Test your Linux knowledge, pt. 1!!!

Eits0 · 08-24-2002, 04:08 PM

Do you know where Linus Torvalds first got idea of Linux?

I'm revealing answer after one week!

acid_kewpie · 08-24-2002, 05:05 PM

wow that's a really challenging "poll" feel free to mention the prior developemnt of MINIX and how Linus felt it was limited and wanted to create a practical replacemnt for what he essentially saw as a student tool, or the famous torvalds / tanenbaum emails...

i'll be waiting for the answer!

i would also point out that technically, if you don't know, "I don't know" is the correct answer...

and of course for anyone who does want to test their knowledge, make sure you've tried the official quiz

trickykid · 08-24-2002, 05:17 PM

I picked "I don't know", since I am unaware of the exact specific location he decided to come up with Linux..

But I do know he decided to create Linux as an alternative *nix like OS for desktop PC's, sort of what Acid said...

MasterC · 08-24-2002, 11:36 PM

Who's this Linus you speak of? If nobody else has noticed, I figured I would let you all in on a big secret, if you replace the s in the name mentioned above (whoever that is) and put an X in it's place, that actually spells Linux! Wow! Coincidence? Probably...

acid_kewpie · 08-25-2002, 04:08 AM

MasterC, you don't know the story about Linus' FTP hosting friend?

Eits0 · 08-25-2002, 06:48 AM

w00t! this seems to be new era of legends and fairytales!
You at age 80: "Now kids, grandpa is going to tell you about FTP hosting friend of Linus Torvalds back in 90's, when OS was wood and men iron..."
Kids: "Ooooh! Ancient stories! Tell us more!"

Heh. I'm going to write book called "Lord of the Systems"

MasterC · 08-25-2002, 06:49 AM

Sweet, so you and Torvalds are old drinkin buddies eh?

jeremy · 08-25-2002, 10:18 AM

I was also under the impression that Linus wrote the original kernel because he really liked MINIX but didn't like the fact that it was licensed and felt that MINIX was academic (more of a teaching tool really). I am sure there are other reasons too, but I don't know them. Here's the first post about Linux:

Quote:

From: torvalds@klaava.Helsinki.FI (Linus Benedict Torvalds)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: What would you like to see most in minix?
Summary: small poll for my new operating system
Message-ID: <1991Aug25.205708.9541@klaava.Helsinki.FI>
Date: 25 Aug 91 20:57:08 GMT
Organization: University of Helsinki
Hello everybody out there using minix -
I'm doing a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and
professional like gnu) for 386(486) AT clones. This has been brewing
since april, and is starting to get ready. I'd like any feedback on
things people like/dislike in minix, as my OS resembles it somewhat
(same physical layout of the file-system (due to practical reasons)
among other things). I've currently ported bash(1.08) and gcc(1.40),and
things seem to work.This implies that I'll get something practical within a
few months, andI'd like to know what features most people would want. Any
suggestions are welcome, but I won't promise I'll implement them :-)
Linus (torvalds@kruuna.helsinki.fi)
PS. Yes - it's free of any minix code, and it has a multi-threaded fs.
It is NOT protable (uses 386 task switching etc), and it probably never
will support anything other than AT-harddisks, as that's
all I have :-(.

Through the wonders of google you can also see the original LINUX is obsolete Tanenbaum vs. Linus thread.

--jeremy

Eits0 · 08-25-2002, 01:25 PM

Two things I love in Torvalds first post:

Quote:

just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu

and:

Quote:

and it probably never
will support anything other than AT-harddisks, as that's
all I have :-(.

Oh, how could he be so wrong...

Calum · 08-25-2002, 01:43 PM

jeremy said it all, of course! i saw all that history in the greeat book 'the rebel code' by Glyn Moody.

MasterC · 08-26-2002, 12:58 AM

That's really cool, I read almost the whole newgroup thing, thanks for finding that for us Jeremy, a good read if any of you have a few minutes to spare.

Who is tannembaum anyway? Was he Linus' teacher?

Cool

annehoog · 08-26-2002, 03:02 AM

Hi,

I take it that Eits0 has read the book that I would recommend to everyone using linux.
"Just for the fun", by linus Torvalds.
For those who didn't know: yes, he wrote a book.
Imho not a beststeller or high-standard literary work, but an absolute must-read for every linux-geek out there. And it's fun to have in your bookcase b/c it has a cute little Tux on the side of the cover.
Plus that you will find the answer for the question in the poll.

Anne

MasterC · 08-26-2002, 03:11 AM

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/boo...sbn=0066620732

I think I will get it, I have been wanting to get a Linux book for a while, and this would be cool to have.

Thanks for the idea annehoog!

annehoog · 08-26-2002, 03:17 AM

You are very welcome!

jeremy · 08-26-2002, 08:18 AM

Tanenbaum is a professor and the author of MINIX.

http://www.cs.vu.nl/~ast/

--jeremy