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Richard Stallman launched the GNU Project with the goal of creating a free Unix-like operating system. GNU stands for “GNU’s Not Unix.” It aimed to build all the components of an OS like a shell, compiler, libraries, and tools but it lacked a working kernel.
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Stallman created the Free Software Foundation to support the development of free software and promote the idea that users should be able to freely use, study, modify, and share software
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The GNU GPL was released, giving developers a legal framework to release software that remained free and open. It became one of the most important licenses in the open-source world.
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Linus Torvalds released version 0.01 of the Linux kernel, which was a free Unix-like kernel compatible with GNU software. This completed the GNU operating system GNU tools + Linux kernel = GNU/Linux
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Linus re-licensed the Linux kernel under the GNU GPL, allowing it to be legally and freely combined with GNU tools. This sparked global collaboration and the rise of the GNU/Linux operating system.
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Debian was one of the first full GNU/Linux distributions, built by the community for stability and freedom. It became the base for many other distros, including Ubuntu
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Red Hat released one of the first commercial Linux distributions with support and packaging. It helped bring GNU/Linux into businesses and data centers
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The KDE desktop environment began development, offering a complete, user-friendly graphical interface for GNU/Linux systems. It marked the beginning of desktop-focused Linux.
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GNOME was launched as an alternative to KDE, fully built with free software. It became one of the most popular desktop environments, used by distros like Fedora and Ubuntu
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Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and SUSE Linux Enterprise were launched, focusing on servers and business support. Enterprise adoption of GNU/Linux began to grow rapidly
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Ubuntu was introduced as a Debian-based distro focused on usability, desktop polish, and regular releases. It quickly became the most popular GNU/Linux distribution for new users and developers alike
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Linus Torvalds created Git, the version control system, to manage Linux kernel development. It became a vital tool in open-source software development worldwide
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Major tech companies came together to form the Linux Foundation, supporting kernel development and promoting GNU/Linux adoption across industries
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Android, based on the Linux kernel (but not the full GNU stack), launched and quickly became the dominant mobile OS. It showcased Linux’s adaptability to different platforms
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Valve announced Steam for Linux, bringing gaming to GNU/Linux systems and encouraging game developers to support Linux platforms
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Most major distros adopted systemd as their default init system, replacing older systems like SysVinit. It modernized system management but stirred some controversy in the community
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Microsoft introduced WSL, allowing users to run GNU/Linux distributions natively on Windows. It showed growing respect for GNU/Linux even within the Windows ecosystem
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GNU/Linux now runs everything from web servers and cloud infrastructure (like AWS, Google Cloud) to supercomputers, embedded devices, and personal desktops. Distros like Ubuntu, Arch, Fedora, and Pop!_OS continue to evolve with polished user experiences and powerful developer tools