The Linux kernel, created by Linus Torvalds, was made available to the world for free. … Thousands of programmers began working to enhance Linux, and the operating system grew rapidly. Because it is free and runs on PC platforms, it gained a sizeable audience among hard-core developers very quickly.

Is Linux becoming more popular?

For example, Net Applications shows Windows on top of the desktop operating system mountain with 88.14% of the market. … That’s not surprising, but Linux — yes Linux — seems to have jumped from 1.36% share in March to 2.87% share in April.

When did Linux become popular?

Linux grew throughout the 1990s because of the efforts of hobbyist developers. Although Linux is not as user-friendly as the popular Microsoft Windows and Mac OS operating systems, it is an efficient and reliable system that rarely crashes.