, Open BDS, Free BSD, Minix, etc.
● In 1997, the first Open-Source software was released.
Example : open source : Linux ; commercial : Apple final cut pro

Open source : Development and improvement can come from a large pool
of programmers, leading to faster bug fixes and innovation.
Proprietary : Development and updates are determined by the company
that created the software.

Open source : faster ; Proprietary : Slower

Linux - REFER MSBTE

What is Linux Operating System

● The Linux Operating System is a type of operating system that is similar to

Unix, and it is built upon the Linux Kernel.
● Linux is a multithreading, multi user OS.
● The Linux Kernel is like the brain of the operating system because it manages
how the computer interacts with its hardware and resources.
● It makes sure everything works smoothly and efficiently. But the Linux
Kernel alone is not enough to make a complete operating system.
● To create a full and functional system, the Linux Kernel is combined with a
collection of software packages and utilities, which are together called Linux
distributions.
● 3 components : kernal, System Library and System utility
● These distributions make the Linux Operating System ready for users to run
their applications and perform tasks on their computers securely and
effectively.
● Linux distributions come in different flavors, each tailored to suit the specific
needs and preferences of users.

● Linux is a powerful and flexible family of operating systems that are free to use
and share.
● It was created by a person named Linus Torvalds in 1991.
● What’s cool is that it is free & opensource meaning anyone can see how the
system works because its source code is open for everyone to explore and
modify.
● This openness encourages people from all over the world to work together and
make Linux better and better.
 ● Since its beginning, Linux has grown into a stable and safe system used in many
different things, like computers, smartphones, and big supercomputers.
● It’s known for being efficient, meaning it can do a lot of tasks quickly, and it’s
also cost-effective, which means it doesn’t cost a lot to use.
● Lots of people love Linux, and they’re part of a big community where they share
ideas and help each other out.
● As technology keeps moving forward, Linux will keep evolving and staying
important in the world of computers.

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What is Free Software?

“Free software” means software that respects users’ freedom and community. Roughly, it
means that the users have the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change, and improve the
software. The term “free software” is sometimes misunderstood—it has nothing to do with
price. It is about freedom.

Advantages of Free Software

● Cost: Free software is typically free to use, modify, and distribute.
● Freedom: Free software is often accompanied by a set of ethical principles that promote
users’ freedom to use, study, modify, and share the software.
● Collaboration: Free software often encourages collaboration among developers and
users, leading to faster development and better quality software.
● Transparency: Free software is often developed in a transparent way, with the source
code and development process available for public scrutiny.
● Flexibility: Free software can be used on a wide range of platforms and devices.

Disadvantages of Free Software

● Support: While free software does have a community of developers and users, it may
not always have the same level of professional support as commercial software.
 ● Compatibility: Free software may not always be compatible with other software
applications and hardware devices.
● Security: Because free software is available for everyone to use and modify, it may be
easier for malicious actors to identify and exploit vulnerabilities.
● Complexity: Free software can be more complex and difficult to use than commercial
software, especially for non-technical users.
● Documentation: Free software may not always have the same level of documentation
and user guides as commercial software.

Free Software or Libre (Libre is the most common Spanish adjective for “free”)
software are the softwares that allows user to do to any kind of work he/she wants as
well as he can modify, add new features and he has freedom to distribute the changed
version also.
A software is said to be free if it gives user ultimate freedom to do things the way he
wants. The term “free software” is sometimes misunderstood—it has nothing to do with
price. It is about freedom. Here, therefore, is the definition of free software: a program is
free software, for you, a particular user, if:

Freedom-0:
You have the freedom to execute the program, the way you want and to serve any kind
of purpose.
Freedom-1:
You have the freedom to study how the program works and you are free to modify the
program to suit your needs
Freedom-2:
You have the freedom to redistribute copies, either gratis or for a fee. So that you can
help others and also you can earn profit too.
Freedom-3:
You have the freedom to distribute modified versions of the program, so that the
community can benefit from your improvements.
Examples:
The Free Software Directory maintains a large database of free-software packages.
Some of the best-known examples include the Linux kernel, the BSD and Linux
operating systems, the GNU Compiler Collection and C library; the MySQL relational
database; the Apache web server; and the Sendmail mail transport agent.
Where we can use Linux?

Several quantitative studies of open-source/free software concentrate on topics, such as

reliability and market share, with many studies examining Linux specifically. The Linux market
is developing, and the Linux OS market size is supposed to see a development of 19.2% by
2027, reaching 15.64 billion dollars, compared to 3.89 billion in 2019. Proponents and
analysts attribute the associative Linux success to its freedom, low cost, reliability, and security
from vendor lock-in.

● Web serversW3Cook releases stats that utilize the top 1,000,000 Alexa domains,
which estimate that 96.55% of web servers use Linux, 1.73% use Windows, and
1.72% use FreeBSD as of May 2015.
● Laptops and desktopsAs of May 2022, the estimated Linux market share is around
2.5% on desktop computers, according to web server statistics. Microsoft Windows
include a market share of approximately 75.5%, while macOS has around 14.9%.
● Mobile devicesAndroid has become the leading OS for smartphones which is Linux
kernel-based. In July 2022, 71.9% of smartphones worldwide using the internet used
Android. Also, Android is a famous OS for tablets, being liable for more than 60% of
table sales as of 2013.
● Film productionLinux has been the preferred platform in the film industry for years. The
first big film released on a Linux server was 1997's Titanic. Since then, big studios,
including Industrial Light & Magic, Weta Digital, Pixar, and DreamWorks Animation,
have relocated to Linux.
● Government useLinux distros have also got popularity in several national and local
governments. Kerala has gone to the mandating extent that every state high school use
Linux on their systems. China utilizes Linux exclusively as the OS for its Loongson
processor family for achieving technology independence.A few regions have integrated
their Linux distribution in Spain, which is extensively used in official and educational
 institutions. Also, Germany and France have taken steps toward Linux adoption. The
Red Star OS of North Korea is based on a Fedora Linux version developed since 2002.

ChatGpt
Linux is a versatile and powerful operating system used in a wide variety of applications. Here
are some common uses of Linux:

1. **Servers**:
- **Web Servers**: Many of the world's web servers run on Linux due to its stability, security,
and performance. Popular web servers like Apache, Nginx, and Lighttpd are often hosted on
Linux.
- **Database Servers**: Databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB are
frequently run on Linux servers.
- **File Servers**: Linux is commonly used to run file servers using software like Samba and
NFS.
- **Mail Servers**: Linux can host email servers using software like Postfix, Sendmail, and
Exim.

2. **Desktops and Laptops**:

- **Personal Computing**: Many users choose Linux for personal use due to its customization
options, security, and free software availability. Popular desktop environments include GNOME,
KDE, and XFCE.
- **Development Workstations**: Developers often use Linux for software development
because of its rich set of programming tools and environments.

3. **Embedded Systems**:
- **Consumer Electronics**: Linux is used in various consumer electronics such as smart TVs,
routers, set-top boxes, and gaming consoles.
- **Industrial Automation**: Many embedded systems in industrial applications run on Linux
due to its robustness and flexibility.

4. **Networking**:
- **Firewalls and Routers**: Linux is widely used in networking equipment to manage
network traffic and security.
- **VPN Servers**: Linux can host Virtual Private Network (VPN) servers using software like
OpenVPN and WireGuard.
5. **Supercomputers**:
- **High-Performance Computing (HPC)**: Many of the world's supercomputers run on Linux
due to its scalability and performance. Linux-based systems dominate the TOP500 list of the
world's fastest supercomputers.

6. **Cloud Computing**:
- **Virtualization**: Linux is heavily used in cloud environments for virtualization with
software like KVM, Xen, and OpenVZ.
- **Containerization**: Technologies like Docker and Kubernetes, which are built on Linux, are
widely used for deploying applications in cloud environments.

7. **Scientific Computing**:
- **Research and Academia**: Linux is used in scientific research for simulations, data
analysis, and other computational tasks. It supports various scientific software packages and
libraries.Linux offers a stable platform for research and analysis, supporting a wide range of
scientific computing tools.

8. **Security**:
- **Penetration Testing**: Linux distributions like Kali Linux are specifically designed for
security testing and ethical hacking.
- **Incident Response**: Linux is used for incident response and digital forensics due to its
powerful command-line tools and flexibility.

9. **Internet of Things (IoT)**:

- **Smart Devices**: Many IoT devices run on Linux due to its lightweight nature and support
for various hardware platforms.

10. **Entertainment**:
- **Media Centers**: Linux can be used to create home media centers with software like
Kodi.
- **Gaming**: Linux has seen increasing support from game developers and platforms like
Steam.

These uses demonstrate the broad applicability of Linux across different domains, making it a
critical component in modern computing infrastructure.
USES OF LINUX : Servers , PCs & Laptops , SuperComputers , Embedded systems ,
Networking , Security ,Software development , Scientific computing

Linux Kernal

● Linux operating System consists of various components for example system

libraries, user-space utilities, Linux kernel, and applications.
● The kernel is the core component of an Linux operating system and it is
responsible for managing system resources and providing a bridge between
software applications and hardware.
● There has to be a layer of Software that manages the hardware. That is,Kernal
● It provides a platform for programs and various services to run on top of it.
● The Linux kernel is modifiable according to the user’s needs. Overall, the Linux
Operating System and Linux kernel together provide a strong and user-friendly
platform
● The Linux kernel is monolithic, meaning it includes all core operating system
functions within a single large binary and the entire operating system runs in
kernel space. This contrasts with microkernels, which run most services in user
space.
 ● In a General-Purpose Computer running many processes simultaneously, we
need a middle layer to manage the distribution of the computer’s hardware
resources efficiently and fairly among all the various processes running on the
computer. This middle layer is referred to as the kernel.
● The kernel virtualizes the computer’s common hardware resources to provide
each process with its own virtual resources. This makes the process seem as if it
is the sole process running on the machine.
● The kernel is also responsible for preventing and mitigating conflicts between
different processes. This is schematically represented below:

The Core Subsystems of the Linux Kernel are as follows:

1. The Process Scheduler

2. The Memory Management Unit (MMU)

3. The Virtual File System (VFS)

4. The Networking Unit

5. Inter-Process Communication Unit

 Core Subsystems of the Linux Kernel

Figure: The Linux Kernel for the purpose of this article we will only be focusing on the
1st three important subsystems of the Linux Kernel. The basic functioning of each of
the 1st three subsystems is elaborated below:

● The Process Scheduler: This kernel subsystem is responsible for fairly

distributing the CPU time among all the processes running on the system

simultaneously.

● The Memory Management Unit: This kernel sub-unit is responsible for

proper distribution of the memory resources among the various processes

running on the system. The MMU does more than just simply provide

separate virtual address spaces for each of the processes.

● The Virtual File System: This subsystem is responsible for providing a unified
interface to access stored data across different filesystems and physical

storage media.

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Linux Distributions

Linux distribution :
Linux distribution is an operating system that is made up of a collection of software based on
Linux kernel or you can say distribution contains the Linux kernel and supporting libraries and
software. And you can get Linux based operating system by downloading one of the Linux
distributions and these distributions are available for different types of devices like embedded
devices, personal computers, etc. Around 600 + Linux Distributions are available and some of
the popular Linux distributions are:
● MX Linux
● Manjaro
● Linux Mint
● elementary
● Ubuntu
● Debian
● Solus
● Fedora
● openSUSE
● Deepin
● CentOs
● RedHat Enterprise

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Table of Contents
What is Distribution in Linux?

Linux distribution, also known as Linux distros, means a complete

operating system with a Linux kernel, GNU tools and libraries, a package
manager, a desktop environment, additional applications, and many more.
Linux is a kernel which is the core component of an operating system. A
complete operating system needs more than just a kernel. It requires a
shell, package manager, application, and many different tools.

Linux was just a kernel integrated with the GNU software tools, and even
many parts of the Linux kernel were built on GNU tools.