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Linux is a generic term that commonly refers to Unix-like computer operating systems that use the Linux kernel. Linux is one of the most prominent examples of free software and open source development; typically all the underlying source code can be used, freely modified, and redistributed by anyone.
Linux is predominantly known for its use in servers, although it is installed on a wide variety of computer hardware, ranging from embedded devices and mobile phones to supercomputers, and its popularity as a desktop/laptop operating system is growing due to the rise of netbooks and the Ubuntu distribution of the operating system.
The name "Linux" comes from the Linux kernel, originally written in 1991 by Linus Torvalds. The system's utilities and libraries usually come from the GNU operating system, announced in 1983 by Richard Stallman. The GNU contribution is the basis for the alternative name GNU/Linux
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