Read below to find out more about this powerful, flexible and tremendously popular Computer Operating System.

What is Linux?
What is popularly thought of as Linux is a computer operating system. It's core was originally developed by Linus Torvalds when he was a student at the University of Helsinki as a thesis project. He announces his intentions on August 25th, 1991 in this post to the newsgroup comp.os.minix:http://groups.google.com/group/comp.os.minix/msg/b813d52cbc5a044b. With the help of the internet, and the hard work of thousands of developers from around the globe, Linux has become an operating system of unparalleled speed, flexibility, and stability. 
However, Linus actually only developed the "kernel", or core of the operating system. The giant conglomeration of packages that make up the rest of a Linux system are additional projects by developers around the world who work on their particular areas of expertise or passion. Some people would rather see what is know as Linux be called "GNU/Linux", and for good reason- the GNU project existed long before Linus wrote the Linux kernel. 

Who makes Linux?
The short answer is "anyone who wants to". However, through the miracle of modern marketing, you probably think of one of a select few companies when you think of Linux: Ubuntu, Mandriva, Red Hat,Suse, and Debian. All of these companies (and literally hundreds, if not thousands more) make their own linux "distribution" and make their distribution available through a number of different means, from FTP Downloads to CDs from Cheapbytes to Box sets distributed by the creators of the distributions and sold direct, via their websites and even in your local book and computer stores. 

Who owns Linux?
Again, the short answer is "no one". However, Linus Torvalds owns the copyright on the name Linux, thus preventing dilution of the name (i.e.: A proprietary software company cannot make a product with "closed" source code and call it Linux). 

Where can I buy Linux?
All of the companies mentioned in the "Who Makes Linux" section sell their products, and often bundle them with support packages. In addition, Linux is also generally available for free download from the same companies who build the Linux "distribution" that they put their name on. As Linux becomes more and more "mainstream", you will see it on store shelves in "shrink wrap" boxes for sale.
Of course, we also sell Linux, both shrinkwrapped and on the systems we build. Please contact us for more information!

You just said these companies sell their products, but I heard that Linux is free!
Linux is free. Free as in "freely available" and "freely distributable". Not necessarily as in "free lunch". All of the companies that build Linux distributions are just that: companies. Companies exist to make money. So how does a company like Red Hat make money when their product is available for free download? By selling service and support, or bundling it with their product. So while a large number of people get linux for free, many others are more comfortable with the idea of paying a nominal fee for product support. In any event, the overall cost of a Linux system, even with a significant support package, is a fraction of the cost of the licensing alone of a proprietary, "closed" operating system. 

How is Linux Licensed?
If you are used to the idea of operating systems being licensed on a per system, or per user basis, the idea of freely availably and redistributable software can take some getting used to.
The source code of Linux and the additional packages that make up a linux distribution are released under the terms of the Gnu Public License, or GPL. This license is worded such that anyone may use, modify and redistribute the code for any purpose, as long as the author releases the "derivative work" under the terns of the same license. This means that Linux is and always will be a "free" operating system. By extension, it means that you cannot ever be charged for using a Linux system on your computer.

Linux Myths:
Myth #1 - Support: There is a myth about Linux and getting support for your Linux system. The myth is that you can't get support.
Reality: The reality is that Linux is as well (and often, better) supported as any commercial server OS on the market. Linux based web servers have quietly taken over 60% of the web server market. That means that more than half of the web pages that you view on the internet are being served up by a server with a free operating system. The Google search engine is entirely Linux based, from database to webserver. Hotmail, one of the internet's largest mail and news portals, was at last check running on Linux servers (interestingly, Hotmail is owned by Microsoft- the vary same company that makes the second ranked webserver product IIS, and competing Server OS, Windows NT/2000).
Since most companies aren't a Google or Hotmail, with a huge IT staff, it is of note that the Linux systems we build can be managed entirely from a simple web-brower interface: All of the daily functions of your network can be run with almost no experience necessary. We have installed Linux servers in several locations where there is NO IT staff whatsoever, and the training for the basic administration took a couple hours, and the systems have been running, with no external suupport, for months. We would be happy to give references should you want to find out more!

Myth #2 - Higher TCO: Another myth being spread about is that license fees are a very small portion of the Total Cost of Ownership of any server operating system, and that a Linux system, through increased support costs, actually costs more in the long run.
Reality: The fact is that unless you have a large company and purchase support contracts from the manufacturers of your software, license fees usually account for between 60% and 90% of a system's TCO. In the event that you purchase a support contract from a vendor, the fees are generally lower for a linux system. An example is that you can purchase a high end bundle of a Linux distribution for roughly $250 US (with no additional license fees for additional CPU's, users, logons etc.), which provides from 30-90 days of free e-mail, web and phone-in support. A comparable proprietary server OS sells for roughly $800 (plus roughly $100 per user), and includes absolutely no support. Support incidences for most proprietary operating systems cost between $175 US and $350 US per call, depending on the technology you need support on.
Regarding ongoing support costs, see the paragraph above!

F.U.D.
FUD, or the campaign of "Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt" that has been launched against Linux and the Open Source software development model in general is based on one thing: Money. Some companies that have been making untold billions of dollars by keeping consumers locked into purchasing upgrades every so often are very unhappy with this new way of doing things, and in response have launched a massive marketing campaign to muddy the waters with questions and information (often misleading or just plain wrong) about the "future" of open source software and the Open Source development model. The fact is that it is just marketing, and is only because some companies refuse to change the way they do things when the paying public (their customer base) demands it. As with any marketing material (the content of this site, for example), take those ads with a grain of salt, and look for the hidden meaning behind the FUD.
In contrast, some companies have embraced this new way of doing things, and are doing very well. IBM is one that has had repeatedly good experience with "Open Source", starting with the release of the "blueprints" of the IBM PC, and continueing with their embracing of the Open Source development model and use of Linux in their servers and software.

Other things to take into consideration
A Linux system offers some items that you would have to purchase as an add on in many proprietary systems, and is simply better at some things than it's proprietary competitors. I've outlined some of those items below.
Disaster Recovery:
In the event that the unthinkable happens and a full system recovery is necessary (i.e. Hardware failure), an experienced system administrator can generally boot up from a recovery disk, load the tape drivers, configure the hard disk, and have the tape running a restore in under an hour (and the data was backed up using tools that are free!). Compare this to a Microsoft Windows 2000 server running Microsoft Exchange: First, you have to shell out nearly $1000 for backup software in the first place, and then you can count on: At least 2 hours to load the Operating system, another hour to load the necessary applications (i.e. Backup Exec, a $500 add-on), at least 4-6 reboots, and that's just to get the system to recognize the tape drive and start the restore process! Generally speaking, if a stand-alone Windows server experiences a catastrophic failure, the company can expect to experience 2-3 days of downtime, and often more. In addition, the costs associated with a full disaster recovery scenario can climb into the thousands of dollars on a Windows system. In my experience, nearly every organization will experience a catasrophic system failure at some point.
Configuration Storage:
One of the most frustrating things for a system administrator is the inability to move configuration data between systems; this makes it very difficult to test new configurations or upgrade programs without taking production services down, etc.. In contrast, it is very easy to move configuration data between Linux systems, even across versions, because almost all configuration data is stored in regular text files, and not in the "registry" as in a Windows system. The registry, in my opinion, is a serious flaw in the basic architecture of a Windows system- the registry is difficult to back up reliably, and even more difficult to restore. The new Windows 2000 and 2003 systems with their "System State" are even worse. Text-based configuration files have a 40 year history of being accessible, modifiable, portable, and reliable.
Reliability
Linux systems just plain work; unless a piece of hardware fails, it is very commonv for a Linux system to be installed and continue running for literally years between reboots. I have several productions systems in very busy offices and even ISP's that have passed the 365 day uptime mark, and some are nearing 2 years! 
We hope that this information helps you with your operating system decisions- if you have additional questions, or would like a demonstration of the power of the Linux operating system, give us a call!