1 Introduction to Linux

a. Brief History of Linux

Firstly, he wanted to name it as 'Freax' but later it became 'Linux'. Linux got its name
from the founder of Linux, Linus Torvalds, the letter ‘x’ at the end was gotten from old
operating system UNIX. Linus created Linux when he was studying in a university
called University of Helsinki studying in computer science. The reason Linus created
this UNIX-like operating system is because he was not satisfied with MS-DOS and
wanted to use a UNIX operating system but it was expensive to buy a license for UNIX.
Driven by his desire to use a UNIX operating system, he then start to create Linux with
other 100 developers. Everything was started in March of 1994 when Linux kernel
version 1.0 was released (Linux Training Academy). He started it just for fun but ended
up with such a large project. The kernel published also under GNU (General Public
License) (java T point).
b. Linux Operating System (OS) Design (Visicomp Codder, 2015)
The Linux OS is a multiuser and multithread system. The main aim design for the
system is speed and efficiency but recently developers moving toward more on
standardisation. The components of a Linux system:
i. Kernel, in simple term, is a manager between software and hardware of the
system. It acts as a tunnel for software to interact with the hardware. Kernel
maintain all the important abstractions of the operating system, together with
such things as virtual memory and processes. The Linux kernel forms the central
part of Linux operating system. It provides all the functionality to run processes,
and it also provides “system services” to give arbitrated and sheltered or
protected access to hardware resources. The kernel implements every feature
that is required to be eligible as an operating system.
ii. System libraries, describe a numbers of function that could be used to perform
some common tasks. Mostly, applications execute these libraries to gain desire
functionality and actions. This does not require the full rights or privileges of
kernel code.
iii. System utilities, as the name describe a managing applications for the operating
system. Utilities such as managing network connection, log records, disk
management, and so on.

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 Figure 1: Components of Linux OS

c. Development and Distribution (livinginternet, 2000)

Linus Torvalds invented Linux itself. In 1991, Torvalds was a student at the University
of Helsinki in Finland where he had been using a non-free Unix-like system, and began
writing his own kernel. He started by developing device drivers and hard-drive access,
and by September had a basic design that he called Version 0.01. This kernel, which is
called Linux, was afterwards combined with the GNU system to produce a fully free
operating system. On October 5th, 1991, Torvalds sent a posting to the comp.os.minix
newsgroup announcing the release of Version 0.02, a basic version that still needed
Minix to operate. The kernel was then rapidly improved by Torvalds and a growing
number of volunteers or developers communicating over the Internet, and by December,
a functional, stand-alone Unix-like Linux system was released as Version 0.11. On
January 5, 1992, Linux Version 0.12 was released, an improved, stable kernel. The next
release was called Version 0.95, to reflect the fact that it was becoming a full-featured
system. Torvalds released Version 0.11 under an open source license, but then released
Version 0.12 under General Public License (GNU). After that, the number of
application in Linux OS increases and continue to improve until this day. Linux
continued to be improved through the 1990's, and started to be used in large-scale
applications like web hosting, networking, and database serving.
With the Linux OS becoming more advance, some developer then started to
develop a better GUI (Graphic User Interface) called Linux Distribution (or Linux
Distro). Some example of the distro are Ubuntu or Red Hat. These two distribution aim
different user and use case. Ubuntu aim to be simple and more into Microsoft Windows

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 like operating system. The GUI has been made user friendly as possible which good for
those who just started using Linux based OS. These GUI made possible for user like
students to learn more about Linux OS and be more familiar with the Linux OS style.
Although it is nice and so on, Linux Ubuntu consuming a lot of resources such as
memory, storage, and processing power. Linux Red Hat in other hand solves these
problem. Red Hat aim more into server side usage. Red Hat is small and have support
from a company with cost. It is well maintained and most organisation uses this Linux
OS because of small size meaning small resources and more secure because of aiming
only the task that an organisation need.
d. Uses of Linux (Gordon, 2014)
From the start Linux OS been developed, the use case was small and only for small
group of people to use it. Today, Linux OS has more than 10 distributions and it been
use worldwide. Since Linux is an OS, it can do whatever can a OS do such as file
managing. File managing is an important utility that can remove, create, or save for file
or directory (folder). Other than that, Linux can troubleshoot other computers. The
“Live CD’ features what makes Linux can run on other PC (personal computer) without
even need an official install into the computer. Lastly, the most important part of Linux
OS is that, it is the best OS available in the market for penetrating testing or learn to
hacking and stuff about security, since Linux OS is the most secure.

2 Linux & Windows OS Comparison

a. General Information
Windows OS is run by Microsoft, founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. There are
various of version (or distro) of Windows. Microsoft Windows started with just
command line text called MS DOS. It is very popular back then and gain attention to
many people about WIMPs (windows, icons, mouse, pull-down, pointer). Later then
this GUI driven interface been called Windows. Windows version started from
Windows 1.0 until now we have Windows 10.
Comparing to Linux OS, Windows is very costly because it need a license in
order users be able to use it. The license can be different for every version of Windows
such as Windows 10 Home Premium and Windows 10 Professional. In the other hand,
Linux OS is free to use but there is some cost when user need help on certain things
like the Linux Red Hat. Although, Linux OS is free and open source, Windows OS still

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 dominating the market share with 88 percent followed by Mac OS (an Apple company)
by 8 percent (based on netmarketshare.com).
b. Technical Information
Windows has focusing on using NTFS (NT File System) throughout the years because
before NTFS, Windows uses FAT and FAT32. The reason they change to NTFS
because, FAT file systems not able to support larger storage such as 1TB (Terabyte)
since storage being cheaper and larger by following years. However, Windows still uses
FAT file systems for thumb drives because it is compatible to other OS (Silberschatz,
Gagne, & Galvin). In the other side, Linux OS commonly uses ext2, ext3, and ext4 file
systems. Similar to Windows’ file systems, it is to support larger storage such as ext2
can support up to 32TB while ext4 can support up to 1EB (Exbibyte). Linux OS also
support FAT file systems, no difference from Windows’. There are more file systems
support but commonly only ext and fat for Linux OS.
Moving on to GUI, Windows and Linux OS both have similarity. Taskbar for
example was implemented in both OS. It is a sidebar on side or top bottom of the screen
to view running window. However, other distro of Linux has a steeper learning curve.
That is why Windows is popular because of easy to use compare to Linux.
Moreover, Windows has the largest commercial software and also largest
selection of games. The ease of use in Windows making more users and that is why
more commercial software that have cost. Businesses tend to focus more on number of
people. Linux also has some software and games selection but it is still small. It can run
Windows software using a program WINE to add wider range of software collection
but most of the Linux software is open source and free to use.
c. Threats and Problems (Computer Hope, 2018)
Linux is more reliable than Windows. Linux is very secure. It has a strong focus on
process management, system security, and uptime. Although Windows make great
improvement in the recent years, it is still considering as less reliable than Linux. The
reason behind this because of sacrifices that made to the system for user friendliness
which made some security vulnerabilities and system instability (crashes).
The problem with Linux is drivers support. Every time if there is a new
hardware, Linux will have struggle to support drivers for these hardware because most
of the products will focuses on Windows. As a Windows user, there are no need to
worry about new hardware because the driver will be always available either online or
comes with the hardware.
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 If users encountered problem with either OS, Linux has help in the internet but
users have to find it by themselves. There is exception for Linux Red Hat distro because
they provide help too but come with a cost. Windows has integrated help or call support
from Microsoft itself. There is also online help for Microsoft products.
d. Market Share and User Base (Computer Hope, 2018)
Based on question 2(a), the market share for Windows is 88 percent. Most of this come
from businesses that relying on Microsoft products such as Microsoft Word, Excel and
etc. The other part of the user are gamers where they need to play new games every
time there are new releases and cyber café that provide people to use computer for
certain number of time. Some are novice users that just started to use computers since
it more user friendly.
Besides, Linux has less than 1 percent of the market share. Most of these use
case is for business that run servers. Since Linux is the most reliable and sure for servers,
businesses started to use it to store sensitive data and some for processing such as web
hosting. What’s more is that, Linux can give life to old computers because of it less
demanding resources. Some small devices such as Raspberry Pi can run Linux without
any problems in terms of resources support.

3 Conclusion
In conclusion, Windows and Linux are both operating system that can perform the same tasks
but only there are less commercial software for Linux. Linux also been used by organisation
since it is reliable, secure, and free. Linux maintained by countless numbers of developers
around the world while Windows is an organisation that focuses on user friendliness. In the
end, Linux still catching up but Windows OS already has 88 percent of the market share.

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4 References
Computer Hope. (2018, 24 January). Linux vs. Windows. Retrieved 28 March, 2018, from
https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000575.htm

Gordon, W. (2014, 2 January). Top 10 Uses for Linux (Even If Your Main PC Runs Windows).
Retrieved 27 March, 2018, from https://lifehacker.com/top-10-uses-for-linux-even-if-
your-main-pc-runs-window-1513172815

java T point. Linux History. Retrieved 26 March, 2018, from

https://www.javatpoint.com/linux-history

Linux Training Academy. What is Linux? Retrieved 26 March, 2018, from

https://www.linuxtrainingacademy.com/what-is-linux/

livinginternet. (2000). Linux History. Retrieved 27 March, 2018, from

https://www.livinginternet.com/i/iw_unix_gnulinux.htm

Silberschatz, A., Gagne, G., & Galvin, P. B. Operating System Concepts (8 ed.).

Visicomp Codder. (2015, 29 January). Linux Design Principles and components of Linux
system. Retrieved 27 March, 2018, from
https://vissicompcodder.wordpress.com/2015/01/29/linux-design-principles-and-
components-of-linux-system/