1991 founded Standing
os · kernel.org
Linux
the moat is real
34 years 361 days and counting
Linus emailed the announcement on 25 Aug 1991. The desktop never quite won. Everything else did.
Why it lasted
- It became the default computer, then hid inside phones, TVs, cars, and the cloud.
- No vendor can kill a kernel that every vendor depends on.
- The hobby project absorbed IBM, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon as contributors.
Times it almost ended
- Microsoft spent a decade calling it a cancer, then shipped it inside Windows.
- Unix vendors had the brand and the lawsuits. Linux had the laptop on Linus's desk.
What would finish it
- A successor kernel that the hyperscalers actually move to. None has shown up.
Questions
Is Linux still up?
Yes, with a Standing verdict: the moat is real. Founded 1991.
How long has Linux been around?
Linux has been up since 1991-08-25.
Why did Linux survive?
It became the default computer, then hid inside phones, TVs, cars, and the cloud.
Could Linux still die?
A successor kernel that the hyperscalers actually move to. None has shown up.