Linux Proves That Less Is More
Do you long for the days when men were still men and wrote their own device drivers?
Linus Torvalds surely did way back in 1991, which lead to the creation of one of the most kick ass operating systems in existence today. Of course, I’m talking about Linux.
So what is it that makes Linux such an awesome operating system and Holy Grail at SYNAQ? I think the best explanation can only be achieved by briefly looking at the core design principles of Linux.
Linux Core Design Principles
- Everything on the platform is a file, including hardware
- Linux uses small single purpose programs that perform a single purpose or job but do it very well.
- Having the ability to link these small single purpose programs together to perform complex tasks
- Interactive user interfaces are keep to a minimal and only used where absolutely needed
- All program configuration settings are stored in plain text
Utilities found in Linux are designed with the ability to manipulate files and its content. The Unix / Linux security model is in fact based around access rights to files and so by treating everything as a file, you have the power to lock down hardware access the same way you would a file or directory.
Most Linux utilities are generally small programs that only perform a single task, but execute the specific task exceptionally well. With the capacity to pass the output of each program onto another program, to do it's magic on the data, you get to perform very complex tasks. Yet at the same time you have a clear understanding of exactly what is going on. Knowing the function of each program and having the ability to confirm expected results, ensures that troubleshooting potential problems are handled easier and faster. Any deviance from expected outcomes is effortlessly tracked down and identified through the chain of command.
As a general rule, Linux programs are not very user intensive you simply issue a command and off it goes as instructed. The famous “Press OK to Continue” message are few and far between on the Linux platform. Automation of tasks is possible with relative ease by harnessing the power of each small program and combining or “scripting” them together.
Lastly, storing configuration settings in plain text has a number of benefits.
- Migrating configurations are quick and relatively easy.
- Finding the cause of issues are simply handled by reviewing one or two text files, instead of having to click and fight your way through myriads of screens and windows.
- Also modifying or tweaking a running service becomes a breeze and if a change doesn't work as expected, rolling back is almost effortless!
This is what has and continues to make Linux such a powerful and awesome operating system and the cornerstone of technology at SYNAQ.
Tags: Linus Torvalds, Linux, operating system
This entry was posted on Thursday, June 21st, 2012 at 2:30 pm and is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
I came across this website after Synaq was mentioned to me in passing. I enjoyed the artical but i feel one of the core elements of Linux was neglected when it was written. The element i’m referring to is the “Linux Community” which is always avaiable and ready to address every problem or look into every oppurtunity no matter how rediculious it seems at first glance. This is a fundimental thing as it is why Linux has expanded and thrived. The community regardless if it is the paid support of Red Hat or the threads and updates of Ubuntu/Mint keep the GNU project moving forward.
Hi Malcolm,
Good point and its one we clearly missed in our blog, but thanks for reminding us on the core element of Linux.
Thanks for the comment