Exploring the history of Linux &Opensource

You have probably spent many years and many hours learning about the Microsoft and
its different Windows environments
Now spend an hour and help yourself to further build your level of understanding of opensource and linux.
By spending some time surfing the Internet, to learn more about the environment from which Linux evolved,
why it is different and what FOSS is.

The following questions will build on your understanding of the following areas.
What do you know about FOSS Free Opensource Software?
What is the difference between Proprietary and Opensource Software
o How does an opensource license work.
o How has FOSS changed the way we license opensource software products?
o How did FOSS cause important changes in how we all use IT today.
o Such as if you already use the firefox browser you are already using an opensource software
products.
o Helps yourself to understand where the changes to the IT Industry came from.

1. Linux is a clone of Unix - Go to this wikipedia link

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Unix_history-simple.png
Notice the table which shows green =opensource pink=closed source
Notice linux in green 2nd from the left
All these operating systems came from unix.

2. How did Unix get started - Go to this wikipedia link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Thompson

Identify who Ken Thompson is and his relationship to the unix / linux

3. Next select the link under the photo for Dennis_Ritchie and identify who he is.
What commonly used programming language did Dennis Ritchie invent:
In 1983 what award did Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie receive?

4. Go to this wikipedia link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Stallman

Identify who Richard Stallman is

What relationship he has to the unix / linux operating system
What relationship he has to opensource software.

5. Select the GNU project link

Identify what the acroymn GNU stands for:
Read what the GNU project is all about.
What basic philosophy and activism is associated with the GNU project.

6. Return and then Select the free software movement

Identify what it is and what it believes in.

7. Return and then Select the free software foundation ( FSF) link
Identify what FSF refers too
Identify who started the FSF movement
What does the FSF movement believes in.

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8. Return then select the GNU General Public License ( GPL )
Identify how the GPL software license is different to the copyright license?

9. Select the free software license and read what this type of software license means.

10. Go to http://www.gnu.org and read thru the page

Identify what the term GNU refers to.
How is it linked to the term Free Software

11. Return to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Stallman

Scroll down the page to the heading MIT's hacker culture declines

12. Select the source code link and identify what the term source code actually refers too.

13. Return and Select the proprietary software link and identify what this term refers too.
What type of software license does proprietary software use?
How does an opensource license and proprietary software license differ?

14. Return then Scroll down the page to the heading GNU Project
In 1991 what did Linus Torvalds do?

15. Select the Linus Torvals Link

What is Linus Torvalds best known for initiating the development of?
What part of an operating system did Linus Torvalds actually design?

16. Now read thru the heading early years to identify the following information :
Where does Linus Torvalds currently live
The linux kernel was originally designed for what type of specific CPU

17. Select the link linux kernel

What type of operating system family does linux belong too.
How many people contributed to the linux kernel
Scroll down and read the email he sent out that started it all in 1991.

18. Return and Find the heading later years and identify the following information :
Where is Linus Torvalds currently working?
What software license did this new operating system kernel use?

19. If the Linux operating system was literally given away for use by society.
So how did Linus Torvalds make 20 million $dollars?
Who retains the Authority on Linux
Who owns the Linux trademark
What is his personal mascot?

20. Return to the top of the page and select the link linux operating system and read this page

21. Return to the top of the page and select the link opensource and scroll thru this page to see what it
refers to then return to the top

22. And select Open Source Definition

Read the 10 definitions relevant to a license for any Open Source Software.

23. Return and read about the opensource definition.

Identify the 2 two people who wrote the opensource definition.

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24. Select the links for Bruce Perens.
In 1995 where did Bruce Perens represent the Open Source movement.

25. Return and Select the link for Eric Raymond.

In 1997 what paper did Eric S Raymond write that made him a high-profile representative of the
open source movement?
Select the Cathedral & the Bazaar link and identify what this paper is about
Then return back to here.
Cathedral & the Bazaar is available in the resources on our linux web server
Movie called OS Revolution outlining this period of history is also available

26. Return and from the top of the page select open source software

27. Scroll down to History and read thru it.

When was the free software movement launched.
In 1998 who formed the OSI Open Source Initiative.

28. Go to http://www.opensource.org view their site

29. Find and Select open source licences - then select licenses by name
View the list and see - How many different opensource licenses now exist?
Can you see the GNU GPL license

30. Return to Wikipedia and into the search area -Type FOSS
Read this page and find out what the term FOSS refers too
How are these F/OSS, FOSS, or FLOSS different
How do all these terms relate to the opensource and free software movement

31. Go to http://sourceforge.net
This is the world's largest FOSS site
It is the global repository of opensource software
And acts as a collaborative site for global opensource development projects

32. Return to Wikipedia and type Linux Distribution into the search area.
This will help you to understanding what a distribution is.

33. Now finally check out the following website http://distrowatch.com

It will help you get an idea on how many different distributions are available.
And what linux distributions are available.

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