Linus' First Linux Post, 20 Years Ago Today 181
Posted
by
Soulskill
from the know-the-score dept.
from the know-the-score dept.
jrepin writes "One midsummer's night, a student at the University of Helsinki posted a query to the newsgroup comp.os.minix asking, 'What would you like to see most in minix?' The student's name was Linus Torvalds, and that Usenet post was the beginning of the Linux operating system. The date was 25 August 1991, exactly 20 years ago today. In 1991 Unix had existed for about 20 years, Apple had come out with its Mac OS in 1984, and Microsoft had been flogging Windows since 1985. Torvalds' ambitions for his 'new (free) operating system' were modest. It was to be 'just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu' for IBM PC '386(486) AT clones.' He wanted to call his OS kernel 'Freax,' but a friend who ran the FTP server that hosted the software named Torvalds' source code download directory 'linux' and the name stuck."
So THAT's why Steve Jobs resigned... (Score:5, Funny)
...to redirect the news focus AWAY from this historical anniversary.
Re:Freax (Score:4, Funny)
"Would it have taken off in the same manner if it had actually been called Freax? Names do matter."
I think you'll find the correct name is GNU/Freax (a terrific platform for GIMP, git and Iceweasel!).
DUPE :FIRST POST! (Score:2, Funny)
Dupe! Seriously, this was on USENET like 20 years ago. Come on already!
Second world (Score:5, Funny)
the big influencers in high tech will come from somewhere where they don't have technology and live in primitive third world conditions?
You do know there's this magical number, "2," that sits between 1 and 3 right?
"Second world" traditionally means Warsaw Pact countries like former Soviet Russia, where 1 and 3 sit on YOU.
Wait for Hurd !! (Score:5, Funny)
My favourite early Linux quote is v0.02 (I think) (still 1991) "Hurd will be out in a year (or two, or next month, who knows)", and little later "Wait for Hurd if you want something real.".