GNU/Linux - what did it look like?

[u-noob-tu]

When GNU/Linux was first made, what did it look like? I know it was made in 1991 (GNU/Linux, not GNU), so does that mean it was like a unix shell? Was it command line only and no GUI? I was only a year old when all this stuff happened so I don't remember a thing (plus I've only been using Linux for 6 months). Also what was the first GUI interface for GNU/Linux? I know KDE has been around for awhile. I'm just curious about how Linux (and computers in general) got to where they are today.

[Cam!]

I'd imagine it would've been using a command line interface.

[Spice Weasel]

The kernel was released in 1991.

What you must remember is that all these GUIs run on the X Window System. Which means they are compatible with UNIX, Solaris, BSD, GNU, and GNU/Linux.

To give you a general idea of UNIX GUI history:

1969:

CLI



1987:

twm



1989:

OpenWindows



1993:

CDE



1995:

FVWM-95



1998:

KDE 1. Pre-GNOME.

[skierkyles]

1993:

Am I the only one who is a tad bit nostalgic for the Windows 95ish era of computers?

They just looked nice, in a strange sort of way.

[szymon_g]

hm... i always wonder why people uses that name "GNU/Linux" instead of simply Linux? up to last september /or was it august?/ even glibc wasn't entirely "free". not to mention, that without software that is/was licensed under other type of licenses, quite often written for other unix-likes /sunos, freebsd etc/ in mind, it was /and, frankly speaking, still is/ quite useless.. so why not GNU/Apache/Berkeley/place_any_license_here/Linux

[u-noob-tu]

Wow, that's incredible. It's amazing how far we've come. It's the same way with cars. It's fascinating.

[szymon_g]

i wouldn't be so excited.
X11, was designed in 1987- sure, it's being developed, but still you cannot change anything "deep" without kind of breaking everything
look on apple- they could use xfree86 /xorg predecessor/, but they preferred to create their own "graphic solution". hopefully, wayland will make things better.
so no- being fascinated about the evolution of graphic mechanisms in linux isn't- imo of course- rational (but of course do whatever you like!)

[Seq]

Am I the only one who is a tad bit nostalgic for the Windows 95ish era of computers?

Yes. yes you are.

Now if we were talking about Windowmaker...

[jethro_tell]

Thanks Spice Weasel. That's pretty cool to see.

[Lucradia]

Yes. yes you are.

Now if we were talking about Windowmaker...

I love Windows classic.