A brief overview of linux.
The operating system Linux was created by Linus Torvalds as a hobby when he was at the University of Helsinky in Finland. He was interested in a small UNIX system called the Minix. He wanted to develop a system that could surpass Minix. The work on Linux was started in 1991 and finally in 1994 the 1.0 version of the Linux Kernel was released. The Linux operating system is based on this kernel. The latest version of Linux is the 2.6 version. Development on the Linux system is continuing.
The Linux kernel is released under GNU or the General Public License and its source code is freely available. This is an example of free software and open source development. This kernel is the base for the operating system. There are many different versions based on this Linux kernel. Software giants like IBM, Hewlett-Packard use Linux extensively and also support its development. The system can be embedded in microchips and used in devices like mobile phones, portable music players, supercomputers etc. It is predominantly used in servers. It is being used in many sectors like industry, government and arts. Free software like Pidgin, GIMP, and Openoffice.org are available on Linux also quite similar to Microsoft Tux.
Linux training is provided in many institutes and software companies. The Linux is provided to Linux professionals and also to employees of organizations for updating them on the latest developments in the field of information technology. There are many programs given during Linux training that satisfy the above needs. In all there are about 719 training centers providing Linux training all over the world. Training is given in three levels and there are certifications too. These include Comp T I A Linux + Certification and Red Hat Certification for engineers and technicians.
Linux training is a specialized course and has good prospects in job market.
