Linux-0.01 refers to the first public release of the Linux kernel by Linus Torvalds. This version was released on September 17, 1991, marking a significant milestone in the history of open-source software:
- Release Date: September 17, 1991
- Version Number: 0.01
- Announcement: The release was announced on the Usenet newsgroup comp.os.minix.
Key Features and Limitations:
- Hardware Support: Initially, Linux-0.01 supported only a limited set of hardware, primarily focused on the 386 processor and a few peripherals.
- File Systems: The kernel included support for the Minix file system, which was the only file system supported at that time.
- Memory Management: The memory management was very basic, with limited paging capabilities.
- Networking: There was no networking support in this initial release.
Development Context:
Linus Torvalds started working on the Linux kernel in 1991 as a hobby project, inspired by his interest in operating systems like Minix. The development of Linux-0.01 was driven by his desire to create an operating system that could run on his own computer and would not require the licensing restrictions of other operating systems available at the time:
- Linux-0.01 was written in C and Assembly.
- The initial code was shared as a tar archive, which users could compile themselves.
- It was licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL), which ensured its open-source nature.
Impact and Evolution:
The release of Linux-0.01 was just the beginning of what would become one of the most influential operating systems:
- It catalyzed the growth of the open-source movement, attracting developers worldwide to contribute to its development.
- Subsequent releases quickly improved hardware support, added networking capabilities, and introduced more sophisticated file systems like ext2.
- The project's success led to the creation of various Linux distributions, each tailored for different user needs.
For more detailed historical insights and source code, you can refer to:
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