Hello -

I was just wondering if Linux is built on the UNIX Code???

Because people are telling me different answers that its not.

Like for example, some are telling me that Linux is just Linux, and some are telling me that its built on UNIX Code or is a UNIX-Based OS.

I dont know.

Linux was first built by Linus Torvland. He wrote it because he did not want to pay for a UNIX operating system. He then posted a message saying that he intended to make the code free ans accessible to everybody.

Yes the code is very Similar to UNIX, in fact when it was first written it was almost identical. I think there have been some legal battles over this.


However there is no UNIX code per say, in the linux operating system. Just code that has been rewritten in an identical mannor.

In general opinion diverge as for the real meaning of Linux, offical version is that it stans for Like-Unix but un-official version (supported by most of the fans ) states that it stands for a combination of Linus + Unix.

Short history: Linus wrote first version when he was dissatisfied by performance of a UNIX-Based OS for Personal Computers called Minix and he had some ideas on how to improve the operation of it. So while Linux operates (and looks) almost identical to Unix, there is no Unix code in it per-se and all the function that are similar were just written and designed to emulate how they work in Unix itself.

Linux (the kernel) was written from scratch by Linus and then others.
Linux distributions usually contain GNU tools.
Linux code was not "almost identical" to Unix code.

There is a lot of good Linux/Unix information here.

want to really confuse things, add the word Posix into this debate

yeah 2damncommon

The commands were the same and the feel of the OS was the same.

You would have to be a fu**ing idiot to not see the similarities between Linux and Unix.

But you wrote that it was a fact that the "code" was the same. it was not.
You will note my comment about GNU. This will account for your new comment.

Why are you trying to get this thread closed by personal attacks and foul language?

regarding the "confusion" with unix and linux, I don't know the difference bet. linux and mac... they use the same shells right? I mean the "bash" /bin thingy, right?

i DO hope you are trying for irony there

yup i was. I'm not that good with the histories of the two = LInux and unix...

If you had read my post properly you would have seen Similar to UNIX . As apposed to the same

Before you attack peoples comments I would suggest you read them first.

Not only did I read it I posted that entire line above my comment.
It is not true.

EDIT: To hopefully stop cluttering up this thread with silly bickering:
I believe the statement, "Yes the code is very Similar to UNIX, in fact when it was first written it was almost identical." to be untrue for the reason stated in my first response. Linus wrote the Linux kernel from scratch.
Then we jump to a second statement, "The commands were the same and the feel of the OS was the same." This statement is correct and not the same as the first statement.
Linux is a Unix like system. I would suggest checking the GNU site for better information about the software that gives Linux the functions most of us are used to.
I believe the link in my first post has good information regarding Unix and Linux history.
jax8, I am not going to just argue. Please post informative links or comments as you wish.

One big diff between Linux and unix is cost.

Way back in 1989 SCO unix cost about $1200.00 and that was without any compiler or applications and it was for a 386.

Old people just have to love Linux ; )

Posix is simply a standard that says that things should act a certain way. Just because both Ford and Honda autos meet US federal standards does not mean that a Ford and a Honda are the same or that they use the same parts.

I think this is a relevant link. It's back from when AdTI was trying to claim Linux was based on Minix, so it's more about Andrew Tanenbaum(author of Minix) and Ken Brown(AdTI goon). It does, however, touch on the history of the Linux code.

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

As far as I'm concerned, Linux is a Unix clone. It's not based on Unix code, it's not Unix code rewritten, it's just modeled after Unix.