Until I met Junior, I thought there was only one default system running inside all computers. After all, why should we worry about the OS if we can open the browser and just navigate the internet?

Junior is my hardware and network teacher, and already in the first class, I noticed his passion for Operating Systems. Linux especially stands out in his speech.

These first classes have given me a lot of "aha" moments, and then I started to expand my mind across OSs. Here's what I found:

Linux is not just an OS; it actually represents an entire movement and way of thinking. Sometimes it's even political.

For example, the GNU project, started by Richard Stallman in the 80s, pushed the idea of free software—meaning freedom, not just price (very sophisticated idea even nowadays). The Free Software Foundation, also founded by Stallman, fights for users to have the right to run, study, modify, and share software. This is a big part of the Linux vibe.

Think of Linux's origins! It all started with Linus Torvalds, a student guy, who in 1991 began working on a kernel as a hobby. He shared his work, and the open-source community jumped in, contributing and developing it further. This collaborative spirit is a core part of the Linux philosophy. You see this reflected in the many different distributions available today, each catering to different needs and preferences.

And we can check it out by ourselves here: https://github.com/torvalds/linux/ (thats sick)

Understanding the topology of Linux helped me figure out (at least a little bit) how a machine works and what a kernel is. With that, people from all over the world can contribute and build on your ideas.

These abstractions bring different characteristics to each system.

The kernel is the core of the OS, the part that talks directly to the hardware. Distributions, on the other hand, are complete operating systems built around the Linux kernel. They include the kernel, system utilities, desktop environments (like GNOME or KDE), and applications. Think of the kernel as the engine of a car, and the distribution as the whole car—engine, chassis, interior, and all the features that make it usable.

So I thought how can one distribution be "smarter" or better prepared for a specific topic than another? Why is this one for hacking, and another for server duty for example?

That's where customization comes in (even not understanding yet in the code itself). Distribution can be tailored with specific software, settings, and security tweaks for certain tasks. For example, Kali Linux is packed with security tools for penetration testing, while CentOS is popular for servers because of its stability and long-term support.

Just a daydream I had while writing this: Why are all the movies and culture about hacking and programming so exaggerated? A nerd sits in front of the computer, types some random Linux commands like mv, cp, ls, and then, voilà, system hacked and all credentials stolen. I can't wait for something more realistic (and maybe boring) involving social engineering and stuff.

Back to the main: Everything is about commands and less about GUI.

Red Hat is definitely worth mentioning. It's another favorite of my teacher. Red Hat is huge in the enterprise world, especially with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). They're known for stability, security, and long-term support. What makes Red Hat special is how much they contribute to open source. They don't just use it, they help build it.

The main differences from Windows (system I used all my life):

• One of the biggest differences is that Linux is open source, while Windows is proprietary ($$).
• This affects cost, customization, and control. Linux is usually free, while Windows needs a license. Linux is super customizable and you can tweak almost anything.
• Windows is more locked down. Linux relies heavily on the terminal, while Windows is more GUI-focused (though PowerShell is getting better).
• Finally, Linux is known for stability and security, while Windows has had more issues with malware and vulnerabilities.

All this abstractions of stability, security, customization is still cloudy for me, but I'm going to install a dual boot in my mom's machine and experiment it by myself.

See ya!