Editing Linux distribution (section)

== History ==
[[File:Linux 0 12.jpg|thumb|5.25-inch [[floppy disk]]s holding a very early version of Linux]]
[[File:Linux Distribution Timeline.svg|alt=Timeline of Linux distributions|thumb|Timeline of the development of main Linux distributions<ref name="tGGs6">{{cite web |title=Linux Distributions Timeline |url=https://github.com/FabioLolix/LinuxTimeline |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250311203953/https://github.com/FabioLolix/LinuxTimeline |archive-date=March 11, 2025 |access-date=March 17, 2025 |publisher=FabioLolix}}</ref>]]
[[Linus Torvalds]] developed the [[Linux kernel]] and distributed its first version, 0.01, in 1991. Linux was initially distributed as [[source code]] only, and later as a pair of downloadable [[floppy disk]] images: one bootable and containing the Linux kernel itself, and the other with a set of [[GNU project|GNU]] utilities and tools for setting up a file system. Since the installation procedure was complicated, especially in the face of growing amounts of available software, distributions sprang up to simplify it.<ref name="MhhmD">{{cite journal |last=Berlich |first=Ruediger |title=All you need to know about... The early history of Linux, Part 2, Re: distribution |journal=LinuxUser |date=April 2001 |url=http://oldlinux.org/Linux.old/docs/lu9-All_you_need_to_know_about-The_early_history_of_Linux_part_2.pdf |access-date=May 4, 2013 |archive-date=July 28, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728140140/http://oldlinux.org/Linux.old/docs/lu9-All_you_need_to_know_about-The_early_history_of_Linux_part_2.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>

Early distributions included:
* Torvalds' "''Boot-Root''" images, later maintained by Jim Winstead Jr., the aforementioned disk image pair with the kernel and the absolute minimal tools to get started (4 November 1991)<ref>[https://www.kclug.org/old_archives/linux-activists/1991/dec/1/0002.shtml linux-0.11 available]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/Historic/old-versions/RELNOTES-0.95a|title=RELNOTES-0.95a}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/nico/archive.git/commit/?id=be068f1a017608faa9b4a0652686426df2e87689|title=kernel/git/nico/archive.git - Archive of old Linux versions since v0.01|website=git.kernel.org}}</ref><ref name="ovoFu">{{Cite web|url=https://lwn.net/Articles/91371/|title=A Short History of Linux Distributions [LWN.net]|website=lwn.net|access-date=2018-09-30|archive-date=June 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623113052/https://lwn.net/Articles/91371/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[MCC Interim Linux]] (3 March 1992)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tech-insider.org/linux/research/1992/0225-b.html|title=interim release|website=www.tech-insider.org}}</ref>
* [[Softlanding Linux System]] (SLS) which included the X Window System and was the most comprehensive distribution for a short time (15 August 1992)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tech-insider.org/linux/research/1992/0812.html|title=SLS: Free Linux Distribution|website=www.tech-insider.org}}</ref>
* [[HJ Lu|H.J. Lu]]'s "''bootable rootdisks''" (23 September 1992),<ref>[https://www.kclug.org/old_archives/linux-activists/1992/sep/3/0266.shtml Anyone wants a bootable rootdisk?]</ref><ref>[https://www.kclug.org/old_archives/linux-activists/1992/sep/3/0341.shtml bootable root disks are on tsx-11]</ref> and "''Linux Base System''" (5 October 1992)<ref>[https://www.kclug.org/old_archives/linux-activists/1992/oct/0/0172.shtml Anyone interested in Linux Base System]</ref><ref>[https://www.kclug.org/old_archives/linux-activists/1992/oct/0/0430.shtml ANNOUNCE: The Linux Base System]</ref>
* [[Yggdrasil Linux/GNU/X]], a commercial distribution (8 December 1992)

The two oldest, still active distribution projects started in 1993. The SLS distribution was not well maintained, so in July 1993 a new SLS-based distribution, [[Slackware]], was released by [[Patrick Volkerding]].<ref name="oOaPr">{{cite web |url=http://www.slackware.com/announce/1.0.php |title=The Slackware Linux Project: Slackware Release Announcement |publisher=Slackware.com |date=July 16, 1993 |access-date=July 29, 2011 |archive-date=August 9, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809110953/http://www.slackware.com/announce/1.0.php |url-status=live}}</ref> Also dissatisfied with SLS, [[Ian Murdock]] set to create a free distribution by founding [[Debian]] in August 1993, with first public BETA released in January 1994 and first stable version in June 1996.<ref>[https://www.ibiblio.org/pub/historic-linux/distributions/debian-0.91/ChangeLog debian-0.91-ChangeLog]</ref><ref name="0qLCM">{{cite web |url=https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/project-history/detailed.en.html |title=A Brief History of Debian - Debian Releases |website=debian.org |date=May 4, 2013 |access-date=July 19, 2014 |archive-date=April 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418045322/https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/project-history/detailed.en.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Users were attracted to Linux distributions as alternatives to the [[DOS]] and [[Microsoft Windows]] operating systems on [[IBM PC compatible]] computers, [[Classic Mac OS|Mac OS]] on the [[Apple Macintosh]], and [[proprietary software|proprietary]] versions of [[Unix]]. Most early adopters were familiar with Unix from work or school. They embraced Linux distributions for their low (or absent) cost, and the availability of the [[source code]] for most or all of their software.

As of 2024, Linux has become more popular in server and embedded devices markets than in the desktop market. It is used in approximately 58.9% of web servers;<ref name="w8AEo">{{cite web |url=https://w3techs.com/technologies/details/os-unix/all/all |title=Usage statistics and market share of Unix for websites |website=w3techs.org |date=October 26, 2024 |access-date=October 26, 2024 |archive-date=October 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241026192741/https://w3techs.com/technologies/details/os-unix |url-status=live }}</ref> its current operating system market share is about 3.67%.<ref name="Ay5cT">{{cite web |date=October 26, 2024 |title=Browser & Platform Market Share September 2024 |url=https://www.w3counter.com/globalstats.php?year=2024&month=09 |access-date= |website=w3counter.com}}</ref>