17 Years Now: Linus Torvalds Introduces Linux
Exactly 17 years ago, on October 5, 1991, Linus Torvalds sent an email to the comp.os.minix newsgroup.
It began with the words "Do you pine for the nice days of minix-1.1, when men were men and wrote their own device drivers? [...] Then this post might be just for you :-)" The message ended with Torvald's proposal to make a MINIX-like kernel for AT-386 computers available.
The early kernel version of Linux ran at first under MINIX. As Torvalds wrote, "It is just version 0.02 (+1 (very small) patch already), but I've successfully run bash/gcc/gnu-make/gnu-sed/compress etc under it." He announced the very first kernel version in August of 1991 to a handful of developers who had already shown a considerable interest in Linux, but did not release it at that time.
The need for a free operating system existed because MINIX consisted largely of patches. There was as good as no support for the system that Andrew S. Tanenbaum developed as a teaching tool. Tanenbaum did not allow modifications and only now and then integrated patches that other developers had sent him.
Hobbyists began downloading the experimental Linux from the Finnish server and developing it further. As it turns out, the name Linux came from Ari Lemmke, administrator of the FTP server; Torvalds himself preferred the name Freakx or Buggix for his baby.
The kernel became free in the sense of free software only after Torvalds and his comrades-in-arms put it under Richard Stallman's GPL license in 1992. Stallman needed a kernel for his free GNU platform, because work on Hurd, the original GNU kernel, was moving at a snail's pace. The Linux kernel and the countless GNU tools enabled a successful installation of a free platform, and the GPL licensing gave Linux development that extra kick.
The full discussion on the comp.os.linux mailing list is available in Google archives that contain around 21,000 entries.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.