Linux is an open source operating system kernel and has now developed into a variety of distributions such as Ubuntu, Debian, and CentOS. 1. The kernel is the core of the system, managing hardware resources and providing an operating environment; 2. Linux is open source free, and Windows/macOS is closed source commercial; 3. Most Linux users are developers and advanced users, stable and secure, suitable for servers; 4. High degree of freedom, good performance, strong community support, suitable for development and learning; 5. It can be tried through virtual machines, beginner distributions, and Live CD modes.

Linux is an open source operating system kernel that was originally developed in 1991 by Finnish programmer Linus Torvalds. It is now not just a kernel, but a complete set of operating systems built on this kernel, which are usually called Linux distributions, such as Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, etc.

What is an operating system kernel?

The operating system kernel is the core part of the operating system, responsible for managing the system's hardware resources, such as CPU, memory, hard disk, etc., and providing an operating environment for applications. You can understand it as the "brain of the operating system".

• It controls how the program accesses the hardware.
• It manages process scheduling and memory allocation.
• It ensures that different software can work together.

Both Windows and macOS have their own proprietary kernels, while the Linux kernel is open source, and anyone can view, modify, and distribute its source code.

What is the difference between Linux and Windows and macOS?

Although they are all operating systems, there are many differences in user experience and technical background:

• Open Source vs Close Source : Linux is open source, which means it is free to use and community-driven development; while Windows and macOS are commercial operating systems, and the code is not disclosed to the public.
• Different user groups : Windows is mainly aimed at ordinary users and enterprise markets, macOS is aimed at Apple ecosystem users, while Linux is more popular among developers, system administrators and advanced users.
• Stability and security : Linux is famous for its stability and security, and many servers use Linux systems to run services for a long time.
• Interface diversity : Linux provides a variety of desktop environments (such as GNOME, KDE), and users can choose different appearances and operation methods according to their preferences.

Why do many people like to use Linux?

There are several key reasons why Linux is popular, especially in the technology circle:

• High degree of freedom : You can customize almost all system settings, which can be adjusted from the startup screen to the underlying system behavior.
• Good performance : The system resources are relatively low, suitable for old computers or servers that require high performance.
• Strong community support : When encountering problems, you can get a lot of help through forums, documents, GitHub and other channels.
• Suitable for learning and development : Many programming languages ??and development tools naturally support Linux, and you can directly access the underlying layer of the system, which helps you to have an in-depth understanding of computer principles.

For example, if you are developing Python or building a website server, using Linux will be more convenient than Windows, because many tools can be installed directly through commands without cumbersome configuration.

How to get started with Linux?

If you are a novice, you can start from the following aspects:

• Try installing a Linux distribution using a virtual machine such as VirtualBox or VMware.
• Download a distribution suitable for beginners, such as Ubuntu or Linux Mint.
• Try "Live CD" mode, that is, you can run directly without installing the system to see if you adapt.
• Learn basic terminal commands, which are important for using Linux.

In fact, you don’t have to worry too much about “whether it can be used”. The current Linux graphical interface is already very friendly, and most daily operations can be completed through clicks.

Basically that's it. Linux is not as mysterious as you imagined. It is just an operating system, which just gives you more control.

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