Linux is not an operating system. It is a kernel, which is an important component of an operating system. Operating systems that use the Linux kernel are often referred to as "Linux" for simplicity and brevity, though. It should be understood that when someone says "Linux" they typically are meaning "an operatjng system that uses the Linux kernel".

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_kernel

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kernel_(operating_system)

[–] jdnewmil@lemmy.ca 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Agree, but this is the ELI10 explanation, not the ELI5 explanation. ChromeOS and Android are both operating systems that look and act very different than an operating system like Debian or Fedora, but all four of these examples use the Linux kernel.

[–] adespoton@lemmy.ca 1 points 6 days ago

I don’t know… I think his description can be overly complex/abstract for eli5 AND all the other descriptions can be wrong.

Here’s my attempt:

You know how with Lego you can make all sorts of stuff, but you can also buy a kit with some main pieces pre-molded that you attach the other bits to, to make your object?

Linux is like that pre-made bit, with bumps on it in specific places to build the object. It’s designed to be the interface between the non-Lego objects and the Lego pieces.

But unlike in most systems, with Linux, everyone can tweak the pre-made bit, and it must be given away, along with the instructions on how to build it.

And of course, this all runs in software on electronics, not using physical objects made of plastic.