Introduction

This article was suggested by Wayne Snyder (instructor Oxnard College, CA - CNIT 143 Linux Essentials).

What technology runs on Linux?

It is amazing how often you use Linux in your daily life.

Linux, a ***nix operating system based on the original Unix operating system (circa 1969), runs almost everything these days, but many people are not aware of that. Some might be aware of Linux and might have heard that this operating system runs supercomputers or their cable TV or their washing machine :-). According to Top500, Linux now powers the five-hundred fastest computers in the world. Go to their site and search for “Linux” under “OS Family” to see the results for yourself.1

Linux shows up everywhere. For example, the author has an internet connection that uses a Cable Modem with embedded Linux. It is connected to a Linksys EA7450 router which also has embedded Linux. All the author’s computers are Linux (or *nix) based - except for some Windows 10 virtual machines used as target practice for cyber atttacks ;-).

The author’s first experience with Unix was way back in 1978. But Linux has become ubiquitous. Here are some mind-blowing Linux statistics2:

  • In 2021, 100% of the world’s top 500 supercomputers run on Linux.
  • Out of the top 25 websites in the world, only 2 aren’t using Linux.
  • 96.3% of the world’s top 1 million servers run on Linux.
  • 90% of all cloud infrastructure operates on Linux and most of the best cloud hosts use it.

Some Examples of the Use of Linux

  1. Science - There are some amazing scientific uses for Linux in many forms. One of the author’s favorite scientific endeavors is the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). There is Linux all over the place at the LHC but specifically it is one of the backers of Scientific Linux which is a version of RedHat Linux specially compiled for scientific use.3
  2. Automotive - The automotive industry has always tended to roll its own technology. But with increasing complexity (self driveing cars/trucks) and the need for connectivity automotive manufacturers are turning to Linux. They are developing their own Automotive Grade version of Linux.4
  3. Military - Even our military is hopping on the “open source” (primarily Linux) band wagon. Red Hat Linux and the Army are very cooperative. The Army boasts the largest installed base of RedHat! The U.S. Navy nuclear submarine fleet utilizes Linux in most systems. It is especially effective in mordern sonar systems.5
  4. Home Appliances - Home appliances are getting really smart. Everything you can imagine is now becoming a member of the “Internet of Things”. TVs, toasters, refrigerators, HVAC, washing machines. You name it…6 Alt Desktop

References

The references here are not all direct citations. Most are background material. Most of the text was composed by the author.

  1. Watkins, Don. “Everyday Tech Runs Linux.” Opensource.Com, Opensource.com, 20 Aug. 2019, https://opensource.com/article/19/8/everyday-tech-runs-linux. ↩

  2. Galov, Nick. “Mind-Blowing Linux Statistics.” HostingTribunal, HostingTribunal, 16 Jan. 2021, https://hostingtribunal.com/blog/linux-statistics/. ↩

  3. Sneddon, Joe. “25 Awesome (And Some Unexpected) Things Powered By Linux.” OMG! Ubuntu!, https://facebook.com/omgubuntu, 25 Aug. 2016, https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2016/08/25-awesome-unexpected-things-powered-linux/. ↩

  4. “Automotive Grade Linux.” Automotive Grade Linux, 2020, https://www.automotivelinux.org. ↩

  5. Farrell, Nick. “US Military Loves Linux.” Fudzilla.Com - Home, Fudzilla, 23 Dec. 2019, https://www.fudzilla.com/news/50016-us-military-loves-linux. ↩

  6. Burgess, Matt. [“What Is the Internet of Things?”(https://www.wired.co.uk/article/internet-of-things-what-is-explained-iot){:target=”_blank”} WIRED UK, WIRED UK, 25 Jan. 2017, https://www.wired.co.uk/article/internet-of-things-what-is-explained-iot. ↩