Linux Timeline

(1991 - Present)

Explore the timeline of Linux, an open-source operating system that was created in 1991 and has become a popular alternative to proprietary systems. More Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Linux Development

Onyx Systems starts selling early microcomputer-based Unix workstations

1980

Onyx Systems begins selling Unix workstations, contributing to the early development and adoption of Unix-based systems.

Image source: Onyx Systems

Sun Microsystems starts selling Unix-based desktop workstations

1982

Sun Microsystems, founded as a spin-off of a student project at Stanford University, starts selling Unix-based desktop workstations, further popularizing Unix.

Image source: Sun Microsystems

GNU Project aims to create a complete Unix-compatible software system

1983

The GNU Project, initiated by Richard Stallman, aims to develop a complete Unix-compatible software system composed entirely of free software.

Image source: GNU Project

Stallman starts the Free Software Foundation and writes the GNU GPL

1985

Richard Stallman starts the Free Software Foundation (FSF) and writes the GNU General Public License (GPL), a widely used free software license.

MINIX released by Andrew S. Tanenbaum

1987

Andrew S. Tanenbaum releases MINIX, a minimal Unix-like operating system designed for educational purposes.

Image source: Minix

Linus Torvalds enrolls in a Unix course at the University of Helsinki

1990

Linus Torvalds enrolls in a Unix course, sparking his interest in operating systems and eventually leading to the development of Linux.

Linus Torvalds attempts to obtain POSIX standards documentation

Jul 3, 1991

Linus Torvalds attempts to obtain a digital copy of the POSIX standards documentation, which inspires him to create his own operating system.

Image source: Linus Torvalds

Linux files uploaded to the FTP server

Sep 1991

The files of the Linux kernel are uploaded to the FTP server (ftp.funet.fi) of FUNET, making them accessible for development and collaboration.

Linux kernel released by Linus Torvalds

Sep 17, 1991

Linus Torvalds releases the Linux kernel, an open-source Unix-like operating system, marking the beginning of the Linux project.

First major film produced on Linux servers (Titanic)

1997

The film Titanic, released in 1997, becomes the first major film to be produced using Linux servers.

Image source: Linux

First major film produced on Linux servers (Titanic)

Trademark dispute settled in favor of Linus Torvalds

1997

Linus Torvalds and affected organizations settle a trademark dispute, resulting in the Linux trademark being assigned to Torvalds.

Red Hat Linux 7.1 contains 30 million source lines of code

2001

A study finds that Red Hat Linux 7.1 contains approximately 30 million source lines of code, representing a significant effort in software development.

Image source: Red Hat Linux

North Korea's Red Star OS based on Fedora Linux

2002 - Present

North Korea develops the Red Star OS, based on a version of Fedora Linux, for use in their country.

Image source: Red Star OS

North Korea's Red Star OS based on Fedora Linux

LLVM project provides an alternative open-source compiler

2003

The LLVM project is released, providing an alternative cross-platform open-source compiler for many programming languages.

Image source: LLVM

Debian version 4.0 contains close to 283 million source lines of code

2007

A study estimates that Debian version 4.0 contains close to 283 million source lines of code, highlighting the scale of development and collaboration in the Debian project.

Image source: Debian

Linux distributions contain GNU components

May 2011

Linux distributions, such as Ubuntu, contain GNU components, with approximately 8% to 13% of the lines of code in Ubuntu being attributed to GNU.

Image source: Ubuntu

Database of tested hardware configurations launched

2014

An initiative is launched to automatically collect a database of all tested hardware configurations, aiding compatibility and hardware support in Linux.

Linux kernel development primarily done by paid developers

2017

Analysis shows that over 85% of the Linux kernel code is developed by paid developers, with the remaining contributions coming from unpaid developers.

Wayland display server protocol gains adoption

2022

Wayland, a display server protocol intended as a replacement for X11, gains relatively wide adoption in the Linux ecosystem.

Image source: Wayland (protocol)

Linux Market and Adoption

Linux holds 12.7% of the overall server market

1 Jan 2007 - 31 Mar 2007

Linux holds 12.7% of the overall server market, based on the number of Linux servers sold by various companies.

Linux-based Android responsible for over 60% of tablet sales

2013

Android, based on Linux, is responsible for over 60% of tablet sales, solidifying its dominance in the tablet market.

Linux dominates web servers with a market share of 96.55%

May 2015

Linux holds a dominant market share of 96.55% in web servers, with Windows and FreeBSD accounting for 1.73% and 1.72% respectively.

Linux dominates general-purpose operating systems

May 2022

Linux, including Android, achieves the largest installed base among all general-purpose operating systems, primarily due to the dominance of Android on smartphones.

Linux market share on desktop computers estimated at around 2.5%

May 2022

Linux has an estimated market share of around 2.5% on desktop computers, while Windows and macOS dominate with approximately 75.5% and 14.9% respectively.

Android becomes the most widely used mobile operating system

Apr 2023

Android holds a market share of 68.61% of mobile devices accessing websites, making it the most widely used mobile operating system.

Image source: Android (operating system)

Linux operating system market size expected to reach $15.64 billion by 2027

2027

The Linux operating system market size is projected to grow by 19.2% and reach $15.64 billion by 2027, compared to $3.89 billion in 2019.

Linux in Server and Supercomputing

Linux leads in servers, mainframes, and supercomputers

Nov 2017

Linux becomes the leading operating system on servers, mainframes, and supercomputers, with over 96.4% of the top 1 million web servers' operating systems being Linux.

Linux in Education

Chromebook dominates the US K-12 education market

Nov 2022

Linux-based Chromebooks, running ChromeOS, dominate the US K-12 education market, capturing nearly 20% of sub-$300 notebook sales.

Image source: Chromebook

Key Facts

Linus Torvalds created Linux as a free and open-source operating system in 1991.
The first version of Linux, known as Linux 0.01, was released in September 1991.
The GNU General Public License (GPL) was adopted for Linux in 1992, ensuring its free distribution and modification.
In the 1990s, Linux gained popularity among computer enthusiasts and was embraced by the open-source community.
Today, Linux is widely used in various industries, from web servers and supercomputers to smartphones and embedded systems.

Source

This Linux timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

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