Linux

Linux (commonly pronounced /ˈlɪnəks/ LIN-əks in American English,^[4][5] also pronounced /ˈlɪnʊks/ LIN-ooks^[6] in Europe and Canada) refers to the family of Unix-like computer operating systems that use the Linux kernel. Linux can be installed on a wide variety of computer hardware, ranging from mobile phones, tablet computers and video game consoles, to mainframes and supercomputers.^{[7][8][9][10]} Linux is predominantly known for its use in servers; as of 2009^[update] it has a server market share ranging between 20–40%. Most desktop computers run either Microsoft Windows or Mac OS X, with Linux having anywhere from a low of an estimated 1–2% of the desktop market to a high of an estimated 4.8%^[11]. However, desktop use of Linux has become increasingly popular in recent years, partly owing to the popular Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint, and openSUSE distributions^[12] and the emergence of netbooks and smart phones running an embedded Linux.^[13][14]