Linux is a computer operating system that was created by Linus Torvalds in 1991. It is completely free and open source and thousands of people all over the world are constantly working to improve it. Linux is after Microsoft Windows and Apple’s Mac OS the third most used operating system. Most of the computers that bring you the webpages of the Internet run on Linux.

Linux cannot really be installed “as is”. Instead, it is packaged up in so called distributions, which you then install on your computer like any other operating system. Some of the most widespread Linux distros for home use are: SuSE, Fedora, Mandriva, Debian and its derivative Ubuntu. If you are just starting out, Linux Mint is one of the easiest to use distributions for new users.