Linux Endures and Prospers in Kernelland after Three Decades
In a captivating retrospective talk at Open Source Summit EU, long-time kernel developer Jonathan Corbet delved into the fascinating history of Linux, tracing its journey from humble beginnings to its current thriving state over the past 30 years.
The Linux era marked a significant shift from the Unix era, as proprietary Unix systems became fragmented and buggy. The beginning of this new era was heralded by the launch of VA Linux and its early success, which were early signs of the dotcom boom.
Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux, initially envisioned his kernel project as small and unprofessional. However, it has since grown to become a major player in the tech world. Key early contributors to Linux's open-source philosophy and success include Torvalds, Ian Murdock, who founded the Debian project in 1993, and Daniel Robbins, creator of the Gentoo distribution and its innovative Portage system.
The open development model of Linux, legitimized by Netscape open sourcing its browser, was a key factor in its success. Unlike other projects of the time, Linux was open to everyone and welcomed patches from anyone.
The talk also touched upon the SCO lawsuit, a significant event that occurred in the noughties. Darl McBride, a person involved in the lawsuit, claimed that Linux contained millions of lines of code stolen from his company and that IBM owed him $5 billion. While the lawsuit helped legitimize Linux, it also sparked a heated debate within the tech community.
The talk covered a lot of ground, from the importance of real-life in-person meetups for the developer community's health to the challenges posed by US politics in fostering these meetings. It also questioned whether C is still the best tool and highlighted the importance of Rust.
The talk further discussed the adoption of Larry McVoy's Bitkeeper source-code management system and the controversial moves that led to the creation of Git. It also delved into the significance of the GPL over other FOSS licenses, the kernel-versus-userland split, and the distribution model.
Despite significant world events, the pace of development of the Linux kernel remained consistent. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kernel 5.6 was released. The talk was a testament to the resilience and adaptability of the Linux community.
The dotcom crash in the early 2000s saw many early Linux companies either go under or transform into more modest businesses. However, the kernel continued to grow, defying the odds. By 2008, things were looking bad due to the Credit Crunch, but the Linux community persevered.
In the early 1990s, Microsoft was on the rise, with the common belief being that everything would be Windows in the future. However, Linux proved to be a formidable competitor, carving out its own niche in the tech world.
The talk concluded with a reminder of the importance of the open development model and the role it plays in the success of Linux. It was a journey through time, a celebration of the past, and a look towards the future of one of the most influential open-source projects in history.
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