So, I’m a Finn, and have heard many times that we prefer Android because it’s “built on a Linux kernel” (I know just enough to know the Linux dude is a Finn). But *what* is “a kernel” and how “Finnish” does this make Android? Can Linus Torvalds be credited in any way for Android?
In: Technology
A kernel is the core part of an operating system, like the brain of your phone or computer. Its job is to manage the hardware (like the processor, memory, and storage) and allow software (apps, programs, etc.) to talk to that hardware. It’s what makes everything run smoothly behind the scenes.
The Linux kernelis a specific type of kernel that was created by Linus Torvalds, who is Finnish. It’s open-source, meaning anyone can see the code, modify it, and use it for free. The Linux kernel is widely used in many different operating systems, including servers, computers, and even Android phones.
Android uses the Linux kernel as its foundation to manage the hardware on your phone or tablet. While Android adds a lot of extra layers and features on top of this kernel to make your phone work the way you expect (with a touchscreen, apps, etc.), the kernel itself comes from the Linux project.
Android isn’t directly Finnish in the sense that it’s made in Finland, but the kernel it uses is based on work that Linus Torvalds, a Finn, started in 1991. He laid the groundwork for the kernel that Android uses today, even though there have been many other contributors over the years.While Linus didn’t work on Android itself, his creation of the Linux kernel made Android possible, because the Android system relies on that kernel to function.
In short, Android owes part of its existence to the Linux kernel, which was created by a Finn, but Android itself is not a purely Finnish creation.
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