$ sudo happy birthday > you
By Mitch Berg
Today is the 25th birthday of the Linux operating system – which has morphed from Linus Torvalds’ hobby into the operating system running the vast majority of the world’s servers, including the ones bringing out this blog.
Here’s the current Linux family tree:
In my home, we have a couple of Macs, a couple of Linux machines – and, since nobody is paying me to use one, no Windows boxes at all.






August 30th, 2016 at 8:31 am
Having flown too many international flights, I have learned to loathe the penguin.
August 30th, 2016 at 8:55 am
I have no anti-virus software on my Linux box at home; never have. Never had a virus either. Open Office is every bit as good as Windows office, and in some places, better. GIMP is as good as Photoshop in all respects.
I’m anxiously awaiting the arrival of Linux compatible pads and phones.
August 30th, 2016 at 9:20 am
Take a Prozac, it will be a long wait. scroogle and rotten apple will never allow it.
August 30th, 2016 at 12:23 pm
I like to use Linux at home, and do most of my work on an Ubuntu VM on my Win 7 workstation at work.
There’s something very appealing about Linux distributions catering to the notion of individual preference and customization, including the freedom to re-compile the kernel, versus Microsoft’s subtle implication that their OS is a one-size-fits-all product.
I recall Microsoft’s propaganda campaigns against Linux when it started to grow and threaten their market share in the server market. They dismissed it as being based on (at-the-time) the 30-year-old technology of UNIX. Funny thing, that technology is now over 45 years old and still in widespread use.
August 30th, 2016 at 1:36 pm
Linux distributions catering to the notion of individual preference and customization, including the freedom to re-compile the kernel, versus Microsoft’s subtle implication that their OS is a one-size-fits-all product.
Ian, just wondering why you picked on Micro$oft and not Apple?
August 30th, 2016 at 2:20 pm
I am in heaven…
http://www.ubuntu.com/phone
Thanks Mitch. Wouldn’t have thought to even look unless I read this post!
August 30th, 2016 at 2:36 pm
Z/OS? i5? AIX?
August 30th, 2016 at 4:04 pm
Ian, just wondering why you picked on Micro$oft and not Apple?
Fair point, JPA. I tend to ignore Apple, as I’ve so far managed to avoid giving them any money.
August 30th, 2016 at 4:30 pm
Been a long time since I thought about Yggdrasil.
How many of you folks were running Linux before v.1.0?
I started with 0.99PL14R
August 31st, 2016 at 12:38 am
How many of you folks were running Linux before v.1.0?
Don’t remember releases, but I had a 386 laptop running some VERY small distro (fit on a single floppy) back in 1996.
Had a P75 desktop running a Red Hat distro in probably 1997 til the motherboard died, a desktop running Ubuntu for like three years, and a laptop for the past two year running a later Ubuntu.
August 31st, 2016 at 9:27 am
Why would international travel be a problem if one was using Linux? I don’t get that one.
August 31st, 2016 at 2:28 pm
I am in heaven…
I have an old flip phone with more features. I can send it to you if you like the phone, just the phone and nothing but the phone.
August 31st, 2016 at 2:31 pm
Why would international travel be a problem if one was using Linux?
Entertainment system runs on Linux and less stable than a 2 foot Jenga tower with half the pieces missing. You do get sick and tired of little penguin on the screen telling you to wait while it takes 15 minutes to reboot so you can get back to your movie for 10 minutes before system reboots again. And boy, is it slow!