What is Linux? How is it different from Ubuntu, KDE, etc.?

Question

I mean, is Linux an OS where Ubuntu, KDE etc. is based or are Ubuntu, KDE, Fedora, Mint operating systems that compose the group of Linux?

Answer 1

Linux is the kernel upon which all Linux distros. (distributions) are built upon

http://www.linux.org/info/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_kernel



Here are some options for installing or trying out Linux



Option One (Full installation)



I thoroughly recommend Linux Mint 9 Main Edition which is built upon Ubuntu 10.04 Its easy to install and easy to use plus it comes with much of the software you are likely to need preinstalled



Linux Mint 9 Download

http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=52



The Perfect Desktop - Linux Mint 9 (Isadora)

http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-linux-mint-9-isadora



Linux Mint 9 User Guide Download pdf.

http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_isadora.php



You download the ISO. image of Linux Mint 9 then you need to create a Bootable LiveCD for installation



Linux Mint 9 can also be run direct from the LiveCD from Booting up without touching your Hard Drive



Also worth considering :



Fedora Remix (Fedora with elements of Linux Mint)

http://www.linuxmint.com/blog/?p=1418

http://fcoremix.wordpress.com/2010/05/25/lucky-13/

http://iso.linux.hr/community-fedora-remix/



Again Fedora Remix can be run direct from the LiveDVD without touching your Hard Drive



Option Two (Install Linux inside Windows)



Installing Ubuntu as a dual-boot with Windows without partitioning

http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/wubi



You keep Windows as it is, Wubi only adds an extra option to boot into Ubuntu. Wubi does not require you to modify the partitions of your PC, or to use a different bootloader, and does not install special drivers. It works just like any other application.



Wubi keeps most of the files in one folder, and if you do not like it, you can simply uninstall it as any other application.



Boot in to windows insert the Ubuntu 10.04 LiveCD and you will offered the option of installing inside windows which is where the Wubi installer comes in, you will be asked how many gigabytes you wish to allocate to Ubuntu (I recommend 8gb) then you set a password for your installation then click install and thats it.



Once Ubuntu is fully installed upon starting your PC you will be given a choice of which operating system you want to use Windows or Ubuntu



Ubuntu 10.04 Download

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download



Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) User Guide

http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu:Lucid



Linux Mint 9 which is built upon Ubuntu 10.04 has a similar feature called mint4win and the directions given above for Wubi can be followed

http://duncsweb.com/2009/09/27/mint4win-a-wubi-based-installer-of-linux-mint/



As with Linux Mint 9 and Fedora Remix, Ubuntu 10.04 can also be run straight from the LiveCD without touching your Hard drive



Option Three (LiveCD)



Here the possibilities are endless as you can try out as many different Linux distros. as you like until you find the one thats right for you DISTROWATCH.COM gives full listings (second lists the major distributions)

http://distrowatch.com/



Major Linux Distributions

http://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=major





LUg.

Answer 2

Linux is actually not an operating system. In reality it is a kernel ("heart" of the OS).



Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint, etc...are all Linux Operating systems.



This means they all use the Linux kernel.



Linux OSes also have other things in common. They usually use the same terminal shell (ex. BASH), desktop enviornment (ex KDE,GNOME), and software.



So in reality, your operating system is a Linux operating system, meaning an OS that utilizes Linux. However, most people use the term Linux as a name for the operating system.



I'm a little rusty on my history, but Linus Torvalds created Linux, and I believe he released it with an operating system dubbed Linux (Linus's Unix). The actual OS might of had a different name, I'm not entirely sure.



EDIT: People, please stop referring to KDE as an OS. It is a desktop enviornment.



2nd EDIT: Reading through the answers, I'm remembering GNU Linux. This wasn't created by Linux himself, but was a collaboration between Richard Stallman and Linus Torvalds.



Pretty much what happened is Linus built a kernel and was working on an OS, Stallman made an OS and was working on a kernel, and the two joined forces.

Answer 3

GNU Linux was a UNIX-like OS created by Linus Torvalds.As the Linux kernel is open source (that is it doesn't have a copyright) anyone with the appropriate knowledge could modify the OS.Ubuntu, KDE, Fedora, Mint are all different open source OS's built from the original Linux kernel.



I don't think there is an OS with just the name Linux.The common thing about these OS's are that they were all built from the same Linux kernel and all of them are open source.



To more about Linux and open source visit these Wikipedia pages (by the way Wikipedia is open source too!!):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opensource

Answer 4

All of those are Linux operating systems. Someone invented Linux, then didn't copyright it like Mac or Windows, so that anyone can have it for free. They made it so that people can take it and change the codes (open source) to make their own operating system from it, and that is where things like Ubuntu and Linux Mint.

Answer 5

Ubuntu, Fedora, and Mint are distributions of Linux. Linux is set up with a lot of modules that connect together, in the form of packets that can be installed on top of the main Linux kernel. Different distributions handle packages differently, and have different default package configurations.



Ubuntu is based on debian linux, others on other bases, etc.



KDE is a window manager within linux. It runs on different distributions. Other common window managers are GNOME and Fluxbox.