The nucleous or core of a computer (also called
kernel) is a set of programs that execute the basic services for the computer to be up and running. Some of these basic services are among others
- To allow other programs to interact with the hardware of the computer without having to know the hardware specifics.
- Regulate the use of resources such as CPU cycles, memory, hard disk capacity, etc to optimize them and control the access to them
- To coordinate the execution and interchange of data between programs within the computer and others programs that could be running inside or outside the given computer.
The Linux core provides aproximately the same features than the ones offered by the UNIX core.
The first version of Linux (core) was written by the finnish
Linus Torvalds in 1991, and placed under the
license GPL (GNU General Public License), in combination with the GNU base applications.
The Linux core is inspired by the simplicity and technologic solidity of UNIX, but also by the practical spirit of gradual perfeccionism and colaboracion. Today, hundred highly specialized volunteers contribute to the Linux core, coordinated by Linus Torvalds.
Base Applications
The base applicaciones of the GNU project are by design totaly compatibles with UNIX. They are individual pieces of software that have been adapted to work with the Linux core, which in some cases have been a trivial task and in others cases some of these pieces hace to be rewritten.
The combination "Linux core" + "GNU base aplications" make posible that the UNIX users find the environment "Linux" very familiar, so they can switch environments very easy. Many refere to this environment as Linux/GNU.
