Articles on computer related topics
From MEC WIKI
Free Software
Free software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions only to ensure that further recipients can also do these things. To make these acts possible, the human readable form of the program (called the source code) must be made available. The source code may be either accompanied by a software license saying that the copyright holder permits these acts (a free software licence), or be released into public domain, so that these rights automatically hold.
Alternative terms for free software have been coined in an attempt to make the use of "free" less ambiguous. The most common is "open-source software", which has since evolved to refer to a subtly different sense of freedom. Free software is also known as "software libre", "free, libre and open-source software" ("FLOSS"), and "free and open-source software" ("FOSS").
Free software is distinct from freeware; Freeware is proprietary software made available free of charge. One can use, but not study, modify or redistribute freeware.
Since free software may be freely redistributed, free software generally is available at very little cost. Free software business models are usually based on adding value such as support, training, customization, integration, or certification. At the same time, some business models which work with non-free software are not compatible with free software, such as those that depend on a user having no choice but to pay for a license in order to lawfully use a software product.
LINUX
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system. Linux is one of the most prominent examples of free software and open source development; typically all underlying source code can be freely modified, used, and redistributed by anyone.
Linux kernel was created by Linus Torvalds.
Predominantly known for its use in servers, Linux is supported by corporations such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Novell, Oracle Corporation, Red Hat, and Sun Microsystems. It is used as an operating system for a wide variety of computer hardware, including desktop computers, supercomputers,[3] video game systems, such as PlayStation 2, 3, several arcade games, and embedded devices, such as mobile phones and routers.
''Popular distributions''
A Linux distribution, often simply distribution or distro, is a member of the Linux family of Unix-like computer operating systems. Such systems are built from the Linux kernel and assorted other packages, such as the X Window system and software from the GNU project. Distributions optimized for size tend to use more compact alternatives like busybox, uclibc or dietlibc.
Well-known Linux distributions include:
1) Slackware, one of the first Linux distributions, founded in 1993, and since then actively maintained by Patrick J. Volkerding.
2) Debian, a non-commercial distribution maintained by a volunteer developer community with a strong commitment to free software principles.
3) Ubuntu, a newly popular desktop distribution maintained by Canonical that is derived from Debian.
4) Red Hat Enterprise Linux, maintained by the American company of the same name, which also provides a community version in the form of Fedora.
5) CentOS, a distribution derived from the same sources used by Red Hat, maintained by a dedicated volunteer community of developers with both 100% Red Hat - compatible versions and an upgraded version that is not always 100% upstream compatible.
6) Mandriva, a Red Hat derivative popular in France and Brazil, today maintained by the French company of the same name
7) openSUSE, originally derived from Slackware, sponsored by the company Novell.
8) Gentoo, a distribution targeted at power users, known for its FreeBSD Ports-like automated system for compiling applications from source code.
9) Knoppix, a LiveCD distribution that runs completely from removable media and without installation to a hard disk.
10) Linspire, a commercial desktop distribution based on Ubuntu (and thus Debian), and once the defendant in the Microsoft vs. Lindows lawsuit over its former name.
