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
-
LibreOffice 25.2 Has Arrived
If you've been hoping for a release that offers more UI customizations, you're in for a treat.
-
TuxCare Has a Big AlmaLinux 9 Announcement in Store
TuxCare announced it has successfully completed a Security Technical Implementation Guide for AlmaLinux OS 9.
-
First Release Candidate for Linux Kernel 6.14 Now Available
Linus Torvalds has officially released the first release candidate for kernel 6.14 and it includes over 500,000 lines of modified code, making for a small release.
-
System76 Refreshes Meerkat Mini PC
If you're looking for a small form factor PC powered by Linux, System76 has exactly what you need in the Meerkat mini PC.
-
Gnome 48 Alpha Ready for Testing
The latest Gnome desktop alpha is now available with plenty of new features and improvements.
-
Wine 10 Includes Plenty to Excite Users
With its latest release, Wine has the usual crop of bug fixes and improvements, along with some exciting new features.
-
Linux Kernel 6.13 Offers Improvements for AMD/Apple Users
The latest Linux kernel is now available, and it includes plenty of improvements, especially for those who use AMD or Apple-based systems.
-
Gnome 48 Debuts New Audio Player
To date, the audio player found within the Gnome desktop has been meh at best, but with the upcoming release that all changes.
-
Plasma 6.3 Ready for Public Beta Testing
Plasma 6.3 will ship with KDE Gear 24.12.1 and KDE Frameworks 6.10, along with some new and exciting features.
-
Budgie 10.10 Scheduled for Q1 2025 with a Surprising Desktop Update
If Budgie is your desktop environment of choice, 2025 is going to be a great year for you.