Linux Explained: A Beginner’s Guide and How It Differs from UNIX

Introduction

This article is written for people who have never encountered a Linux system. Understanding Linux is essential for technical personnel and beneficial for ordinary users who only know Windows.

What Is Linux?

Q: Summarize Linux in one sentence. A: Linux is an operating system, just like Windows.

To understand Linux, first learn about the open‑source movement started by Richard Stallman in the 1980s, which aimed to create a complete computer system with all parts released as open source. The GNU project was created to promote fairness, peace, and friendship.

Because thousands of hobbyist developers contribute for free, Linux runs on everything from supercomputers (over 80% market share) to routers, and powers many web servers, low‑cost computers for education, and China’s Loongson projects.

What Can Linux Do?

A: Apart from the lack of many games, Linux is comparable to Windows but generally more powerful.

Choosing Linux: Benefits and Trade‑offs

A: For eager learners, Linux is a treasure trove of world‑class tools. For less technical users, it offers lower resource usage, no viruses, no need for antivirus software, and avoids illegal Windows copies and blue‑screen crashes.

Software can be installed via a “software center,” similar to picking items from a supermarket shelf. While Windows now has an app store, Linux’s repositories remain far more extensive and free.

Windows applications cannot be installed directly on Linux; alternatives usually exist, and the wine compatibility layer can run some Windows programs, though it is complex and not universally reliable.

ActiveX‑based applications (e.g., many Chinese banks) do not work on Linux, though virtual machines can run Windows for such cases.

Compatibility Between Linux and Windows

A: About 90% of files created in Windows can be opened in Linux and vice versa, though some edge cases exist.

Do You Need Advanced Skills to Use Linux?

A: No. Modern Linux desktop environments are user‑friendly; the main differences are UI conventions (e.g., Ubuntu’s window buttons are on the left).

Linux vs. UNIX

Linux is free and open‑source, while UNIX is traditionally commercial software with proprietary source code.

Key differences:

UNIX is typically tied to specific hardware; Linux runs on many platforms.

UNIX is commercial; Linux is free and open.

Linux’s kernel is freely available, adhering to POSIX standards, and incorporates GNU tools. It can run on low‑end hardware, is easier to install, and offers comparable functionality for most personal and small‑business needs.

Commercial Linux distributions (e.g., Red Hat, SUSE, Turbo Linux) provide enterprise‑grade support, while UNIX variants (Solaris, AIX, HP‑UX) target specific vendor hardware.